Editor’s Note: As it regards different county agencies, they are updating their guidelines and operations regularly. Please check their websites for the latest.

Submitted by the county.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Clermont County government has made a number of changes in delivery of services. Some actions include closing waiting rooms, providing services online and getting payments via drop boxes and mail.

These moves were taken in response to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, the Ohio Department of Health and Clermont County Public Health.

We seek to slow the spread of this highly contagious disease, while continuing to carry forth the essential operations of government. Our goal is to protect the health of our employees and those they serve.

Please visit our website, www.clermontcountyohio.gov, frequently for updates.

Animal Shelter: Starting Monday, March 16, the Clermont Animal CARE Shelter will be closed to the public. For adoptions, redemptions, and fostering, please call 732-8854 seven days a week, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, please visit https://clermontanimalcare.org/

Auditor: First and second floor offices at 101 E. Main St., Batavia, are closed. However, you may conduct business online at https://www.clermontauditor.org/_dnn

Board of Elections: Visit https://boe.clermontcountyohio.gov/ for the latest voting information.

Building Inspection: Permit Central lobby at 2275 Bauer Road, Batavia, is closed. Many Building Inspection services can be accessed online, by postal mail and by phone. For information about filing new permits at Permit Central or by email, visit: https://permit.clermontcountyohio.gov/. All meetings are currently suspended. Discuss issues with staff by phone/e-mail. If you have any questions, please call Building Inspection at 513-732-7213 or Permitcentral@clermontcountyohio.gov.

Clermont Transportation Connection: For updated information visit https://ctc.clermontcountyohio.gov/.

Communications Center, Emergency Management Agency: Offices at 2279 Clermont Center Drive, Batavia, are closed to the public. The offices are accepting required deliveries only. For additional information, please call the Communications Center at 513-732-2231 or Emergency Management Agency at 513-732-7661

Coroner’s Office: The Coroner’s Office is closed to the public. For any requests or information, you may call 513-732-8117. They also may be reached at 513-543-0129.

Developmental Disabilities: Offices are open; Service and Support Administrators (social work staff) are working remotely/holding meetings via Zoom and conference calls. School Age Services are closed for three weeks from March 17. Adult Services programs are closed this week; their hours will be updated as needed. Early Intervention staff work in the field and are continuing home visits for now. 

Domestic Relations Court: Effective immediately, the Clermont County Domestic Relations Court staff will be doing our part by limiting our staff hours and dockets during this public health concern. All pretrials and agreed final hearings, including but not limited to dissolution hearings, will be held by telephone rather than in person. If you have a pretrial or an agreed final hearing scheduled, please send a telephone number where you can be reached at the scheduled time to domesticcourt@clermontcountyohio.gov

You must include the date and time of your hearing, your case name, and case number in your email. The Court will call you at the scheduled time.

The Court will remain open to hear domestic violence cases only. This includes ex parte, final hearings, and motions to modify CPOs. All other hearings from now until May 1, 2020, will be continued to a date after May 1, 2020.

You may not enter the building (2340 Clermont Center Drive, Batavia OH) unless you have a hearing in Clermont County Juvenile Court or Domestic Relations Court, or have pleadings to file with the Clerk of Courts.

If you are representing yourself, please monitor your email for information about your case. If you are represented by counsel, all notices about your hearings will be emailed to your counsel. You can also monitor the Clermont Clerk of Court website (www.clermontclerk.org) for updated case information.

Engineer: The County Engineer offices will no longer be open to the public.  Tax Map documents can be E-filed, or mailed (2381 Clermont Center Drive, Batavia, Ohio 45103). Visit https://recorder.clermontcountyohio.gov/e-file/ to start an E-file process. Staff will continue to be available for processing documents and answer phones and e-mails. All other Engineer operations that involve the public will continue by email, mail, or phone. Visit our website for contact information –  https://clermontengineer.org/departments-services/

Facilities and CTC: County Facilities Management at 4001 Filager Road, Batavia, and CTC offices at 4003 Filager Road., Batavia, are closed to the public. The offices are accepting required deliveries only. For additional information, please call County Facilities at 513-732-8850 and CTC at 513-732-7433.

Fleet Services: Fleet offices at 4005 Filager Road, Batavia, are closed to the public. The offices are accepting required deliveries only. For additional information, please call: 513-732-7775.

Job and Family Services: Effective March 17, lobbies will be closed and meetings scheduled by appointment only. Most business can already be conducted online, phone, mail, email, or the drop box located outside the entrance. To find out if you need an in-person meeting, please contact the applicable division:

Public Assistance (Medicaid, SNAP, Child Care) – 513-732-7111

Children’s Protective Services – 513-732-7173

Ohio Means Jobs Clermont – 513-943-3000

Child Support Enforcement – 513-732-7248

Family and Children First / Wraparound – 513-732-7862

Municipal Court: Effective March 16, all arraignments and jury trials scheduled for Clermont County Municipal Court during the next 30 days will be continued until sometime in the future. People affected will be notified by mail of their new court dates. The new dates also will be posted at clermontclerk.org. All other municipal court hearings will be held as scheduled. Effective March 18, the court waived the presence of all defendants other than those housed in the Clermont County Jail. Public access to the Municipal Courthouse is limited to parties to cases, attorneys, alleged victims, subpoenaed witnesses, media and police officers for all cases where the defendant is incarcerated in the jail. For all other criminal cases where the defendant is not incarcerated, only the State of Ohio and defense counsel are permitted in the Clermont County Municipal Courthouse. The Court will not conduct any civil marriage ceremonies during this period. For all civil cases, only attorneys are permitted in the courthouse. With the exception of garnishments, all trials and hearings on civil cases shall be continued for a minimum of 30 days or until otherwise ordered by the court. The court may dispose of any motion that does not require oral argument, including motions for driving privileges on non-compliance suspensions, revivors and summary judgements, by written notice. Any exceptions to the continuance or request for hearing shall be made on a case-by-case basis and upon written motion of any party. The Court will vacate or amend this no later than April 17.

Prosecutor: The offices of the prosecutor are open as usual, with limited staff. Prosecutors, law enforcement officers, victims, and victim advocates will meet by appointment only.

Public Health: Clermont County Public Health closed its Permit Central Lobby at 2275 Bauer Road, Batavia, effective March 16. At this time, its Nursing/WIC location will remain open. You can continue to reach Public Health by phone at 513-732-7499. Please continue to check the CCPH website for updates. There are many CCPH services that can be accessed online, by mail and by phone. Here is a list of services and recommended ways to conduct business while the building is closed to the public: Birth Certificates: Order online at https://ccphohio.org/ or by mail. Death Certificates: Funeral homes can continue using the current e-file process or file by mail. Filing New Permits: By mail. Nursing and WIC Services: At this time the Nursing/WIC location will remain open.

Records Center: The Records Center is closed to the public. For historical records requests, please call 513-735-8660 or email msyder@clermontcountyohio.gov. The Free Shred Event on April 4 has been cancelled.

Recorder: Closed to the public beginning on March 17. Will continue to have staff onsite to answer phones, respond to emails and work through mailings. Can be reached by phone at 513-732-7236 or by email at recorder@clermontcountyohio.gov

There is a drop box placed in front of the building to drop off letter-sized documents for recording (Be sure to include checks for exact payment amounts). In addition, large envelopes for recording can be delivered to the Treasurer’s Office located on the 2nd Floor at 101 E. Main St., Batavia, OH 45103.

Senior Services: For more information, please visit http://clermontseniors.com/

Soil and Water Conservation District: Employees will be voluntarily telecommuting until further notice. Staff will have access to and be answering emails during this time, and appointments can be made if necessary. To reach staff, email or call 513-732-7075.

Sheriff’s Office: The Clermont County Jail is closed to all non-essential personnel. All inmate visitation is canceled until further notice. Essential personnel includes: medical, nursing, mental health professionals, and attorneys. The Sheriff’s Office located at 4470 OH-222, Batavia will operate with business as usual. If you have questions, see https://clermontsheriff.org/

Treasurer’s Office: The Treasurer’s Office encourages citizens to mail their payments or use the drop box by the front door on Main Street of the Administration Building for payments. Treasurer Jeannie M. Zurmehly said people may also pay by phone or use the offices website (https://www.clermonttreasurer.org/) to complete a payment online. There are currently no postmark deadlines or penalty or interest deadlines in the near future. You may call the treasurer’s office at 513-732-7254 for any information you may need concerning how to pay.

Water Resources: Starting March 17, the Clermont County Water Resources Department Administration Building will be closed to the public until further notice. The office will open by appointment only. Appointments may be scheduled during normal business hours (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

For Payments: Please deposit payments in the night deposit box located in the visitor parking lot of 4400 Haskell Lane, Batavia. Payments may also be made online at: https://wrd.clermontcountyohio.gov/ then click “Pay Your Bill.” Mail payments to Clermont County Water Resources, P.O. Box 933347, Cleveland OH 44193-0037. Please include a copy of your bill. If you have questions regarding your bill, call: 513-732-7970.

For information regarding water or sewer availability or capital improvement projects, call: 513-732-8864. If you have questions regarding water quality, call: 513-732-7945. For all other questions or to schedule an appointment, please call: 513-732-7970. Contact by email at: watersewer@clermontcountyohio.gov

Staff will be available to distribute septic hauler tickets. After-hour water emergencies call 513-553-4113. After-hour sewer emergencies, call 513-732-5384.

Postponed:

-Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District pond clinic, previously scheduled April 14

-Family Recovery Court Commencement Ceremony, previously scheduled for March 19

Canceled:

-Community Shred Event, previously scheduled for April 4 at 2400 Clermont Center Drive (DJFS parking lot)