Mayor Walsh Announces Plan for Continuation of City of Syracuse Services

Essential services for public safety and infrastructure to continue

City facilities will close to public access on Tuesday Mar. 17

Reduced services in non-essential areas will be available by mail, email, online and phone

Syracuse, N.Y. – In an effort to slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced the closure of City buildings to public access effective Tuesday, Mar. 17. The Mayor also introduced plans to continue the delivery of essential City services while moving employees supporting non-essential services to remote work.

“Consistent with information provided by Governor Cuomo earlier today regarding reducing on-site government workforces, the City will transition employees involved in non-essential services to remote work as soon as possible,” Mayor Walsh said. “We are also taking steps to ensure safe, proper staffing for the continued delivery of a wide range of essential services.”

Core essential services that will continue to operate, as usual, are:  Police, Fire, Sanitation, Sewer, Water, as well as Snow and Ice. Multiple other essential services, including CityLine and Constituent Services, Engineering, Human Resources, Information Technology, Law, Payments, Payroll, Permit, Street Repair and Transportation, will continue but with modified staffing and service capabilities.  The City’s outdoor parks will remain open, however, indoor Parks and Recreation facilities and all recreation programming are being suspended.

With the closure of City facilities to public access, constituents are asked to make contact with departments for City services, business, or legal matters by phone, email, or postal mail.  A directory of City departments and functions, with contact information, is available at www.syrgov.net. 

Many City services can be delivered online, via email or over the phone and through the mail.  Any service, business or legal matter to be conducted in person will be completed by appointment only.

Public meetings conducted in the Common Council Chambers in Syracuse City Hall will be conducted online with conference call access beginning Monday, Mar. 16. These bodies are: Syracuse Common Council, Citizens Review Board, Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board, Syracuse Planning Commission, Joint School Construction Board, Syracuse Industrial Development Agency, and the Board of Zoning Appeals. Meetings can be viewed on the City of Syracuse YouTube channel.

Members of the public can also report non-emergency issues through CityLine at cityline.syrgov.net, emailing cityline@syrgov.net, by calling (315) 448-2489 (CITY) or tweeting to @SYRCityline.

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