As Covid-19 continues to spread, Moorestown Township officials are doing their part to keep residents and township staff safe.
Moorestown Township Council held an emergency meeting on Monday, March 16, to formulate the township’s official response. As of Wednesday, March 18, town hall was to be closed to the general public, the latest in a series of township and county closures that have taken place as the global pandemic continues.
Township Manager Thomas Merchel said for now, all township departments will remain open. The Department of Public Works will continue operating, but employees are asked to limit their interactions with the public.
“The services are still going; we just may be modifying them a little to minimize public interaction,” Merchel said.
The Moorestown Township Police Department also remains operational. Chief Lee Lieber said the department is taking extra precautions, including frequent hand washing and wiping down vehicles.
“We are using caution when responding to calls, checking with callers to ascertain if they are symptomatic and generally using social distancing to attempt to prevent exposure to our officers and other first responders,” he explained.
As of deadline, Merchel said the township council meeting scheduled for Monday, March 23, was still to take place, with a largely scaled down agenda intended to address only the most pressing issues, such as getting the temporary budget in place.
“This is a fluid situation, so we’re constantly going to be making decisions,” Merchel noted. “Right now, we do plan on having the [council] meetings, but we’re going to really restrict and pare down meetings.”
Merchel said the township is working to keep employees safe. The layout of town hall already has desks spaced out to accommodate recommended social distancing, and the township wants employees to practice their own distancing. Sick employees have been asked to stay home.
All township advisory committee meetings have been cancelled until further notice, and the March 18 and March 25 municipal court sessions were postponed. Residents are encouraged to pay their tax, sewer and water bills online.
The Moorestown Library and the Department of Parks and Recreation facilities are closed until further notice. While local parks remain open, residents are asked to practice social distancing in public.
Lieber said the police department is in regular contact with its county and state partners at respective health departments and emergency management services to get up-to-date information on dealing with the health emergency.
The department is also providing information for residents from the New Jersey Department of Health and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) on its Twitter, Facebook and Nixle accounts.
“We encourage everyone to follow precautions, including washing hands regularly and maintaining social distancing of at least 6 feet, as well as adhere to the governor’s order,” Lieber said.
To stay updated on the latest from the township, visit https://www.moorestown.nj.us.
