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Madera County Services Available in Oakhurst

OAKHURST–As chamber administrator for the Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce, some of the most common questions I receive are about where to contact Madera County or obtain county services, including building permits and public transportation.

Did you know that Madera County’s magic number is 311? If you do, you can probably stop reading right now because you may know all the rest of what I’m going to tell you.

That magic number—311—from a landline or a cell phone based in area code 559—can connect you to any Madera County service. Need animal control? A building permit? The tax assessor? Environmental Health? Public transportation options? Just tell the 311 operator your need, and they will connect you to the appropriate resource.

What if you don’t have a landline, and your cell phone is outside the 559 call area? There are options. You can download the 311 app from Google Play or from the Mac App for Apple products, and you can follow Madera County on their Facebook, Instagram or Twitter pages.

But did you know that a number of county services have relocated (or already exist) in Oakhurst at the Oakhurst Government Center, located at 40232 Junction Drive (the corner of Highway 49 and Junction Drive). I’d list their phone number, but you already know it—311.

You can now visit the planning department, pull building permits, the fire marshal, water and natural resources in Oakhurst.

Relocating to the Oakhurst Government Center within the next few months, as soon as building modifications are complete, are public health, veterans’ services, elections/clerk/recorder, social services. Public health and social services already have offices in Oakhurst at 40325 Highway 41. Madera County behavioral health services are located here at 49774 Rd 426 Suite D, and according to current information plan to stay in that location for the foreseeable future.

Do you need a ride to Fresno or Madera? It’s not easy but there are some public transportation options available to Madera County residents. Contact Madera County Connection to find what might fit your need. Keep in mind that these resources require reservations ahead of time. There are regular buses Monday through Friday from North Fork/Oakhurst to Madera.

If you need transportation to medical appointments in Eastern Madera County, Madera or Fresno, consider contacting the medical escort van service, available Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm, by appointment. A reservation can be made by calling the dispatcher at (559) 263-8080 or (800) 325-7433 to request a ride 24-hours in advance. Medical appointments must be scheduled in the morning.

Seniors 60 and older and those with disabilities may be eligible for the senior bus service (which differs from the medical escort service described above). The senior bus service operates Monday through Friday 9 am to 4 pm, except on holidays. Call 263-8080 (1-800-325-7433) to make a reservation. Reservations must be placed by 12 noon the day before the ride.

If you are already aware of this information, perhaps someone you know could benefit from it. Share it with them. Keep it handy.

Last but not least, make sure you and your neighbors are signed up for MC Alert, to be contacted in the event of emergencies or need-to-know information.

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