Erving Select Board Closes Town Hall Staff Operations, Keeps Polls Running

ERVING -- October 22, 2020, Erving Select Board unanimously closed Town Hall to staff through November 4 after a COVID-19 case, while keeping it open for voting. The board convened an emergency session Thursday evening via remote meeting after a town employee tested positive, forcing cancellation of the day's in-person polling and triggering professional fogging and deep cleaning of the building. Chair Jacob Smith said contact tracing was underway and employees with more than 15 cumulative minutes of direct exposure faced mandatory 14-day quarantine. The board also unanimously designated Fire Station 1 on East Main Street as a backup polling site for early voting, Election Day voting, and voter registration through November 4, 2020, with notification by reverse 9-1-1 and town website postings if a move became necessary. A town assessor identified only as Jackie flagged that the staff closure could delay issuance of roughly 900 property tax bills into the holiday season.