*Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect Wasaga Beach regular council meetings are attended remotely by video call, but closed session meetings are done in person in council chambers.
Municipal services in the area are taking different approaches to COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.
In Collingwood, approximately 65 per cent of the town’s 170 staff are working remotely and the remaining 35 per cent are working on-site. The water wastewater department is running a shift rotation to ensure staff are not exposed to potential virus transmission sources at the same time.
In Wasaga Beach, municipal offices are closed to the public, but staff are not working offsite.
“Staff that must stay home are required to use vacation time or explore a leave,” said Michael Gennings, communications officer for the Town of Wasaga Beach. “The bulk of our workforce remains onsite. Some have taken leaves.”
Gennings said there is a self-screening process in place every employee must go through at the start of the shift.
“They are required to review information about COVID and declare they feel fine to report to work,” said Gennings. “We have stepped up cleaning of all town facilities, implemented enhanced physical distancing measures, and utilized virtual meeting technology for gatherings of more than five people.”
He said municipal services are considered essential services, and as such employees are required to report to work to maintain delivery service.
The town has laid off 11 casual/part-time temporary employees including three concession staff and eight recreation instructors.
In a press release sent out late March, the Town of Wasaga Beach announced the measures being taken to keep staff working “at minimum risk.”
Those measures include providing cleaning supplies for workstations and handwashing, and offering shifts “where possible.”
Wasaga Beach council is meeting via video conference for regular meetings, and in council chambers for closed session meetings.
While other municipalities have set up a system allowing many staff to work from home instead of reporting to town offices, Gennings said in the case of Wasaga Beach, the risk of an information breach has prevented them from allowing staff to work off-site.
“We had a cyber-attack almost three years ago that has made us wary of the security of confidential information being transmitted over the Internet from off-site locations,” said Gennings. “We have implemented many of the measures that other municipalities have, including work shifts to increase physical distancing. Should the pandemic situation change, the municipality will consider its options at that time.”
In The Blue Mountains, 80 per cent of staff are working remotely from home. The Blue Mountains council is also meeting remotely with members of council calling into a video conference from their homes.