Washington County official says services remain open during blizzard; motorists urged to stay home

A Washington County official said Monday that county services were operating despite a heavy snowstorm and urged residents to avoid nonessential travel while crews cleared roads.

"We are open for business for the people of Washington County," the official said in a special edition of the county's Washco Weekly broadcast, adding that staff were working across county departments to keep services running.

The official described crews from parks and the highway department working outside and noted ongoing construction at an on-site clinic. He said the county clerk's office remained open and had processed passports earlier in the day and that staff had handled requests for birth certificates. He also said the treasurer and register of deeds staff were on site and that hearings were continuing in the county justice center.

The update included a safety admonition after the official described a near-incident in which a motorist tried to pass a snowplow in the left lane. "Be cautious, be safe when you're in a blizzard like this," he said, urging drivers to "take your time" to protect both themselves and county crews.

The official named "Justin" as an example of a highway worker on duty and extended thanks to snowplow drivers, emergency personnel, law enforcement and firefighters for their work during the storm. The broadcast presented the comments as an informational operational update; no formal policy changes or votes were announced.

The county did not announce changes to services beyond the reassurance that essential operations were continuing. Residents were advised to monitor county channels for any subsequent alerts or service updates.