City officials on Monday ordered the closure of Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory and canceled three community events as part of a slate of coronavirus-related precautionary measures.
The City Council met for an emergency meeting Monday afternoon, a day after county officials declared a local public health emergency amid news of the county's first locally acquired case of COVID-19.
The library will be closed until March 22 "out of an abundance of caution," said Gabe Codding, a city spokesman. All library events are canceled, too. However, staff will be on hand during regular business hours to field calls and emails.
Council members additionally canceled three city events set for this month, including two upcoming music in the park concerts and the final event of the 2020 Legends of Sports Speaker Series, set for March 17, which was slated to include tennis legend Chris Evert. Codding said the city will be offering refunds to ticketholders.
Other preemptive moves approved by the council included increased cleaning efforts in city facilities, including park bathrooms.
Officials also called for the "soft closure" of City Hall by directing residents to secure city services over the phone if possible, or to make an appointment. City Hall will still be open during regular business hours, Codding said.
