Bessemer to reopen city hall, library in phases

BESSEMER — The city of Bessemer announced plans Friday to slowly reopen city hall and the library to the public in five phases.

“We are entering into a new normal and we want to give people time to prepare and adjust,” said City Manager Charly Loper in an email.

The first phase is already under way and second phase for both the city hall and the library is identical to the current situation.

Everything remains closed to the public, with strict social distancing practices in place.

Loper said they are in Phase 1 and 2, calling them "identical because we want to make it apparent that we may stay with the status quo for awhile.”

“All of this is subject to the Governor’s and health department’s guidance, and is subject to change," said the release from the city. "We will have to remain flexible as we work through this.”

Phase 3 will allow the library to reopen for curbside services and visits by appointment only and city hall will only be open to the public for cash payments. All patrons must enter from via the library door and strict social distancing guidelines will be in place and masks will be required. Hand sanitizer will be available at the library door. The bathrooms will not be available to the general public and the building will be sanitized hourly. city hall and the library will be implementing late fees in this phase.

There will be special hours for those most vulnerable starting with Phase 3. Vulnerable individuals will be able to make cash payments from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and use the library from 8:30 to 10 a.m. These special hours for the most vulnerable will remain in place until Phase 5.

The library will have computers available to the public by appointment only starting with Phase 3.

However, two computers will be removed to allow for social distancing.

Items returned to the library will be quarantined for a week before they are available to be checked out again.

When Phase 4 is implemented, all normal doors will reopen for entry and city hall and the library will allow 10 people in the building at a time. Hand-sanitizer will be available at all entrances.

Otherwise, all rules implemented during Phase 3 will remain in place.

Phase 5 will be back to normal hours and operations, but Loper warned that could be a while.

“We aren't going to reopen as we used to be for a long time,” Loper said in the email.