Area public entities announce office closings

Curry County, the city of Portales and local offices of The Department of Veterans Services announced Monday they will close their doors to the public beginning Tuesday morning.

All the actions were in response to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s order issued Monday to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Curry County announced it will close its administration, assessor, clerk, finance, grant and treasurer’s offices at 8 a.m. Tuesday. They will remain closed until April 10.

The offices will have staff working from home, where they will answer calls and emails, a county news release read.

The county’s road department, detention center and sheriff’s office will remain open, but with “limited personal contact with the public,” according to the release.

In addition, County Manager Lance Pyle announced a special county commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday. That meeting will take place via teleconference. The meeting agenda is on the county’s website. One action item calls for commissioners to consider declaring the county an emergency area as a result of COVID-19. Pyle said the designation would allow the state to ensure Federal Emergency Management Agency compliance and could help obtain federal and/or state funding for the county.

The city of Portales announced it will close all city buildings to the public starting Tuesday. Payments will be accepted by regular mail, online or by phone at 833-257-8345 and in drop boxes at the front of City Hall and in the back parking lot.

The Department of Veterans Services, beginning Tuesday, will temporarily postpone in-person office visits and will instead provide veterans’ benefits assistance via phone, video conference or email. Previously scheduled in-office visits will be rescheduled, the release said.