COVID case shuts down Whitefish City Hall

The city of Whitefish will close Whitefish City Hall Monday after city officials were notified late Friday that an employee working at City Hall had tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee last worked at City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 17, according to a press release issued Saturday evening from the city of Whitefish.

Upon notification, the city immediately began working with the individual and the Flathead City-County Health Department to perform contact tracing. All city employees considered close contacts were notified Friday evening and directed to isolate themselves at home while awaiting direction from the Health Department. As with all confirmed cases, the Health Department contacts anyone considered a close contact.

Based on the duration of interactions with the public, the Plexiglas barriers, the mandatory use of face coverings, and frequent sanitization protocols, there is no increased risk to customers who visited City Hall between Sept. 14 and Sept. 17, the press release stated.

To further protect the public and employees, City Hall will close until further notice starting Monday, with the exception of the City Council meeting Monday evening.

"Out of an abundance of caution for the health and well-being of our customers and employees, as well as to allow employees to work remotely as much as possible, we have chosen to temporarily close City Hall," Whitefish City Manager Dana Smith said in a prepared statement. "With all potentially exposed employees isolating at home and a deep cleaning of City Hall scheduled for Sunday, we will still hold the City Council meeting scheduled for Monday evening. At the meeting, the council will consider an emergency ordinance to hold City Council and other board and committee meetings remotely."

During the closure of City Hall to the public, all city services will remain available remotely, by phone or email. The vestibule at City Hall will be open for the public to drop off building plans or other applications. Payments may be mailed, dropped off in the payment drop box off Baker Avenue, or made by credit card over the phone by calling 406-863-2400 or online at www.cityofwhitefish.org.

The public is encouraged to sign up for notifications on the City's new website at www.cityofwhitefish.org.