Old Whitley County Courthouse staying open to the public, Williamsburg City Hall closing to the public

The old Whitley County Courthouse is staying open to the public for now, but Williamsburg City Hall will be closing to the public although offices will stay open doing business over the phone and through the drive-thru.

Also, the May Primary election is getting pushed back until June.

In addition, even though the old courthouse is staying open, if you need to renew your vehicle registration, you can now do so online or by mail.

Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. wrote on Facebook Tuesday morning that he has spoken with all the other office holders in the building that were not already required to close, and that he has spoken to all of his office staff and offered to allow them time if they are particularly afraid or have health issues that could make them vulnerable.
“As of now the old Courthouse will remain OPEN. This is subject to change if more information becomes available to warrant reconsideration but the county departments provide essential services that have to continue and we want to do our best to keep them running smoothly,” White wrote.

“Please do NOT use this as an opportunity to loiter around the courthouse because you have time off from work. By keeping the building open I am not saying that the threat we face is not serious. It more than likely will be very serious and most likely it will be to some local residents if the spread continues.”

White also encouraged people to practice good hygiene, social distancing and have consideration of others that may be more vulnerable.

“If you need help please call us at 549-6000 or dispatch at 549-6018. If you have questions about the coronavirus then the state has a hotline for you to call at 1-800-772-5725. You can also find information at www.cdc.gov or www.kycovid19.ky.gov,” White wrote.
“I would also like to encourage extra efforts to do business with our small businesses. Whitley County has really been turning a corner because we have had people take the risk and invest in US as a community. Let’s not let those people suffer because of this virus.”

Williamsburg City Hall

Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison announced Tuesday morning that the lobby at city hall is being closed as a precaution, but that city offices would stay open and be doing business over the phone or through the water department’s drive-thru window.

No date has been set for city hall to re-open to the public, but Harrison said that it will be as soon as possible.

Corbin City Manager Marlon Sams said there are currently no plans to close Corbin City Hall to the public.

Election postponed

Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams announced Monday that the May 19 Primary Election is being postponed until Tuesday, June 23.

“Postponing the primary was not an easy decision. But the Republican secretary of state and the Democratic governor agree, and so do county clerks of both parties. And they are our front line election administrators,” Adams said in a news release.

Among the races on the ballot are the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries, in addition to the race for the Republican nomination for 82^nd Representative where incumbent Regina Huff is taking on challenger Matt Anderson.

On Whitley County’s ballot, there is also a race to fill the unexpired term of former Whitley County Clerk Kay Schwartz, who retired late last year.

Carolyn Willis, who was named interim county clerk, is facing T.J. Hamblin.

Vehicle registration renewal

Although the old courthouse is staying open for now, Willis noted that local residents can renew their vehicle registrations online by going to drive.ky.gov, or they can mail their registration notification, proof of insurance, and a check made payable to the Whitley County Clerk to P.O. Box 8, Williamsburg, Kentucky 40769.

Those renewing by mail are asked to include a current telephone number on their check so the clerk’s office can call with any questions. Once the registration is processed, it will be mailed back to the vehicle owner.

Another option for those that don’t want to pay their bill in person, is to have your insurance carrier fax your insurance information to the county clerk’s office at (606) 549-2790.

Once the fax is received, residents can call the clerk’s office at (606) 549-6003 and use their debit or credit card to renew their vehicle registration, which would be mailed to them.

There is an additional $2.20 credit card fee per $100 transaction for those paying by credit or debit card.

This is a transaction fee charged by the credit and debit card companies that the clerk’s office is required to pass along to customers wishing to use credit and debit cards.