Government

Visitors to Cedar Rapids City Hall must now check in using kiosk

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August 27, 2024

Cedar Rapids City Hall has implemented a check-in kiosk that requires all visitors to dial in and prevents visitors from accessing city offices without a staff escort, according to a report by The Gazette.

The plan hopes to increase city officials' safety by restricting upper and lower floors to those with badge access or visitors escorted by staff members. Visitors must use interactive touch-screen kiosks to notify staff of their arrival. City staff have been trained to understand the kiosks' notifications and the expectation that they will greet their guests and bring them to the proper destination.

Assistant City Manager Angie Charipar said staff interacting with visitors on the first floor ensures their safety by conducting the initial interaction in a more visible setting. "Sometimes we get somebody who's not having their best day, might be upset about something," Charipar told the news outlet. "What we want to do is ensure that we meet that person where they are and we're able to have a good conversation with them and get them the assistance they need, whether that's city assistance or some other type of assistance."