On Thursday, July 23, 2020, Pitt County Tax Administrator, Sam Croom was notified that a staff member within the Tax Assessors Office had tested positive for COVID-19. This added to another positive test from an employee in the same division on Tuesday. The employee who tested positive on Tuesday had already been out of the office for a week, self-quarantined as a precaution. The employee who received test results today had been in the office, but left immediately upon learning of the results.
Both employees are asymptomatic, and neither has exhibited symptoms common to COVID-19 at any point. Due to recent security upgrades and renovations to the Tax Assessors Office, which include walled and glass barriers, the risk of exposure to the public from these employees was very minimal.
The employees who tested positive are self-isolating through their recovery period, and all other staff who may have been exposed are being tested and quarantining appropriately. Additionally, the entire building has been cleaned and professionally sanitized
During this time, for the next two weeks, the Tax Assessors Office will be temporarily unavailable to the public. During this temporary closure, Assessor services are still available through the Pitt County website at www.PittCountyNC.gov/TaxAssessor, or by calling 252-902-3425.
PLEASE NOTE: This closure affects the Tax Assessors Office ONLY. The Tax Collection Office is housed in a separate building and will remain open to the public at this time.
Pitt County Tax Assessor, Sam Croom noted the impact of the actions taken, saying “we fully understand the impact this may have on our community, and apologize for the temporary inconvenience this closure may create for some. Our first priority is to the safety of our staff, and the County residents they interact with on a daily basis. Our actions now will help prevent further spread, and help us all ensure the safety of all moving forward.”
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For the latest information on COVID-19 response efforts, visit the Pitt County Website at: www.PittCountyNC.gov/Coronavirus, call the Coronavirus Information Hotline at 252-902-2300, or submit an information request form at www.PittCountyNC.gov/COVIDinfo.