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COVID-19

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1. Is City Hall open?

City Hall is closed through May 4, 2020 per Governor Jay Inslee’s "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" Proclamation. Most services can still be provided to the public as staff works remotely. A staff directory, including email addresses, can be found here.

Community Development
360-863-4501
Building and Engineering submittals and general permitting questions: building@monroewa.gov
Land Use submittals and general permitting questions: landuse@monroewa.gov

Utility Payments
Use dropbox
Pay by phone 360-794-7400 (no additional fee)
Pay online monroewa.gov/pay (no additional fee)

Municipal Court
360-863-4548
court@monroewa.gov

2. How can I reach someone at City Hall?

Our numbers are:  City Hall (360)794-7400   Police Department (360)794-6300   Municipal Court (360)863-4548

For police or medical emergencies, continue to call 9-1-1.  If you need to make a non-emergency police report or to speak to an officer, please call 425-407-3999.

3. Can I apply for my passport?

The City of Monroe will not be processing passport applications at this time. We will be evaluating these services on a weekly basis. Please check the City’s website and Facebook page for updates. 

Many passport renewals, including name changes, can be done through the mail, and do not require you visit a passport acceptance facility. Please visit the U.S. Department of State  website for applications and additional information. 

4. Will my water be shut off?

The City of Monroe is taking the following steps to help our residential and business customers who might be worried about paying their bills:

• The City will not shut off water services for the month of March.
• The City is encouraging everyone to either pay their bills on-line or use the drop box located just outside the front door of City Hall. 
• Over the phone credit card fees are currently being waived for utility payments. 
• The City will work with customers who may fall behind on their utility bills to set up a payment plan (payment plans during March will not count toward the aggregate allowed per account). For further information, please call 360-794-7400. 

The following organizations are available to assist our most vulnerable utility customers:

Salvation Army 425-259-8129

Sky Valley Food Bank 360-794-7959

Take the Next Step 360-794-1022

St. Vincent DePaul 425-355-3505

Volunteers of America 425-259-3192

5. Mayor Thomas issued a Proclamation of Emergency. What does that mean?

By issuing this Proclamation, officials can assure the City of Monroe has the tools in place and is ready to take appropriate actions quickly, when needed, to protect the health and safety of the community.

It allows the City to react quickly to developments in this fast-moving, fluid situation. 

It allows the City to waive competitive bidding requirements to procure supplies and make other necessary expenditures quickly without going through the usual time-consuming bidding procedures.

It allows the mayor to exercise civil emergency powers by issuing orders, directing City personnel, services and equipment, and taking additional acts necessary to the manage this emergency. 

6. How can I pay my water bill?

We are asking all residents who need to make payments to Monroe City Hall, the Police Department, or the Monroe Municipal Court, to please make them by mail or over the telephone.  Service charges associated with telephone payments will be waived until further notice.  Utility and permit payments can be made on the City’s website.

7. Is garbage service affected?

From Republic Services: 

Effective Tuesday, March 24, 2020 

Residential: 

• Due to health concerns for the public and our drivers, we will only collect trash stored in Republic carts or personally owned cans. Extra trash must be bagged or stored in an additional cart or can. 
• If you have extra recycling or yard waste, it must be in a cart or can. We will not collect any loose/bundled/bagged material outside a cart or can.
• In addition, we are suspending all bulky waste collections until further notice.

For up-to-date information, please visit Republic Services of Washington. 

8. Is the Court open?

The court office is currently closed to any walk up customers. Most court hearings have been cancelled. The exceptions are the  in custody calendar via video, and arraignments for DUI/Physical Control/Assault 4 DV/Violation of a Protection Order. These case types will remain set for arraignment on next available calendar.  

For complete details, please read the Monroe Municipal Court Administrative Order in the matter of Emergency Response to COVID-19 and Threat to Public Health (PDF).

Still have questions? Give us a call at (360) 863-4548.

9. Are building permits being accepted?

Based on current State and Federal guidance, and the City’s response to COVID-19, portions of our operations have been modified to accommodate our staff and the community. We will reassess the situation after April 1, 2020. 

Permit Processing and Review:
Staff is working both remotely and in the office to review and intake permit applications, and process permits electronically. Our Planners and Plans Examiners are also working both remotely and in the office to provide normal levels of service to the public. If you have a permit currently in the review process, you should be hearing from our staff just like before. Staff will be available by phone and email during normal business hours of 8am to 5pm Monday - Friday. If you have questions or would like to speak with a staff member, please call our Permit Center line at 360-863-4501 or email building@monroewa.gov. 

Inspections:
City of Monroe building inspections will be limited effective Wednesday, March 18, 2020. 

Updated inspection hours: 

• Monday: 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm 
• Tuesday: 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm 
• Wednesday: 8am to 12pm 
• Thursday: inspections will not be scheduled 
• Friday: inspections will not be scheduled

We will reassess these hours after April 1, 2020. 

Please do not request inspections for work that is inside an occupied home or building in which occupants are displaying symptoms of illness, are currently sick, or have been sick within the past 14 days.

If your inspection involves work in an occupied home or work area, and inspection is not time sensitive, please consider postponing your request for a later date. This may apply to replacement of water heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, or other inspection types.

Please be aware that inspections may be canceled or postponed at the inspector’s discretion if there are any health concerns regarding exposure to sick or symptomatic customers.

Thank you for your understanding.

10. Can I schedule a building inspection?

City of Monroe building inspections will be limited effective March 18, 2020. 

Current inspection hours: 

• Monday 8am-noon 
• Tuesday 8am-noon 
• Wednesday 8am-noon 
• No inspections will be scheduled on Thursdays or Fridays

We will reassess these hours after April 1, 2020. 

Please do not request inspections for work that is inside an occupied home or building in which occupants are displaying symptoms of illness, are currently sick, or have been sick within the past 14 days. If your inspection involves work in an occupied home or work area, and inspection is not time sensitive, please consider postponing your request for a later date. This may apply to replacement of water heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, or other inspection types. 

Please be aware that inspections may be cancelled or postponed at the inspector’s discretion if there are any health concerns regarding exposure to sick or symptomatic customers.  

11. How can I pay my ticket?

We are not accepting payments in person at this time.  

Payments can be made using the following methods: 

• Dropbox: the dropbox is located outside the main entrance of City Hall at 806 W Main Street, Monroe, WA 98272
• Phone: you can make a payment over the phone by calling the Municipal Court at (360) 863-4548.

12. Will my court date be rescheduled?

That depends. 

Traffic Infraction Hearings:
All traffic hearings scheduled between March 16, 2020 and April 24, 2020 requiring a personal appearance are stricken and cases will be reset to a calendar after April 24, 2020. New hearing notices will be mailed by the Court. Hearings currently calendared for appearance on a written by-mail statement pursuant to IRLJ 3.5 will continue to be heard. The time for hearing provisions as set out in IRLJ 2.6 are suspended. Anyone who receives a notice of infraction is still required to respond to the notice of infraction within fifteen (15) days of the date the notice is personally served or, if the notice is served or, if the notice is served by mail, within eighteen (18) days of the date the notice is mailed. 

Criminal Hearings: 

• Arraignments: Arrainments for DUI/Physical Control, Domestic Violence and Violation of Court Orders will continue to be heard. All other arraignments will be continued until after April 24, 2020. New hearing notices will be mailed by the Court. The Time for Arraignment provisions of CrRLJ 4.1 are suspended until further Order of the Court.
• All criminal motions currently calendared are stricken and may be re-noted after April 24, 2020. The Court may consider Motions to Quash bench warrants ex-parte and waive quash fees. 
• All criminal cases currently pending are continued until after April 24, 2020. New hearing notices will be mailed by the Court. 
• All Jury Trials currently calendared are continued to a trial term after April 24, 2020. 
• The Court will continue to hear in custody cases as necessary to preserve defendants’ constitutional rights.
  
  

For complete details, please read the Monroe Municipal Court Administrative Order in the matter of Emergency Response to COVID-19 and Threat to Public Health (PDF).

Pursuant to the authority given this Court through Washington State Supreme Court Order No. 25700-B-602 and GR29, this Emergency Order is effective March 16, 2020 and shall remain in effect unless renewed, modified, or rescinded by the Monroe Municipal Court Judge. Please read the complete Administrative Order for scheduling details of traffic infraction hearings and criminal hearings.

13. Are parks open?

Playgrounds/playground structures are closed through April 30, 2020. The health and safety of our community is our top concern, and we are doing our part to help contain the spread of this virus. We are making daily assessments based on Public Health’s guidance, and we will do our best to communicate any changes in our operations as quickly as possible.

14. Is the Senior Center open?

Monroe Community Senior Center has decided out of an abundance of caution to close. At this point we will follow the school district closures, which are scheduled through April 24. 

We will reassess and re-evaluate on a regular basis and keep you updated.

Community Breakfasts on March 21 and April 18 are cancelled.

Our Annual Auction is postponed until October 10, 2020.

Sack lunches are available at the front door Mon-Fri from 12:00-12:30pm.

Although MCSC has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, this will limit exposure to our participants.

We will continue to provide essential transportation for the time being. For information on the signup process, Call 360-794-6359. MCSC will be busy strategizing on ways to continue to provide critical services in a way that protects the health of our members, staff and volunteers.

For up-to-date information, please visit: Monroe Community Senior Center

15. Why are schools closing?

On March 12, Governor Inslee announced a mandate that all public and private schools in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties close from March 16 through April 24. Therefore, Monroe schools will be closed through April 24, 2020. Visit your school district’s website for more information.

16. Are Boards and Commissions still holding their regular scheduled meetings?

All Board and Commission meetings are cancelled through March 31, 2020. We will reassess this after that time and provide an update. 

17. Do I report for jury duty?

Jury service is cancelled through April 24, 2020, and will be continued to a trial term after April 24, 2020. 

Questions? Call the Municipal Court at 360-863-4521.

18. Are Land Use applications being accepted?

Based on current State and Federal guidance, and the City’s response to COVID-19, portions of our operations have been modified to accommodate our staff and the community. We will reassess the situation after April 1, 2020. 

Permit Processing and Review:
Staff is working both remotely and in the office to review and intake permit applications, and process permits electronically. Our Planners and Plans Examiners are also working both remotely and in the office to provide normal levels of service to the public. If you have a permit currently in the review process, you should be hearing from our staff just like before. Staff will be available by phone and email during normal business hours of 8am to 5pm Monday - Friday. If you have questions or would like to speak with a staff member, please call our Permit Center line at 360-863-4501 or email landuse@monroewa.gov.  

Thank you for your understanding.