City of Berkley COVID-19 Update - March 23, 2020
What does this mean?
This executive order directs all non-critical businesses to temporarily close, all Michiganders to stay home or six feet away from others during the COVID-19 crisis for at least the next three weeks.
YOU CAN:
• Go to the grocery store or pick up take-out food.
• Go to the pharmacy to pick up a needed prescription.
• Engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, biking.
• Go to the hospital or secure any care necessary to address a medical emergency or to preserve your health or the health of a loved one.
• Fill your car with gas.
• Return to Michigan to a home or place of residence from outside the State.
• Leave the State for a home or residence elsewhere.
• Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian for needed medical care.
YOU MAY NOT:
• Leave the home to work unless your employer designates you as a critical infrastructure worker.
• Participate in any public gatherings.
• Visit someone in the hospital, nursing home, or other residential care facilities (with limited exceptions).
• Go to the mall or to restaurants.
BUSINESSES THAT REMAIN OPEN FOR IN-PERSON WORK MUST TAKE AGGRESSIVE STEPS TO MINIMIZE THE VIRUS’S SPREAD. THEY MUST:
• Promote remote work to the fullest extent possible.
• Restrict the number of workers present in-person on the job.
• Keep employees at least six feet from one another to the maximum extent possible and enabling social distancing for customers who are standing in line.
• Any other social distancing practices and mitigation measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control
What does this mean for our City?
We are continuing to take all necessary precautions to the fullest extent in order to keep our staff and community safe per the guidance of the State and County. It is important to note that during a Public Health crisis of this nature that we follow the State and County's Health office's as they are our emergency operations lead and health experts since we do not have public health officials on staff. We follow their lead, not for political cover but because they are the experts in dealing with this Public Health crisis and are able to make qualified decisions about next steps.
"This is a time for ALL Berkley residents to show they care and can abide by the Governor's order," said Matt Baumgarten, Berkley City Manager. "As always, Berkley's public servants will still work to deliver essential services. We have taken every step possible to keep employees safe and services in place. Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to close our facilities to the public. However, even though you cannot see us at work, Berkley residents will still see their services continue."
Following the executive orders from Governor Whitmer, we would like to update the community with what our City departments are doing and how you can get a hold of them:
- City Hall, Public Works, the Community Center, and Library are closed. Each department has been set-up to work remotely with minimal office check-ins in order to check mail, process paperwork, and other essential materials.
- Public Safety will remain open, however, we encourage the community to call ahead before physically visiting at 248-658-3380. Additionally, Public Safety has activated its Online Reporting System for non-emergency or no suspects type incidents. Visit the public safety website for details on what types of crimes can be reported online or to start a report if needed. Learn more at berkleypublicsafety.org.
- All public meetings are canceled until further notice (e.g. City Council, Planning Commission, ZBA, and all advisory boards/commission). We are currently working on virtual solutions for hosting our public meetings. Please stay tuned for more details.
- Public Works will continue with its "on-call" field crews for essential services and needs. Their mainline will continue to be answered during normal business hours. For additional questions, please contact them at publicworks@berkleymich.net.
- Residents and community members can pay their water bills and other utilities online or at our secure dropbox located at City Hall (3338 Coolidge Hwy). To learn more about how to pay online, head to our Treasury page on our website. If you have additional questions, you can reach the Treasury Department at treasury@berkleymich.net.
- All non-essential permits and inspections will be suspended per the Governor's Executive Order that limits business operations to essential services only. New permits may be issued only for essential maintenance or repairs that are necessary to maintain and improve the safety, sanitation, and essential operations of residences per LARA guidance. In line with this same standard, the City of Berkley will no longer be conducting interior or exterior inspections for non-essential construction projects; including new home construction. Applications for new permits may be submitted to Community Development via mail, email, or the City's secured dropbox. Each application will be reviewed per our normal application process; however, no non-essential permits will be issued until the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order is lifted by the Governor. Determinations of essential and non-essential permitted work will be made by Berkley's Community Development Department on a case-by-case basis. We will keep records of all submitted applications and permits and will have them ready to be issued, when appropriate. For further questions, contact Community Development at building@berkleymich.net.
- Those who have registered for a Parks & Recreation program, event, or activity that is taking place this month will automatically receive a refund. Please contact them at parks@berkleymich.net. You can also stay connected with Parks & Rec by following their Facebook: www.facebook.com/BerkleyParksandRec.
- We are no longer offering Senior busing transportation as an option due to the risk of exposure to our drivers and the residents.
- Play structures are closed to the public but PARKS are still open.
- The Library has asked its patrons to hold onto items they have checked out and return them after the Library opens. Overdue fees will be waived for overdue items. For additional questions or inquiries, contact them at library@berkleymich.net. You can also stay connected with the Library by following their Facebook: www.facebook.com/BerkleyPublicLibrary.
To stay up-to-date with the latest details regarding what the City is doing, head to
berkleymich.org/coronavirus.
Be sure to follow us via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as we will be sharing through those channels as more information is provided.
Stay up-to-date with the County:
Oakland County has its OakAlerts notification system where they share the latest updates regarding COVID-19. Residents are encouraged to join by texting OAKGOV to 287-48 to retrieve them.
Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.
Stay up-to-date with the State:
Mayor Daniel Terbrack Declares Local State of Emergency for the City of Berkley - March 17, 2020
With the recent announcement of the City closing to the public, along with the executive order and mitigation strategies by the Governor and Oakland County, Mayor Daniel Terbrack has declared a local State of Emergency for the City of Berkley.
"Our top priority is to make sure the Berkley community stays safe and healthy, as well as, minimize the public's and City employees’ exposure to the coronavirus."
In accordance with Section 10 of 1976 PA 390, as amended, The Emergency Management Act and the City Charter, the Mayor has hereby declared that a "local state of emergency" exists within our jurisdiction as of March 17, 2020.
This State of Emergency will allow the Mayor, City Council, and City Administration to make immediate decisions in the interest of the City’s health, safety, and welfare. The declaration of this State of Emergency specifically asserts the following:
- City Council and City Administration will be making decisions and undertaking necessary and appropriate actions to protect the public health of our City residents and the general public. They will be monitoring the monetary damage caused to businesses and families due to the mandatory closing of businesses and endangerment of health and safety of the residents of the City of Berkley and will further be undertaking measures designed to provide assistance and relief to those affected by the emergency conditions.
City Council, Planning Commission, and ZBA meetings will continue but have been postponed at this time. We are currently working on virtual solutions for hosting our public meetings. Please stay tuned for more details. As always, residents will be able to view our meetings online at www.youtube.com/CityofBerkley or via WBRK.
As a reminder, the City of Berkley has implemented the following measures to mitigate the challenges of COVID-19:
- City Hall, Public Works, the Community Center, and Library are closed to the public.
- Public Safety will remain open, however, we encourage the community to call ahead before physically visiting at 248-658-3380.
- Residents and community members can pay their water bills and other utilities online or at our secure dropbox located at City Hall (3338 Coolidge Hwy). To learn more about how to pay online, head to our Treasury page on our website. If you have additional questions, you can reach the Treasury Department at treasury@berkleymich.net.
- All public meetings are canceled (e.g. City Council, Planning Commission, ZBA, and all advisory boards/commission) until the end of March. We are currently working on virtual solutions for hosting our public meetings. Please stay tuned for more details.
- Community Development will still be processing permits. These can be mailed or placed within the dropbox at City Hall. Inspections being done on new construction or exterior buildings will continue; Inside occupied structures will be postponed until further notice.
- Code Enforcement will continue but at a limited capacity for the safety of the employees.
- For any inquiries related to the Clerk's Office, please contact them at clerk@berkleymich.net.
- Those who have registered for a Parks & Recreation program, event, or activity that is taking place this month will automatically receive a refund. Please call Parks & Rec at 248-658-3470 with any questions.
- The Library has asked its patrons to hold onto items they have checked out and return them after the Library opens. Overdue fees will be waived for overdue items.
- We are no longer offering Senior busing transportation as an option due to the risk of exposure to our drivers and the residents.
To stay up-to-date with the latest details regarding what the City is doing, head to berkleymich.org/coronavirus.
Be sure to follow us via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as we will be sharing through those channels as more information is provided.
Click here to view see the Mayoral Declaration of Emergency.
City of Berkley COVID-19 Mitigation & Preparedness Strategy Update - March 16, 2020
Latest Michigan Updates regarding COVID-19:
The closure impacts restaurants, cafes, coffee houses, bars, taverns, brewpubs, distilleries, clubs, movie theaters, indoor and outdoor performance venues, gymnasiums, fitness centers, recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, indoor exercise facilities, exercise studios, spas, and casinos.
How we as a City are responding to COVID-19:
In order to ensure the full health and protection of the community, we have decided to close City Hall and the Public Works Department to the public starting TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. As a reminder, the Library and Community Center are already closed to the public.
Following these closures, the City would like to let our residents and community members know:
- Public Safety will remain open, however, we encourage the community to call ahead before physically visiting at 248-658-3380.
- Residents and community members are able to pay their water bills and other utilities online or at our secure dropbox located at City Hall (3338 Coolidge Hwy). To learn more about how to pay online, head to our Treasury page on our website. If you have additional questions, you can reach the Treasury Departement at treasury@berkleymich.net.
- All public meetings are canceled (e.g. City Council, Planning Commission, ZBA, and all advisory boards/commission) until the end of March. At this time, we are currently working on virtual solutions and recordings for our public meetings. Please stay tuned for more details.
- Community Development will still be processing permits. These can be mailed or placed within the dropbox at City Hall. Inspections being done on new construction or exterior buildings will continue; Inside occupied structures will be postponed until further notice.
- Code Enforcement will continue but at a limited capacity for the safety of the employees.
- For any inquiries related to the Clerk's Office, please contact them at clerk@berkleymich.net.
- Those who have registered for a Parks & Recreation program, event, or activity that is taking place this month will automatically receive a refund. Please call Parks & Rec at 248-658-3470 with any questions.
- The Library has asked its patrons to hold onto items they have checked out and return them after the Library opens. Overdue fees will be waived for overdue items.
- We are no longer offering Senior busing transportation as an option due to the risk of exposure to our drivers and the residents.
Lastly, City staff have increases protective measures when handling monetary materials and disinfecting common workspaces hourly during business hours.
These protective measures will be re-evaluated at the beginning of April and as more information comes in. Please know we are following the protocol and recommendations from Oakland County and the State as taking the situation one week at a time.
Other Resources:
If seniors or at-risk residents are in need of further food assistance, we recommend Area Agency on Aging: https://aaa1b.org/ or Meals on Wheels: http://www.oaklandmow.org/.
Additionally, Oakland County Help Hotline is also available at 248-858-1000. They can aid in addressing the non-health needs such as food or housing assistance.
Berkley School District announced that they have partnered with Aramark to provide food assistance to those families in need. As of today, they will be distributing two meals a day (breakfast and lunch) for any child under 18 in our community. You can learn more on their website here.
Follow Us to Stay up-to-date with the City:
Be sure to follow us via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as we will be sharing through those channels as more information is provided.
Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.
COVID-19 Mitigation & Preparedness Strategy Notice - March 13, 2020 - 2:17 PM
In light of the Governor's announcement of a state-wide school closure, the Oakland County Health Department has implemented more stringent steps for preventative measures and mitigation techniques, as well as, full activation of the Oakland County Emergency Operations Center for COVID-19.
With these measures, we have decided to close our Community Center and Public Library to the public starting Monday, March 16, 2020, in line with the recommendations by the Oakland County Health Department.
- Those who have registered for a program, event, or activity that is taking place this month will automatically receive a refund. Please call Parks & Recreation at 248-658-3470 with questions.
- The Library has asked its patrons to hold onto items they have checked out and return them after the Library opens. Overdue fees will be waived for overdue items.
- Senior busing services will still continue essential transportation services (doctor appointments and grocery store trips) Busing services will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Passengers presenting fever or flu-like symptoms will not be allowed to board.
Gloves have been provided to our city staff as an added protective measure as they handle monetary materials and disinfectant measures such as cleaning counters and common workspaces hourly during business hours.
As a reminder, residents and community members are able to pay their water bills and other utilities online or at our secure dropbox located at City Hall (3338 Coolidge Hwy). To learn more about how to pay online,
head to our Treasury page.
We will be re-evaluating these protective measures at the beginning of April and as more information comes in.
Again, we would like to stress that we're working closely with officials from the County and State, and we're following their advice of taking the situation one week at a time.
It is imperative to practice social distancing methods, wash your hands, and if you feel sick, stay home.
We will continue to communicate with all residents, businesses, and community members via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as more information is provided.
Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.
City of Berkley COVID-19 Mitigation & Preparedness Strategy Notice - March 13, 2020
We would like to take this opportunity to update our community on the steps we're taking as a City and as a workplace to prepare for COVID-19. First, we want to assure the community that we're taking this situation-and the health and safety of our community and employees-very seriously. We're working closely with officials from the County and State, and we're following their advice of taking the situation one week at a time.
The Governor announced
community mitigation strategies and recommendations for municipal institutions, schools, businesses, universities and more. Under the guidance from the Governor and the Oakland County Health Division, the City of Berkley will remain open.
However, beginning Saturday, March 14, 2020, we are invoking recommended social distancing practices.
Currently, our biggest takeaway, is that there is no cause for overt concern or significant changes in process or protocol other than to follow the above recommendations. Therefore, in order to minimize the potential exposure of our residents, staff, and community to COVID-19, the City of Berkley will implement the following recommended social distancing practices and preventative measures:
- All nonessential public information meetings will be postponed.
- All recreation and senior program, events, and activities will be canceled or postponed. Those who have registered for a program, event, or activity that is taking place this month will automatically receive a refund. Please call Parks & Rec at 248-658-3470 with questions.
- Our community center will be open during normal business hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
- Our library will remain open but all activities and programs are suspended for the remainder of March.
- Senior busing services will be continuing essential transportation services (doctor appointments and grocery store trips) Busing services will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Passengers presenting fever or flu-like symptoms will not be allowed to board.
- The city departments will be adding additional disinfectant measures such as cleaning counters and common workspaces hourly based on the information provided by the Oakland County Health Department.
- Advisory Boards and Commissions will continue to meet so long as a quorum of the members can be obtained.
We will be re-evaluating these protective measures at the beginning of April and as more information comes in.
Our immediate plan and purpose for these measures are to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community. We will work to the best of our ability for the continuity of municipal services. However, our first priority is protecting the health and well-being of our community, especially those who are most vulnerable to illness.
As things evolve and we learn more recommendations from our health experts at the county, state and federal level we will communicate with all residents, businesses, and community members via social media, the city website, and our email notification system.
Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.
