The Town of Latta is addressing the coronavirus as outlined below:
Town Hall and Services
A Message from Town Administrator Jarett Taylor:
At 5 o’clock Tuesday, Latta Town Council met to discuss the impact of possible situations that we may face in the coming weeks. While we pray that Dillon County is spared from this disease, we want to prepare for any foreseen possibilities while keeping our community and staff as safe as possible. Much is unknown, but in keeping with federal and state guidelines, we decided to take the following measures: 1. Town hall will be closed to the public. Police offices will remain open, however business offices will remain closed.
2. Staff WILL be working and answering phones calls. The telephone to town hall is 843-752-5115. A message will be placed on the door to help citizens.
3. Payments will be accepted by website at https://townoflatta.sc.gov/departments/watersewer or the drop box outside of town hall.
4. Court services will be continued to a later date. The magistrate will contact those affected.
5. Town services will continue and our supervisors have been instructed to speak to employees and encourage safety measures.
6. As mentioned below, parks will remain closed. We plan to follow this schedule until March 31st, and we will reassess at that time.
Parks and
Recreation
In accordance with state guidelines to suspend schools and public gatherings, the Town of Latta has closed parks on Henry Street and Academy Street while schools remain closed. Along with park closings, we will also suspend our recreation programs as recommended until further notice from the rec.
Police
A Message from Chief Derrick Cartwright
In an effort to protect our officers and the spread of the Coronavirus, Effective March 18th, 2020, the police department office lobby will be closed to the public until further notice. If you have an emergency, dial 911 and an officer will still come to you. You may be asked to step outside and we ask you to not make any contact, including handshakes, with our officers.
If you have a situation, that is non-emergency, please call 843-841-3707 and advise the dispatcher of your situation. This includes any situations on phone harassment, situations which occurred earlier in the day (not at the time of the call) previous days, weeks or months earlier, where safety is not of an issue, etc…. A Latta officer may elect to call you on the telephone to take a report.
Officers will still be out on patrol and may be wearing extra protective gear. A follow-up contact will be made at a later date.
We thank you for your understanding and please take measures to keep the spread of this virus down. Be Safe!
Court
A Message from Judge Janette Dupree:
Due to the Coronavirus epidemic, there will be no court held in the Town of Latta through March 31st. Letters will be mailed to those who are scheduled for trial and a written notice will be posted outside of Town Hall. I will reassess the court schedule at the end of March and extend the cancellations if necessary. Bond hearings will continue to be held at least once a day for those who are incarcerated. I will be available by phone at 843-752-6110 if you have any questions regarding pending cases or payments. Please leave a clear, detailed message and return phone number if your call is not answered. Those who need to make payments can do so online at www.townoflattascpayments.com or you may drop a cashiers check or money order in the drop box outside of Town Hall. You will need your citation number for online payments. Releases for DMV will be mailed or faxed. This virus is serious. Please be safe and don’t take any unnecessary chances with your life and the lives of others. I’ll be praying for everyone.
Final Remarks from
Town Administrator
Jarett Taylor
We want to be overcautious and would rather error on the extreme side of safety than know we could prevent one citizen from becoming sick. Our town council is dedicated to protecting our citizens as best we can. Please be patient, courteous, and understanding. We are all experiencing this situation for the first time and we will work hard to get through it as smooth as possible. Thank you.
