City Manager's Messages

?By the time you read this message, you will hopefully be aware that we are expecting significant flooding in our region over the next couple of days. The National Weather Service is predicting high tides in the 6.9 above mean low water range. For comparison purposes, this is about equivalent to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. That means we will have major flooding in our low-lying areas and many roads will become impassable at the height of flooding.

Accordingly, I declared a local state of emergency this evening at 8 p.m. and have urged residents in low-lying areas to carefully evaluate whether to shelter in place or evacuate. Monday morning we will open a public shelter for those who do not have other places to go. Our local school system has announced a Monday closure.

As for city operations, we plan to have all of our facilities open for business as usual in the morning but will close city facilities to the general public as of noon. Non-essential emergency employees should telework starting thereafter, for the remainder of their shift. Departing city facilities by noon should ensure that everyone gets home in plenty of time before the waters start to rise and make commutes challenging. 

Supervisors should communicate with their staff to identify telework assignments. In the event that a telework assignment is unavailable, employees should use that time for professional development. Employee Connection has a wide array of free training opportunities for employees. To access the various opportunities, please click on the link below. Employees who do not wish or cannot come to work and/or telework in the afternoon have the option of liberal leave if coordinated with their supervisor and/or department head. 

https://hampton.gov/2471/Training

I want to thank our excellent emergency management team which includes employees from multiple departments for the work they have done to both respond to Hurricane Ian’s direct effects on our community and prepare for the Nor’Easter’s inevitable impact over the next several days. We are fortunate to have such dedicated and outstanding employees. I am confident our community is in great hands. Please be safe!

Mary