City declares State of Emergency, closes facilities to the public

In response to the recent declarations by Gov. Roy Cooper and the Federal government, and to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the City of Morganton has officially declared a state of emergency, effective, March 20, at 8 a.m. You can read the full text of the declaration in the Supporting Documents below.

The declaration allows City Manager Sally Sandy to take proactive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including altering how City services are delivered to residents.

Morganton City Hall will be closed to the public beginning at 5 p.m. today, March 20, 2020. City Hall will remain closed to the public until further notice. All City facilities will be closed to the public until further notice.

While City Hall is closed to the public, employees will still be working in City Hall. All business conducted with the City of Morganton shall be conducted via telephone, email, fax, or other virtual means to the greatest extent possible. City Hall will operate by appointment only during normal business hours for critical business that cannot be done online or over the phone.

The City of Morganton joins sister communities in the foothills and UniFour area in declaring the state of emergency.

Important Numbers

• Emergencies – 911
• City Hall – 828-437-8863
• CoMMA – 828-433-SHOW
• COMPAS (Cable, Internet, Telephone) – 828-438-5353
• Electric Services (Power Outages) – 828-438-5277
• Inspections & Building Permits – 828-438-5266
• Main Street Office – 828-438-5252
• Morganton Community House – 828-438-5364
• New Electric, Water, Sewer Service Connection – 828-438-5245
• Public Works – 828-438-5248
• Parks & Recreation – 828-438-5350
• Public Safety (Non-Emergency) – 828-437-1211
• City Tax Office – 828-438-5242
• Utility/COMPAS Payments – 828-438-5245
• Water Resources (Water or Sewer shut-offs) – 828-437-5276

Citizens can reach the Burke County Health Department COVID-19 hotline by calling 828-764-9388. The North Carolina Statewide COVID-19 hotline can be reached by calling 1-866-462-3821.

CoMMA has canceled the remainder of its 34th season. 

The City’s Utilities, Streets, Public Safety, and Sanitation departments all continue to operate as normal.

As this situation is fluid, please check back for updates on the City’s Facebook page, Twitter page and website.