COVID-19 exposure closes City Hall Annex building in Bessemer City

BESSEMER CITY, N.C. — A local city has had to shut down its finance and customer service department because of a COVID-19 exposure.

According to Bessemer City City Manager James Inman, a staff member assigned to the customer service and finance department has tested positive for the virus and all exposed, unvaccinated workers in the department were sent home -- following guidelines established by the CDC and Gaston County Health and Human Services.

Inman said the exposure has left the city finance department and customer service division operating with a “skeleton crew” of one employee.

City Hall Annex on East Virginia Avenue, which houses finance and customer service, is closed to the public until further notice. Although the building is closed, the city will have a drive-through open for people to pay bills, and incoming calls will be transferred to other departments to handle.

All visitors to any city building in Bessemer City will be required to wear masks to enter.

Inman said citizens are encouraged to use the drop box at the front of the City Hall Annex or go online to pay utility bills for the time being.

Bessemer City has partnered to offer a drive-through COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday at the Allan Farris Community Center on 14th Street.

The clinic will run from noon until 4 p.m. Both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be offered.

$100 gift cards will be given to those that receive a vaccine (while supplies last) and there is no appointment necessary.

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