Service Adjustments During the COVID-19 Emergency

COVID-19 Impacts to County Services

Following the March 16, 2020 Public Health Officer’s order for Marin residents to stay home, we want to provide you with an update regarding the County of Marin’s services. Service impacts will be dynamic as this situation evolves. We will continue to update our information as impacts on services change. The Public Health order is in effect through May 3, 2020.

The County is discouraging resident visits to the Marin County Civic Center and other facilities where County employees work to adhere to social distancing recommendations by public health officials. Many departments have limited staffing in offices as they have been encouraged to work remotely if possible. However, it’s a great time to check out the online Payment Center, where some business can be conducted, and departments are staffing telephone lines to answer your questions.

Open All Panels

Summary of Updates From County Departments

• Board of Supervisors

  Board of Supervisors — (415) 473-7331: The Supervisors continue to hold meetings in the Marin County Civic Center’s Board chamber in San Rafael to conduct essential business during the COVID-19 outbreak. Nonessential business will be postponed, and all postponed agenda items will be rescheduled for dates to be determined later. The Board staff is working to accommodate residents who would like to participate in Board meetings but are concerned about restrictions on public gatherings.

• Agriculture Weights and Measures

  Agricuture/Weights & Measures — (415) 473-6700: The Novato-based department is closed to walk-in service until further notice but is responding to phone calls and emails.

• Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk

  Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk — (415) 473-7215 (Assessor); (415) 473-6093 (Recorder); (415) 473-6152 (County Clerk): Public counters for all three divisions are closed until further notice, but many services can be accessed online and by phone or email. The Recorder’s Office is accepting Business/Personal Property Statements in the dropbox located near the Recorder’s Office (Suite 232.) These are due May 7.

• Child Support Services

  Child Support Services — (866) 901-3212: The office at 88 Rowland Way, Suite 200, in Novato is closed until further notice. Those who usually make child support payments at the TouchPay kiosk inside the lobby will need to use another option. Payment options and instructions, including paying cash through PayNearMe or MoneyGram at local stores like CVS, can be found on the department’s website. Superior Court has postponed matters involving Child Support Services. Those with questions about a case or have lost the source of income due to COVID-19 should email or call the office.

• Community Development

  Community Development — (415) 473-6269 (Planning); (415) 473-6907 (Environmental Health); (415) 473-6550 (Building & Safety):The Development Services Center and Environmental Health Services Permitting Center are closed at the Civic Center, but staff can provide services by phone or email for Building & Safety, Environmental Health, and Planning. Building Permits: Please call or email staff about submittal requirements and eligibility for all building permits. Building permits are being issued only for essential construction projects such as health care facilities, income-restricted affordable housing, shelters, and temporary housing. Permits for construction or repair necessary to ensure that residences and essential businesses are safe, sanitary, or habitable may be issued to the extent the work cannot reasonably be delayed. The self-serve online building permit service is closed. Field inspection services are available only for essential construction. Non-essential construction needs to cease. Environmental Health and Planning Permits: Call or email staff for all permitting and licensing needs. Planned public meetings have been cancelled.

• County Administrator

  County Administrator — (415) 473-6358: Many CAO staff members are part of the response team in the Emergency Operations Center, which was activated in early March because of COVID-19. Others are working to facilitate continued essential services for residents and County employees. Budget hearings initially scheduled for late March will be rescheduled to later dates.

• County Counsel

  County Counsel — (415) 473-6117: The County’s team of attorneys mostly handles internal matters and does not provide legal advice to the public, but it does assist special districts. Business continues to be conducted remotely. Many attorneys are assisting with internal workforce matters.

• Cultural Services

  Cultural Services — (415) 473-6400:The 2020 Marin County Fair has been canceled. Events at Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium, Showcase Theater, Exhibition Hall, Fairgrounds, and Lagoon Park have been cancelled through the end of July. The Marin Center Box Office is closed, and the Bartolini Gallery and Redwood Foyer Gallery are closed to visitors. Docent tours of the Civic Center are canceled.

• District Attorney

  District Attorney — (415) 473-6450; (415) 473-5080 (victim witness services): The public lobby is staffed 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays but staff is discouraging nonessential visits. Calls are answered 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff is working with justice partners and notifying victims of the release with appropriate conditions of those inmates who have 60 days or less to serve in jail. This is in response to an advisory issued by the California State Supreme Court Justice in response to the COVID19 pandemic. Another statewide advisory continued all jury trials for 60 days (with limited exceptions). Staff expects additional jail releases due to new and different Supreme Court advisories. Staff is reviewing custody cases to determine whether criminal charges will be filed and notifying witnesses that they will not be needed because of the postponement of most court sessions. Staff is sending new subpoenas for cases approximately eight weeks out. Also, DA staff is working as volunteers when not in the office.

• Elections

  Elections — (415) 473-6456, (415) 473-6437, (415) 473-6444: The Elections lobby is closed until further notice and staffing is limited now that the March 3 Presidential Primary results are certified.

• Finance

  Finance — (415) 473-6154 (main); (415) 473-6133 (Tax Collector and Central Collections); (415) 473-6142 (Public Administrator): Friday, April 10, remains the deadline to pay property taxes. The County must maintain a balanced budget by state law, and tax collection is vital for adherence. The tax office remains open, but cash payments are not being accepted and all receipts will be mailed. Finance is discouraging personal visits to the Civic Center to pay taxes due to public health concerns. Residents are encouraged to pay online, by phone, or by mail (Marin County Tax Collector, P.O. Box 4220, San Rafael CA 94913). Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) payments and business license fees will only be accepted online or by mail (Marin County Central Collections, P.O. Box 4220, San Rafael CA 94913). Taxpayers who are unable to pay their property taxes due to the COVID-19 crisis are encouraged to file a COVID-19 Application for Penalty Waiver with the Marin County Tax Collector by May 15, which may defer payment until June 10. The Application for Penalty Waiver can be completed at www.marincounty.org/penaltywaiver.

• Fire

  Fire — (415) 473-6717: Routine public safety operations are being performed. Fire prevention services are only available via phone and electronic submission because no field inspections services are available. Fire stations are closed to the public with the exception of emergencies. Previously planned community meetings at fire stations are cancelled.

• Health and Human Services

  Health and Human Services —

  Important phone numbers:

  • COVID hotline: (415) 473-7191
  • Information resources for older adults, persons with disabilities, or family caregivers: (415) 457-INFO
  • Adult Protective Services: (415) 473-2774
  • Skilled Nursing/Assisted Living Ombudsman: (415) 473-7446
  • Child Protective Services: (415) 473-7153
  • Public Assistance Call Center (Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWorks): 1 (877) 410-8817
  • General Relief: (415) 473-3450
  • Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Access Line: 1 (888) 818-1115
  • West Marin Service Center: (415) 473-3800
  • Women Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental nutrition program: (415) 473-6889
  • CRS: 711

  HHS employees are on the front lines of the local COVID-19 response, committed to the mission of promoting and protecting the health, well-being, safety and self-sufficiency of all Marin residents. Employees are either directly supporting the emergency response in areas such as public health or are committed to continuing to provide critical social, health and behavioral health services, following state, federal, and international guidelines. Many electronic and telephonic services are available for the public, and residents should consider conducting conversations over the phone or contacting HHS by email when possible. HHS created a phone hotline, (415) 473-7191 (CRS 711), and an online contact form, for residents to contact staff with questions or concerns about the virus and about the county and community response. The call center is open from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. weekdays, and interpreter services are available.

• Human Resources

  Human Resources — (415) 473-6104: Civic Center volunteers and interns have been notified not to show up for planned assignments. The HR recruitment team is working with employment candidates to conduct interviews via conference calls or Skype if a candidate prefers not to meet in person due to social distancing concerns.

• Information Services and Technology

  Information Services and Technology — (415) 473-6309: Many IST employees are assisting with website updates, teleworking, and emergency operations services related to the COVID-19 virus.

• Library

  Library — (415) 473-3222: The Marin County Free Library branches are closed until further notice, and all programs and events have been cancelled, including visits by the Bookmobile and Learning Bus.

• Parks

  Parks — (415) 473-6949; (415) 473-6388 (reservations): All Marin County Parks locations remain closed to vehicles, as well as other restrictions, to comply with the updated public health order issued March 31. The restrictions are necessary to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Stay home, save lives. Residents may access nearby parks, pathways, and open space trails on foot, bike, or horseback, only for necessary exercise, while maintaining social distancing. The list of closures is online.

• Probation

  Probation — (415) 473-6599: Adult and juvenile offices are closed to the public, but routine public safety operations are being performed while taking extra safety precautions. Staff continues to support the court system with daily release recommendations, reports, and appearances for all court activities that are being maintained during the sheltering period. Staff is contacting people who have been scheduled for orientations, parole hearings, and interviews to reschedule. Juvenile Hall suspended all regular programming, family visitations, and religious services. In lieu of visitations, youths have additional telephone privileges with their parent(s) or guardians.

• Public Defender

  Public Defender — (415) 473-6321: With Marin County Superior Court closed except for in-custody or essential matters, the Public Defender’s Office has closed its lobby at the Civic Center and advised clients to call its office or check its Facebook page for updates.

• Public Works

  Public Works — (415) 473-6528: Because of reduced staffing in some divisions, it may take Public Works workers a bit longer to respond to certain situations. Although the public counter is closed, DPW Land Development can still process permits for essential services such as utilities via email or phone at 415-473-3755 or via email. Staff is conducting advertisement and bidding on Public Works projects once approval for advertisement is received from the Board of Supervisors. The Roads Division is fully staffed in all locations and complying with social distancing requirements. The Marin County Flood District continues to operate and maintain flood control facilities during the sheltering order and posts updates on its watersheds webpage.

• Retirement

  Retirement — (415) 473-6147: The Marin County Employees’ Retirement Association office is closed but staff provide one-on-one phone consultations. Applications for pending retirements are being processed normally and pension payments are on schedule. Many resources are available online at www.mcera.org.

• Sheriff

  Sheriff — (415) 473-7284: Normal public safety operations are still in place. See the Sheriff’s webpage for more details.

• UC Cooperative Extension / Farm Advisor

  UC Cooperative Extension / Farm Advisor — (415) 473-4204: The Novato office is closed to the public and in-person educational programs and events have been cancelled through May 10. Employees are delivering programs through teleconference platforms and responding to phone and email inquiries. See the website for COVID-19 information for agricultural producers , Marin Master Gardeners, and online learning opportunities and programs.

Also, Marin County Superior Court — which is operated out of the Civic Center’s Hall of Justice by the State of California court system and is not part of the County of Marin government — has continued hearings and trials to future dates. It is provided updates on its website, www.marincourt.org.