Olmsted County is finalizing plans to expand in-person services at its offices.
“We’re very close,” County Administrator Heidi Welsch said, adding that the goal is to open offices by June 1.
The offices being reopened will be in the three main buildings on the county’s campus near College View Road Southeast, as well as the Public Works Service Center at 1188 50th St. SE. They’ve been closed to reduce the potential to spread COVID-19 in the community.
The June 1 goal is the first full business day after indoor capacity restrictions will be lifted on May 28 under the latest order by Gov. Tim Walz.
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Veteran Services is among the offices the county plans to reopen, and Rochester VFW Commander James Crawley recently told county commissioners the move is critical.
“This office provides valuable services to the 10,000 veterans and their families in Olmsted County,” he said.
Like many county services, the Veteran Services staff members have continued their work by connecting with clients through remote means and sometimes safely meeting in locations outside the offices.
“They are doing the best they can, but they could do so much more with their offices reopened,” Crawley.
The Veteran Services office is at 2100 Campus Drive SE, which also houses Olmsted County Public Health and has been used for COVID-19 vaccination clinics in recent months.
The county’s last scheduled mass vaccination clinic in the building, which will be for anyone 16 and older, is scheduled for May 16.
Once the Pfizer vaccine is approved for children ages 12 to 15, Public Health anticipates using the 2100 building for another clinic, but will seek to modify plans to ensure it runs smoothly without interfering with Veteran Services operations.
County staff continues to work on details related to safety precautions and operations that will be part of office operations once more doors are unlocked throughout the eastern campus.
