County taking precautions in light of COVID-19 pandemic

Greene County Board of Commissioners President Nathan Abrams said while the board doesn’t plan to close down county functions entirely, they are taking precautions following the directive of the nation’s president and state’s governor.

“We are following the directive of President Donald Trump and Governor Eric Holcomb to the letter,” Abrams said this week following the Stay-At-Home Order from the governor.

In order to allow essential services to Greene County residents, such as maintaining access to the court system, Abrams said the Greene County Courthouse will remain open with some changes.

“Each person has to be scanned for a temperature before entering the courthouse. If you have a temperature over 100, you will be turned away,” Abrams said.

Some elected officials have opted to make their office by appointment only, including the auditor, assessor, recorder and treasurer. Patrons must first call ahead in order to meet with those offices.

In preparation for property tax season, Treasurer Nicole Stahl has worked with the commissioners to install a dropbox outside the front of the courthouse for property tax payments.

Essential departments like the Greene County Highway Department, Greene County Health Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Department and Greene County Ambulance Service remain in full force. The heaviest traffic last Friday, Abrams said, was to make child support payments. He encourages anyone who is able to make those payments online to do so.

“Everybody that can work electronically is doing so, except for the county attorney,” Abrams said.

The Greene County Community Event Center is also closed.

Changes in the law in regards to essential government meetings will be followed the next two weeks, Abrams noted. Nearly all county government meetings have been canceled or postponed, with the exception of the March 30 Greene County Council meeting and April 7 Greene County Commissioners meeting.

“Those are the only two essential meetings. (Council President) Gregg Roudebush will be the only person at the council meeting, the rest will be calling in. At the commissioners meeting, I will be the only one there, with the rest calling in,” Abrams explained.

Greene County Clerk Stuart Dowden said the May 5 primary has tentatively been postponed to June 2. The plan is unofficial until it goes before the Indiana Election Commission Wednesday for approval.

Dowden said this will change all of the dates associated with the election, and he will keep voters informed as changes are made. In addition, Thursday’s public test of the voting machines has been postponed until a later date.