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COVID-19 Updates
Last updated: January 22, 2021
As a partner in promoting public health, and ensuring the safety and well-being of Whitehall residents, the City of Whitehall is continually engaging with the State of Ohio and Franklin County Public Health as the situation surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves. We have implemented appropriate adjustments to City operations, without compromising any of our core health-safety services such as police, fire and emergency medical services. Learn about the most current safety guidelines, service changes, closures and resources available to you below. If we work together, we can continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Note that regular updates are made to this page, so please check back frequently.
City Hall Temporarily Closed to the Public
In response to the recent surge in cases and the Stay at Home Advisory issued by Franklin County Public Health, the City has determined that it is in the best interest of our employees and community members for City Hall to close to visitors until further notice.
A limited number of employees will report to City Hall during regular business hours, with other staff members transitioning to working from home only. In-person appointments may be scheduled as needed. Should you need to make an appointment to conduct business with the City, please call the appropriate department or division (see the contact information below).
Changes to City Operations During Temporary City Hall Closure
The City is committed to continuing services with as little disruption as possible. Here’s how you can continue your business with the City while City Hall is closed to visitors:
- Mayor's Court
- Police and Fire
- safe station
- Building permits and plan review
- Council Meetings
- Parks & Recreation
Mayor's Court
Mayor’s Court will continue in-person at City Hall on Tuesdays. Masks are mandatory for all Mayor’s Court visitors.
MANDATORY: Text (740) 791-0883 with your first and last name and the last four digits of your Social Security Number to check-in
In an effort to maintain best practices for social distancing, Mayor’s Court has now implemented a mandatory text-to-check-in feature. When you arrive for court please text your first and last name and the last four digits of your social security number to (740) 791-0883 and you will receive a confirmation back stating that you have been checked in. Should the clerk require more information, they will reply as needed. When they are ready for you in court, you will receive a text message directing you to proceed through the main entrance and directly into the courtroom. You may also text any questions you may have for the Court office. There may be some delay in responses, so we thank you for your patience.
For more information on courts in Franklin County please reference the following websites:
- Whitehall Mayors Court: https://www.whitehall-oh.us/143/Mayors-Court
- Common Pleas General Division: http://www.fccourts.org
- Common Pleas Domestic Relations/Juvenile Divisions: https://drj.fccourts.org/
- Common Pleas Probate Court: https://probate.franklincountyohio.gov/
- Franklin County Municipal Court: http://www.fcmcclerk.com/
- View the Whitehall Mayors Court Court Docket
- Online Whitehall Mayor's Court Case/Warrant Lookup
- Call with questions: (614) 338-3109
Police and Fire Divisions
Our police officers, firefighters and EMTs are working 24/7 to keep our community safe during this public health crisis. With contracting COVID-19 still being a high risk, residents will notice some changes to in-person interactions with police and fire personnel. This may include personnel maintaining six-feet from residents, and asking residents to step outside of their homes if possible. Please remember to practice social distancing if you encounter safety personnel and when possible, please file police reports online. File a police report online here >>
While the fire and police stations are always open to the public, we request that you limit your in-person visits as much as possible.
- File a Police Report
- Submit a Crime Tip
- Call with non-emergency police questions: (614) 237-6333
- Call with non-emergency fire questions: (614) 237-0831
Additionally, our emergency dispatchers are asking screening questions to identify if an individual is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Please answer the questions truthfully. No one will be denied services because of how they answer or because they may have COVID-19. The screening questions simply help our officers and EMTs know whether personal protective equipment, like face masks, are necessary.
SAFE Station
The Fire Division’s SAFE Station, serving those needing a safe, discreet pathway to drug addiction services, is still open. If you are able, please call ahead (614-572-6918) before coming to the Fire Station for screening purposes (although this is not required). Learn more >>
Building Permits and Plan Review
- Call with questions: (847) 237-8612
- Download permit applications
- Submit permit applications and plans:
- Email your PDF applications to the Building Department
- Drop off paper applications in the City Hall Deposit Box (located next to front entrance to City Hall)
- Submit plans for review: Email your plans to the Building Department
City Council Meetings
Until announced otherwise, all City Council Voting Meetings and City Council Committee meetings will continue to take place at City Hall, but will not be physically open to the public. Both meeting types will be live-streamed to the City’s Facebook page. View a list of upcoming meetings >>
For City Council Voting Meetings, in addition to being live-streamed, you may also watch the meeting on the City’s YouTube channel. Should anyone wish to submit a written message to be read during Poll Public (conducted during Voting Meetings Only), please email Clerk of Council Julie Ogg at julie.ogg@whitehall-oh.us by 5 p.m. on the Monday prior to the meeting. The message should still follow the rules of Poll Public - available here: https://www.whitehall-oh.us/356/Poll-Public-Rules. View the agenda (once available) online here: http://www.whitehall-oh.us/AgendaCenter/City-Council-1.
Parks & Recreation Programming
All Parks & Recreation programs have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. Additionally, the Whitehall Senior Center remains closed. The City encourages anyone that may is sick, or that may have potentially been exposed to COVID-19, to voluntarily abstain from visiting our parks and recreational facilities.
Event and Facility Notices:
- Playgrounds:Playgrounds have officially reopened. While this is an exciting development, especially for our younger community members, please take personal safety precautions to help keep you and your family safe. Parks & Recreation staff members will not be monitoring the park playgrounds for health compliance, which means community members are invited to use the park equipment at their own risk. Here are some ways we can help keep playgrounds safe as a community:
- Stay home if you are sick
- Sanitize your hands before and after play
- Maintain social distancing (Six foot minimum)
- Wear a mask or other face covering (Masks are not recommended for those under the age of two)
- Park Hours: 7 a.m.-dusk unless otherwise posted. Learn more about Whitehall's parks here >>
- Senior Center: Closed to all activities.
Vaccination Information
- For the most up-to-date information on vaccination distribution in Franklin County, please check Franklin County Public Health's website.
- Updated January 22: Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health (FCPH) are now receiving limited doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and are welcoming our seniors 75 years of age and older to schedule appointments for thier clinics. Make appointments (as they become available) by calling (614) 525-5225 or by visiting Franklin County Public Health's website here.
- As an alternative to their clinics, Franklin County Public Health encourages family, friends and neighbors of those 75 years and older to help them find the best location to meet their needs and assist them with getting scheduled. CPH and FCPH encourage eligible residents to check and see if their primary care provider, hospital system, or pharmacy have vaccine and sign up that way if that is a more convenient option.
- The Ohio Department of Health will maintain a list all providers who received vaccine on their website here.
Ohio Public Health Advisory System
As of December 3, Franklin County was downgraded from a Level 4 to a Level 3 (Red) Health Advisoryfor COVID-19. A Level 3 Health Advisory indicates:
- Very high exposure and spread
- That residents should limit activities as much as possible
- That all current health orders must be followed including wearing a face covering, social distancing, limiting large group gatherings to no more than 10 individuals, staying home when sick, washing your hands frequently and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible.
Stay at Home Advisory
Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health have issued a Stay at Home Advisory, effective at 6 p.m. on November 20. That original advisory has now been extended through February 6, 2021. The advisory is in response to rapid increases in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and the community positivity rate. Residents are advised to only leave home to go to work or school or for essential needs such as medical care, groceries, medicine and food pick up.
Other Safety Guidelines
- Statewide Mandatory Face Covering Order: Governor DeWine announced that effective Thursday, July 23, at 6 p.m., a statewide mask mandate went into effect for citizens living in all 88 Ohio counties. The is in line with the county and city-wide orders previously enacted.
- Travel Advisory: Governor DeWine has announced new travel advisory guidelines for all individuals coming into Ohio from states reporting positive COVID-19 testing rates of 15 percent or higher. The list of states will be updated every week on Wednesday. Look up current travel advisory details here.
- Limit on Size of Group Gatherings: All mass gatherings over 10 individuals are still prohibited. Additionally, residents are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering anytime they are in a public place.
Reporting Complaints
As the Statewide Mask Order is in place, along with other continued safety guidelines, the City and Division of Police recognize that you may have questions about compliance, or may even want to report that your employer or another business is not fully following the order. Questions can be directed to the Ohio Department of Health by calling 1-833-4-ASK-ODH, and complaints can be filed with Franklin County Public Health here. Please do not call the Division of Police with these complaints, as the matter is being being handled by Franklin County Public Health.
Community Resources
We’re all in this together. The City recognizes that there are many in our community who may be immunocompromised, elderly, impoverished or otherwise unable to access food, medication and other resources during this crisis. Visit the COVID-19 Resource page for the following information:
- A form to request assistance
- Senior resources
- Student resources
- Unemployment application information
- Food banks
- A list of local restaurants carry-out/delivery options
- A list of local grocery stores, noting those that offer curbside pick-up and special senior hours