After long closures, city to start reopening offices

Wes Bowers, Lodi News-Sentinel, Calif.
·4 min read

Jun. 11—The City of Lodi announced Thursday that it will begin reopening offices that have been closed for nearly 16 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All masking and physical distancing guidelines issued by the California Department of Public Health and CalOSHA will be enforced for the safety of the public and staff, the city said in a media statement.

Lodi City Hall is currently undergoing construction to install safety improvements throughout the building and will be opening to the public in August 2021. Services will still be provided via telephone and email.

Plans and development documents may be submitted at the front entrance from 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

For department contact information, visit www.lodi.gov.

Several departments and offices opening June 15 include the finance department, the Lodi Police Department, the Lodi Animal Shelter and Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services.

Due to staff scheduling, business hours at the finance department, located at 310 W. Elm St., will temporarily be from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. every other Friday and closed on the opposite Fridays.

Customer service representatives may also be reached by email or phone. All business, including applications, managed by the Finance Department may be fully conducted online and can be accessed at www.lodi.gov/finance.

The Lodi Police Department will be open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and every other Friday. City Online Reporting and additional tools are available at www.lodi.gov/police.

The Lodi Animal Shelter, 1345 W. Kettleman Lane, will reopen for licensing, reporting lost and found pets, vouchers, and for those in need of assistance from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Animal viewing and pet adoptions are conducted Tuesday through Thursdays from 11 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.

The shelter is closed 12-1 p.m. for lunch.

Due to staff scheduling, business hours at Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services, located at 230 W. Elm St., will temporarily be from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every other Friday.

Registration for afterschool programs opens June 30. There are no changes planned for summer camp. Contracted classes will resume for session 2 on July 5. All outdoor special events, including the 4th of July celebration, will resume June 15.

Music in the Park is tentatively scheduled for July and August.

For additional information visit www.lodi.gov/258/parks-recreation.

Due to staff scheduling, the he Hutchins Street Square Box and Front Offices will temporarily be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every other Friday. The office will also be open during evening classes.

Postponed rentals are also resuming June 15. The city will begin accepting new rental requests starting Aug. 1 and new rentals resume Sept. 1.

Concerts at Hutchins Street Square are expected to begin in early-mid 2022.

Lodi Electric Utility offices, located at 1331 S. Ham Lane, are currently under construction and will reopen on July 13 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. every other Friday.

Hours of operation are temporary due to staff scheduling. Customer Services representatives may be reached by phone or email. Visit www.lodi.gov/electric-utility for additional information.

City offices are closed every other Friday.

The Lodi Public Library opened April 26 with modified services hours. Curbside Pickup operates Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grab 'n Go/In Person services are available Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Normal hours of operation will resume once staffing is complete, the city said.

Lodi Lake and the Swim Beach is open Friday to Sunday from 12-2:45 p.m. and from 3:15-6 p.m. The limited operating hours are due to the need for more lifeguards to ensure the safety of patrons. Normal hours will resume when sufficiently staffed. Discovery Museum is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and also upon request.

Carnegie Forum will remain closed due to construction. Upgrades to the audio and visual equipment and software, which will improve accessibility to public meetings, are currently underway. Public meetings, including meetings of the City Council, will continue to be held online until project completion in September. Meeting details can be found online at www.lodi.gov/agendacenter.