On Monday, May 18th, in conjunction with Governor Greg Abbott’s plan to reopen Texas, DeSoto’s City Hall, and some other important City facilities will reopen to the public on a graduated basis. It will be a “soft reopening” designed to gradually restore on-site service while maintaining essential safety guidelines established by the CDC and Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services. City Hall, the DeSoto Public Library, and Recreation Center have been closed to the public since March 23rd as part of the coordinated effort with national, state, county, and local partners to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Those who are looking forward to transacting their business at City facilities should be aware of the following modifications to service hours and safety requirements.
Changes At City Hall:
City Hall will be open normal business hours beginning Monday, May 18th. For the safety of everyone, residents who are running a fever, are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or who have had close contact within the last 14 days with someone who has or is believed to have COVID-19 will be prohibited from entry.
Visitors are asked to comply with the following guidelines while in City Hall:
• Refrain from bringing visitors into the building
• Sanitize hands
• Clean any surfaces after use with supplied materials
• Maintain six feet of separation
• Wear a mask or face covering
• Refrain from loitering in the building
• Refrain from visiting staff members
Parks & Recreation:
DeSoto’s Recreation Center will open after Memorial Day.
The Recreation Center will initially reopen on a limited basis with safety restrictions. The Center will open three days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Memorial Day is Monday, May 25th. During the reopening week, the first day will be Tuesday, May 26th, Wednesday, May 27th, and Friday, May 29th. The Recreation Center will revert to the new Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule during the first week in June.
The fitness center will have limited capacity on an hourly basis. Patrons will be required to schedule an appointment to gain access. You can contact the Recreation Center at (972) 230-9655. Social distancing and PPE protocol including a face covering and gloves will be mandatory. Patrons will only have access to the fitness center during the initial opening phase; the gym, running track, and other rooms will remain closed.
The DeSoto Active Seniors Center on Lion Street will remain closed until further notice. Park playgrounds, the BMX complex, and park restrooms will remain closed until further notice.
DeSoto Public Library:
The DeSoto Public Library is scheduled to reopen on Monday, May 18th with limited hours and safety restrictions designed to protect both visitors and library staff. Face coverings will be required.
The Library and Computer Lab will initially be open weekdays from noon to 6:00 pm and will be closed on weekends. Only 30 visitors will be allowed into the Library at one time for a period of up to one hour per day per visitor. Curbside pick-up service, which was implemented as a customer convenience during the COVID-19 related closure, will remain as a service. Library patrons can reserve materials by calling (972) 230-9665 or visit DPL’s catalog to request items and then pick those materials up curbside between 10:00 am – 6:00 pm.
DeSoto Municipal Court:
In-person court appearances will resume in City Hall on Monday, May 18th. Court hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Persons who have questions about their cases can text the Court Clerk at (972) 737-7558. Those needing to make an appearance before the Judge are still able to meet with the Judge through VIDEO CONFERENCING THE JUDGE by going to https://zoom.us/join, click JOIN a meeting and type in MEETING ID 582-661-129
Utility Bill Payment:
In addition to paying in person, water bill payments can be made online at www.desototexas.gov/billpay or via the automated phone system by dialing 855-748-6063. Water customers can also dial 972-230-9627 to speak with a Utility Billing representative during normal business hours for general water account information. Check and money order payments can be placed in the after-hours drop box at City Hall.
The City of DeSoto will continue to post new information related to facilities and COVID-19 issues on our website or Facebook, Nextdoor, and Twitter pages as it becomes available. Residents can continue to call the City with general service requests via our Action Center at 972.274.CITY (2489) during normal business hours.
Residents with questions related to COVID-19 can dial 2-1-1 and access a 24/7 hotline via 2-1-1 Texas.
