WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williamstown Municipal Building is set to reopen to the public on a reduced schedule on Tuesday, July 20.

 

Interim Town Manager Charlie Blanchard on Tuesday confirmed that the town hall will be open for in-person business on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays starting in two weeks.

 

Blanchard said he discussed the reopening plan with the town's department heads recently, and they decided to hold off on opening the doors — except by appointment — a while longer.

 

Many communities in the area already have taken that step. The city halls in North Adams and Pittsfield, for example, opened to the public on June 1, two days after the commonwealth's economy fully reopened.

 

Williamstown's own Milne Public Library reopened on June 21, nearly a month before the planned reopening of the town hall.

 

Blanchard said one reason for the timetable at the municipal building was a wait to install Plexiglass dividers in office space.

 

"I haven't heard anyone question [the timing]," Blanchard said. "It's not like we've been getting a lot of calls.

 

"We just decided [July 20] would be the date we would start, and that would be fine."

 

In the meantime, residents looking to conduct transactions like renewing their dog licenses or their transfer station stickers can continue to use the town's online billing system, where fees will be assessed ranging from 50 cents for payment by electronic check to $5 on credit card transactions of $100 to $199.99.

 

And for residents who need to have in-person conversations with town staff, appointments have been available with specific personnel throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

As for opening the doors to town hall three days per week once it reopens on July 20, Blanchard indicated that could be a long-term practice going forward.

 

"People have benefited from working remotely," he said. "Most work places are considering at least having the availability for some remote working.

 

"Opening up, I just felt it would be good to start out this way."