Town of Acton Plans Limited Opening of Town Buildings

ACTON – The Town of Acton is pleased to announce that town buildings will be open for limited in-person use starting next week.

Town Hall will reopen on Monday, May 3, after closing on March 13, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Public spaces and town offices will open with the following restrictions:

• Visitors must wear a face mask at all times.
• Visitors must maintain a physical distance of six feet.
• Visitors must follow a modified traffic flow that will be marked with signs and floor markings.

 Those wanting to do business with the town in-person are asked to:

• Sanitize their hands upon entering Town Hall, and to wash hands frequently.
• Refrain from shaking hands with others or with town employees, and to use hands-free greetings.
• Please limit their stay to 15 minutes or less, or request an outside meeting.
• Stay home if they are not feeling well or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.

Making appointments for in-person business is recommended to reduce wait times.

Town Hall hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Town Hall workspaces will be operating under reduced capacity, so in-person visitors may face unexpected wait times. The Town is still operating the Town Service Hotline at 978-929-6600 for any questions about town services.

Public meetings of government bodies will remain closed to in-person attendance and will continue to be available live on Zoom. No community programs will be held in town buildings, though outdoor programs will continue.

Acton Memorial Library will continue to operate with limited hours. The first floor of the library is open for browsing on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2-5 p.m.; and Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Patrons are asked to spend no more than 30 minutes inside. No appointment is necessary, but occupancy is capped so patrons may have to wait to enter.

Books on hold may be picked up during curbside hours, Tuesday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Policies for in-person use of town buildings will be changed when best medical advice and state guidance allow.

“I would like to thank the community for its patience during this pandemic and commend the many town employees who worked diligently through an incredibly trying period,” Town Manager John Mangiaratti said. “We are excited to be able to interact with residents inside Town Hall once again.”

Update on Reopening Massachusetts

On Tuesday, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the following updates to the state’s COVID-19 protocols:

• On Friday, April 30, people will be required to wear masks or face coverings in indoor public places, and outdoors when they are unable to maintain 6 feet from other people. Face coverings will also continue to be required at indoor or outdoor events, whether held in a public space or private home, except for when eating or drinking. Face coverings are recommended for small in-home gatherings, but not required.
• On May 10, large venues such as indoor and outdoor stadiums, arenas and ballparks will be permitted to increase capacity to 25%. Outdoor industries such as amusement parks, theme parks and outdoor water parks may operate at a 50% capacity after submitting safety plans to the Department of Public Health. Road races and other large, outdoor organized amateur or professional group athletic events will be permitted to take place with staggered starts after submitting safety plans to a local board of health or the DPH. Youth and adult amateur sports tournaments will be allowed for moderate and high-risk sports. Singing will be permitted indoors with strict distancing requirements at performance venues, restaurants, event venues and other businesses.
• On May 29, gathering limits will increase to 200 indoors and 250 outdoors for event venues, and public or private settings. Street festivals, parades and agricultural festivals will be allowed to operate at 50% of previous capacity and after submitting safety plans to the local board of health. Bars, beer gardens, breweries, wineries, and distilleries will be subject to restaurant rules with seated service only, a 90-minute limit and no dance floors. Restaurants will be able to serve alcohol without food, and may be allowed to seat up to 10 people at a table. These changes are subject to public health and vaccination data.

More details about the reopening plan can be found here.