NATCHITOCHES – By order of the Mayor of the City of Natchitoches, effective immediately, all access to city buildings will be restricted to the public for the safety of the employees and citizens until further notice. Although our offices will be restricted to the public, our employees will continue serving the public during regular business hours via phone or email. This restriction on access to City buildings includes the Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center.

On Friday, March 13th, Governor John Bel Edwards declared a statewide Public Health Emergency. Given the severity and the uncertain impact of the Coronavirus on the State of Louisiana immediate action is required to ensure utility service is not disconnected for non-payment. Although the City of Natchitoches does not fall under the order of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, we will not disconnect any utility customer for non-payment during this time. However, while no late fees will be incurred, please be mindful that utility customers will be responsible for the utility consumption during this time and should remit payment as soon as possible.

The City of Natchitoches would like to encourage our citizens at this time to be safe and mindful of others when going out in public. If you are experiencing symptoms which include fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath you should remain isolated until seeking the advice of your medical provider in order to prevent the spread of illness in our community. Community events and private gatherings whether indoors or outdoors should be limited to 50 people, but we are advising events be postponed to a later date at this time.

As more information evolves regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions on access to other businesses could become stricter in the event the virus is presented in our community. For updates on COVID-19 visit the following websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov or the Louisiana Department of Health at http://ldh.la.gov/.