ROANOKE COUNTY, VA (July 1, 2012) — The Roanoke County Administration Center on Bernard Drive in Roanoke will be closed on Monday due to the continuing power outage. The following are among the public departments impacted by the closure: Community Development, Treasurer, Commissioner, Registrar, and Real Estate Valuation. A temporary location will open at 9:00 a.m. on Monday at Roanoke County’s Brambleton Center at 3738 Brambleton Ave. to solely process building permits. For building permit questions, the public can call 540-312-8086 from 8:00 a.m. to noon. For questions from noon to 5:00 p.m., the public can call 540-309-7828.
Roanoke County’s Public Service Center on Kessler Mill Road will also be closed on Monday due to the power outage. This facility houses many of the County’s Parks and Recreation and General Services offices. Any Parks and Recreation business that needs to be handled in person should be done at Green Ridge Recreation Center. The phone number to Green Ridge is 540-777-6300. The County’s General Services Department includes Building Maintenance and Custodial staff. Anyone needing to contact General Services should call 540-387-6186.
Roanoke County’s public libraries will be open on Monday. The County’s six library branches – South County, Glenvar, Vinton, Hollins, Mt. Pleasant, and Bent Mountain – are a great place to seek refuge from the heat and have outlets available for the public to recharge mobile phones and laptops. On Sunday, the Glenvar and South County Library branches did not have Internet access.
The County has received questions about garbage/bulk and brush collection. Garbage and bulk and brush will be collected on a normal schedule on Monday. Bulk and brush will be collected for citizens on the County’s “A-Week” schedule. Brush should be no longer than six feet in length and 12 inches in diameter in order to fit in the County’s trucks. Residents are reminded to place any spoiled food in bags before placing in garbage cans. Changes to the County’s garbage collection schedule may occur after solid waste staff assesses the situation on Monday. Any changes to the collection schedule will be made public via the media and Roanoke County website – www.RoanokeCountyVA.gov.
Roanoke County residents with no transportation and no medical conditions requiring treatment can receive free van transportation to an Evacuation Shelter set up at the Roanoke Civic Center. Van transportation will be available throughout the day until 10 p.m. tonight, with transportation to the shelter continuing on Monday, July 2 depending on public need.
Roanoke County residents who need a ride to the Evacuation Shelter are asked to call the Roanoke County Emergency Information Line at (540) 777-8798 to schedule transportation to the Roanoke Civic Center. Residents with health conditions being affected by the heat, or who are in need of medical treatment, are asked to call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance.
On Saturday, Roanoke County along with the City of Roanoke and the Roanoke Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross opened an Evacuation Shelter at the Roanoke Civic Center. The Roanoke Civic Center will continue to serve as an Evacuation Shelter to offer overnight relief from the heat. Roanoke County residents with no medical conditions that require treatment coming to the Evacuation Shelter should bring any personal or special items needed such as medications, special diet items, glasses, formula, baby food and diapers.
The shelter is in the Special Events Center of the Roanoke Civic Center and citizens driving to the shelter are asked to park in Parking Lot E (along Orange Avenue close to 581 side of the Center).
At this time, Roanoke County staff does not have an estimate as to when power may be restored to the affected County households. Residents are advised to contact American Electric Power toll-free at 1 (800) 956-4237 or 1 (800) 281-3916 for questions about electrical service.
