Government Agency Offices Reopen, Health Screening Required

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — County agencies will begin offering in-person services at county buildings in the coming weeks, officials announced recently. Safety precautions will remain in place to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19, however. All individuals entering county buildings are required to use the www.bacosafe.org mobile health screening prior to entry.

Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • Services limited to field appointments. No in-person services in county office building.
• In-person services that resumed May 17 include:
  • Customers may request by phone 30-minute in-person meetings in the county office building by appointment.

Department of Economic and Workforce Development

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • Career Center Services – Available at two Career Centers by appointment only. To schedule an appointment:
    • 410-887-7940 to make an appointment at the Hunt Valley Career Center;
    • 410-887-8912 to make an appointment at the Liberty Career Center.
• The following in-person services will be offered by appointment only beginning June 1:
  • Access to computers, internet, fax, copy machines
  • Job search assistance
  • Labor market information and career assessment tools
  • Career planning and guidance assistance
  • Planning for short-term skills enhancement programs
  • Planning for occupations skills training

Department of Permits Approvals and Inspections

• In-person services to resume June 1:
  • Permitting for electrical services through appointment only. Information for scheduling will be provided.
• The following online services will continue:
  • Permit applications and online payment of fees:
  • File a code complaint:
  • Attend administrative hearings both zoning and code enforcement:
  • Attend development management meetings:
  • Schedule an inspection.

Department of Aging

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • Food Distribution by appointment. Slots open Mondays at 8 a.m. for the following week.
  • Maryland Access Point (MAP) – for information and assistance including durable medical equipment loan closet, contact by phone at 410-887-2594 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) – contact by phone at 410-887-2059 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• The following online services will continue:
  • Online programming will remain available at the county’s senior centers.

Office of Budget and Finance

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • Real property tax payments
  • Personal property tax payments
  • Red light payments
  • Speed payments
  • Telephone and transient tax and other payments
  • Some inquiry and support
  • OBF fiscal operations managers are available to customers at the kiosk
  • Mail services
• In-person services that resumed May 17 include:
  • OBF customer services window
  • Tax payer services (real and personal)
  • Traffic and false alarm services
• The following online services will continue:
  • Vendor disbursements
  • General Accounting
  • Sponsored programs (grant and project accounting)
  • Taxpayer services tax and credits

Department of Recreation and Parks

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • Access to county parks, trails and open spaces, and various outdoor facilities and activities.
• In-person services that resumed May 17 include:
  • Permits to indoor facilities
  • Indoor nature classes and programs
  • Indoor games and scrimmages
  • Indoor tournaments
  • Licensed day care at all locations
  • Indoor tennis courts
  • Stage rental requests
• On May 28 (Memorial Day Weekend) Rocky Point Beach will be open.

Department of Public Works

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • The Bureau of Utilities – cash, check and charge payments for waste hauler permits, waste hauler invoice payments. Water meter repair, fire hydrant permit and water meter rental for fire hydrants.
  • The Bureau of Solid Waste – Full service
• All in-person services resumed May 17 and will transition to appointment only beginning June 1.
• The following online services will continue:
  • The Bureau of Engineering & Construction – professional service solicitation proposals; capital project bids
  • The Bureau of Highways – Utility permitting within the roadway, tree removal, sidewalk replacement, adopt-a-road and driveway permits.
  • The Bureau of Utilities – Reports of water main breaks, sink holes, sewer and water line blockages, inquiries for basement sewage backup, street sewage overflow, manhole cover cracks or missing manholes, inquiries for copies of video of sewage or water pipeline, reports of grinder pump overflows, grinder pump malfunctions, illicit FOG (fats/oils/grease) dumping into County sewage pipeline, reports of illegal fire hydrant hookups

Department of Health and Human Services

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination – by appointment or walk-in. Testing and vaccination schedules can be accessed by calling COVID-19 Hotline at 410-887-3816.
  • Animal Services – current operation at 50% capacity.
  • Social Services – contact department of human services call center at 1-800-332-6347.
  • Health Services – environmental health services, family planning, WIC, harm reduction, hearing and vision, audiology
• In-person services that resumed May 17 include:
  • TB testing
  • HIV testing (walk-in)
  • Partner services
  • Maryland Children’s Health Program
  • Housing services
  • Administrative care coordination unit

Fire Department

• In-person services resumed May 17 :
  • In-person public education and outreach events
  • Non-emergency access to fire department (career) stations

Department of Planning

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • Community planning-related services by appointment only.
• In-person services that resumed May 17 include:
  • Historic aerial photos review, by appointment only
  • Inquires of historic and future county plans, by appointment only
• The following online services will continue to be available:
  • Virtual meeting and engagement for various community planning processes; including the master plan.

Police Department

• In-person services currently being provided:
  • Walk-in lobby service at police precincts
  • Response to public calls for service
  • Retrieving property from evidence management
  • Fingerprinting services
• The following online services will continue to be provided:
  • Crime reporting
  • Data dashboards