Wake Forest news, updates

(For COVID-19 updates on Town operations, programs and services, along with links to official health resources, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/covid-19-coronavirus.

(Anyone with specific questions about COVID-19 and their risk can emailcovid19.questions@wakegov.com or call 919-856-7044. Someone from Wake County’s public health team will return your message within the next business day.)

Wake Forest was part of the 12 municipalities which agreed last week with the Wake County commissioners that a stay-at-home order was needed but that was superseded at 5 p.m. Monday, March 30, by Governor Roy Cooper’s statewide order for everyone except employees in essential activities to stay at home.

That means that we are relying more than ever on the doctors and nurses in local hospitals, the pharmacists, check-out and restocking clerks in grocery stores, our police officers, fire fighters, EMS crews, sanitation workers, construction workers and a host of other people who staff the homeless shelters, the food banks, the quick-care clinics, the water and sewer treatment plants and the power company crews. Those of us at home have to give thanks to every one of those.

Meanwhile, some life certainly goes on in Wake Forest.

All Town of Wake Forest facilities are closed. That means it is impossible for the public to enter everything from town hall – where town employees are at work – to the bathrooms in town parks. People are free to go to town parks and greenways for exercise while also maintaining social distancing, six feet from everyone else at minimum.

Loop B bus, express bus suspended. Effective Monday, March 30, the Loop B bus and the Wake Forest-Raleigh express bus service were suspended until further notice. The Loop A bus will continue to run but the service time will be increased because there will be no bus stops on the opposite side of the street.

Riders are asked to board the GoRaleigh buses using the rear doors and use social distancing when seating themselves. The front doors will be available for people with disabilities.

Per CDC guidelines, if you are sick, please stay at home and only travel if it is absolutely necessary. Please cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, wash your hands frequently with soap and water, avoid touching your face, and keep distance between yourself and others. These practices can help limit the impact of COVID-19 on our community. For more information, call 919-485-RIDE (7433).

The April 7 planning board meeting is cancelled but the commissioners will hold a work session that day at 5:30 p.m. The five commissioners, the mayor, the town manager, town clerk and town attorney will be at the meeting along with necessary town staff. It will be televised on Channel 10 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

You can also join the meeting through Zoom by audio only by going to https://zoom.us/j/845550220. By clicking on the link to join the meeting, the Zoom software application will be downloaded to your computer. There is no cost associated with the software or attending the meeting.

A second way to join the meeting through audio only is by telephone. Call 1-929-205-6099 and when prompted enter the meeting ID, 845550220#. Depending your carrier, long distance charges may apply.

A notice at the end of the meeting description: The April 7 Board of Commissioners Work Session will be the Board’s first virtual meeting, so we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to fully develop our virtual meeting capabilities. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/TOWFPublicMeetingPortal.

Athletic leagues are cancelled and suspended. The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department has cancelled all adult athletic activities, including all adult softball and kickball leagues, through May 1.

The department has also postponed all youth athletics, including spring baseball and softball leagues, through at least May 1.

Officials will continue to monitor guidance from public health agencies and provide updates on PRCR programming beyond May 1 as circumstances warrant.

Sanitation and yard waste. Wake Forest Public Works has suspended bulk waste collection until further notice. Wake Forest residents are urged not to place any bulk waste behind the curb until the suspension is lifted.

In response to the closing of the Raleigh Yard Waste Center, Public Works will suspend yard waste collection until further notice effective 5 p.m. Friday, April 3. This week (week of March 30) offers Wake Forest residents one last chance – until the suspension is lifted – to leave yard waste behind the curb by 7 a.m. on their normal collection day.

Trash and recycling collection will continue as scheduled.

Online resources. Wake Forest residents have access to the town’s full array of online resources through the Customer Service Central (CSC) portal located at www.wakeforestnc.gov/customer-service-central. CSC provides instant access to a variety of online forms, along with SeeClickFix which allows residents to report damaged sidewalks, street light outages, potholes and other non-emergency problems. CSC is also linked to the Raleigh Water website where you can request changes to your water and sewer account, pay your bill, check your account balance and view your transaction history.

In addition, residents may drop off utility bill payments, rental deposits and paperwork (leases, letters of credit, copies of photo IDs, etc.) in the drive-up drop box located in Town Hall’s Brooks Street parking lot.

While Town Hall is closed, Town staff will check the drop box twice each day. The Town will mail acknowledgements and receipts upon request.

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