The Town of James Island continues to remain at OPCON Level 2 and in a state of emergency in response to COVID-19.
Town Hall Operations – The Town Hall lobby is closed to the public. However, Town services are continuing to operate with a rotated staff that can be contacted by email and phone. Many of our forms are available on our website at http://www.jamesislandsc.us/forms-and-documents and can be emailed into appropriate staff. Staff contact information can be found here: http://www.jamesislandsc.us/Data/Sites/1/media/admin-forms/flyer_emergency-provision-of-services.pdf
On March 19, 2020, James Island Town Council adopted an emergency ordinance that deferred the Town’s collection of hospitality taxes for 60 days due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Businesses are asked to continue to collect taxes from patrons, but the businesses are not required to remit those monies at this time. Once collections resume you will be able to submit payments without penalty for the months deferred. Town Council also deferred enforcement of the plastics ban for 60 days.
The Town has closed access to its two parks; Pinckney Park and Dock Street Park. While residents are still free to walk within the parks practicing safe social distancing, use of the playground equipment is restricted until further notice. Charleston County Parks and Recreation has also closed its park system, except the boat landings remain open.
Charleston County has activated a help line you can call from 9 am to 5 pm with questions concerning the pandemic. That number is 1-843-746-3900.
The City of Folly Beach has restricted access to the island from 6 am to 8 pm, beginning at 2 pm today.
Please see important information from Dominion Energy:
- DESC has suspended all service disconnections for nonpayment.
- Residential customers previously disconnected due to non-payment may contact DESC for assistance reconnecting service.
- DESC will waive late fees and reconnection fees.
- Customers may contact DESC Customer Service at 800-251-7234, and we encourage customers to use our digital tools and other resources for routine self-service and 24-7 online account access.
- Customers can download the customer service app here: www.DominionEnergySC.com/app.
SCHOOL INFO: Charleston County School District is temporarily closed all schools thru April 13th. Charleston County School District will be offering a drive-thru "Grab & Go" Style Meal Service consisting of breakfast and lunch for students at 15 sites within the District. The site on James Island is Harborview Elementary School. The meal service will operate between the hours of 11 am - 1 pm Monday - Friday. For more information and a full list of meal sites and information on further updates on distance learning, please visit www.ccsdschools.com
Those with questions about COVID-19 can call the DHEC Care Line at 1-855-472-3432. Staff is answering calls Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If you are experiencing symptoms, MUSC is offering free drive-thru testing at the West Ashley Citadel Mall. Please complete the information on MUSC telehealth to get an appointment before going to the drive-thru. MUSC Tele-health: https://campaigns.muschealth.org/virtual-care/index.html
The Town of James Island recommends citizens follow the guidelines from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
DHEC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) homepage: https://www.scdhec.gov/health/infectious-diseases/viruses/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) homepage: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Here are recommendations from the CDC and DHEC:
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available use alcohol based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Practice social distancing of 6 ft.
- Avoid contact with sick people
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Stay at home when you are sick
- Cough into your elbow; cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue then throw it in the trash
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
The Town remains vigilant in monitoring Coronavirus/COVID-19 and its continuing impact on our region by making every effort to educate our staff and the public. Updates will be released and posted to the Town's website at www.jamesislandsc.us, the Town's social media platforms, and distributed to our email distribution list. Send an email to info@jamesislandsc.us to subscribe to our weekly meeting notifications and news releases.