Officials Declare Coronavirus ‘Emergency’ In North Caldwell

NORTH CALDWELL, NJ — North Caldwell township officials have issued an emergency declaration in an attempt to slow the spread of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, authorities announced.

As of Thursday, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in North Caldwell, officials said.

READ MORE: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

“The borough understands the public’s concerns about COVID-19 and our health officer is working closely with local, county and state officials to monitor and respond to the situation,” officials stated. “While we realize that changing normal routines, cancelling events and not seeing friends can be disruptive and upsetting, we are taking CDC, state and county recommendations very seriously and urge you to do the same.”

Read the full proclamation.

North Caldwell officials added:

“We are committed to staying connected to our older residents during this health emergency and have taken the steps to make regular calls to our most vulnerable seniors at home. We will also stay in contact with regular updates via phone and email. We strongly urge all residents to take all necessary precautions to prevent the community spread of COVID-19. We cannot over emphasize the importance of limiting social contact while the borough and the school district restrictions are in place. Taking the necessary precautions and remaining mindful of restricting person-to-person contact should be foremost in our day-to-day lives.”

Here are some of the changes that the borough will see while the emergency declaration is in effect, North Caldwell officials said.

MUNICIPAL OFFICES & FACILITIES

• All existing restrictions and protections previously implemented shall remain in place and are highlighted below.

Municipal Offices

• Public access to all municipal buildings (including Borough Hall, the Fireman’s Community Center, and the Public Works Buildings) remains suspended until further notice. Municipal Staff will be available via telephone and email.
• Residents may use the Borough Hall mail slot for court, utility or tax payments. Residents are encouraged to utilize our online payment options for utility payments.
• The North Caldwell Municipal Court sessions scheduled through Thursday, April 2 have been cancelled and all cases will be adjourned. For information, please call (973) 228-6410, x-109.
• Both time sensitive and routine police record inquiries can be made via phone at (973) 228-0800 and they will be emailed or faxed to you as staffing levels permit.

Building Department & Fire Prevention Bureau

• Construction permit applications can be brought to a drop box in the Police Department lobby and will be picked-up by the Building Department. Please call (973) 228-6410 with questions.
• Telephone screening for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to all inspections will be occurring.
• The Borough will be erring on the side of caution and all inspectors will be using discretion when entering dwellings and interacting with individuals. Only essential contractors, homeowners, or authorized representatives necessary for the completion of any inspection shall be on site during such inspection in an effort to limit unnecessary contact.
• All non-essential inspections by the Building Department and Fire Prevention Bureau are suspended through Sunday, April 5.

Department of Public Works – Water Department

• Non-emergent water meter replacements are suspended through April 5.
• Final readings of water meters will be scheduled by appointment only, however; only essential property owners or authorized representatives necessary for the completion of any inspection shall be on site during such inspection in an effort to limit unnecessary contact.
• Please visit the US EPA website (https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-drinking-water-and-wastewater) to read their statement regarding public water systems. In short, Americans can continue to drink and use water from their tap as usual.

Recreation Facilities

• Liberty Field, Mountain Avenue Field, Fireman’s Field, Magnusson Field and Borough Hall Tennis Courts are closed until further notice.
• All recreational sports, programs, activities and events are suspended through at least April 5.

SENIOR SERVICES

• The Senior lunch scheduled on Wednesday, April 1 has been canceled. Future senior lunches will be determined at a later date.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

• All Boards and Commission meetings are cancelled through April 5 except for a teleconference meeting of the Zoning Board with a limited agenda. Details of the Zoning Board meeting will be advertised upon determination of final details.
• The Borough Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 25 will be held via conference call. The public shall utilize the following instructions to attend the meeting: Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1481204274; Dial (773)231-9226 via telephone and enter meeting ID 148 120 4274. Members of the public will be automatically muted upon entering the meeting. Please provide your name, address and call-in phone number to tmichelotti@northcaldwell.org or kosullivan@northcaldwell.org in advance of the meeting if you wish to reserve an opportunity to address the Mayor and Council. We will do our best to keep the meeting running in an orderly fashion and we will assure the public of their opportunity to participate if desired. When advised of your turn, please state your name and address for the record and provide your comments to the Mayor and Council. At the conclusion of all public comments, the Mayor and Council may address the comments and/or questions.

OVERNIGHT PARKING

• Overnight Parking Enforcement will be relaxed through April 30. Please comply with all other parking statutes and ordinances, as they will remain in effect and will be enforced. Any parking-related questions can be directed to the North Caldwell Police Department at (973) 239-5000.

GARBAGE & RECYCLING AND BULK

• Garbage, recycling and bulk pickups will operate on a normal schedule.

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