Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update 4/6/2020

Virtual Council Meeting:

Due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the April 7, 2020 Borough Council Meeting will be held online through ZOOM.

Members of the public who wish to participate in the meeting may do so by joining online or over the phone at 7:30 p.m. Individuals will be able to fully participate in the meeting, including providing public comment.

Joining the Meeting:

Join online at:

• https://zoom.us/j/689982401?pwd=KzRmTUFkb1lja0NlTE1IVldmenBVQT09
• Meeting I.D.: 689-982-401

Or join by phone by dialing one of the below numbers and entering the Webinar I.D. when prompted:

• +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
• +1 253 215 8782 US
• +1 301 715 8592 US
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting I.D.: 689 982 401

Participating during the public comment portion of the meeting:

During public comment parts of the meeting, if you would like to speak, please click the “Raise Hand” button, and we will be notified of your request to speak. Mayor Schwager will recognize you, and your microphone will be un-muted to allow you to speak. Once you have completed speaking, your mic will be re-muted.

On computers, the “Raise Hand” button can be found in the webinar controls section, typically at the bottom of your screen. If you raise your hand on accident, feel free to “Lower Hand”.

On a mobile device the “Raise Hand” and “Lower Hand” buttons are typically found in the lower left corner of the screen.

If you are joining by dialing in, you can simply dial *9 and toggle between “Raise Hand” and “Lower Hand”.

Yard Waste Collection:

Yard Waste Collection starts today April 6, 2020.  Yard waste is collected every Monday or Tuesday depending on your side of town.  If Monday is your garbage collection, Tuesday is your yard waste pickup. If Friday is your garbage collection, Monday is your yard waste pickup. Caused by staffing issues due to the Coronavirus, our hauler has advised us that there will be delays in picking up yard waste throughout the week. If your yard waste is out at the curb, you may leave it there, and it will be picked up during the week when the hauler arrives.

Use Face Masks to Slow the Spread:

• How to Wear a Cloth Face Covering
  • Cloth face coverings should:
    • fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
    • be secured with ties or ear loops
    • include multiple layers of fabric
    • allow for breathing without restriction
    • be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
  • CDC on Homemade Cloth Face Coverings:
    • CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
    • CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.  Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
    • Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
    • The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.  Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
  • Should cloth face coverings be washed or otherwise cleaned regularly? How regularly?
    • Yes. They should be routinely washed depending on the frequency of use.
  • How does one safely remove a used cloth face covering?
    • Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their face covering and wash hands immediately after removing.
• Cloth Face Masks Questions and Answers:
  • Do I still need to stay at least 6 feet away from people if wearing a cloth face covering?
    • Yes. Wearing cloth face coverings is an additional public health measure people should take to reduce the spread of COVID-19. CDC still recommends that you stay at least 6 feet away from other people (social distancing), frequent hand cleaning and other everyday preventive actions. A cloth face covering is not intended to protect the wearer, but it may prevent the spread of virus from the wearer to others. This would be especially important if someone is infected but does not have symptoms. View CDC’s guidance on how to protect yourself.
  • Why is CDC recommending cloth face coverings instead of medical grade face masks?
    • Surgical masks and N95 respirators are in short supply and should be reserved for healthcare workers or other medical first responders, as recommended by CDC guidance.
  • When do you need to wear a cloth face covering?
    • A cloth face covering should be worn whenever people are in a community setting, especially in situations where you may be near people. These settings include grocery stores and pharmacies. These face coverings are not a substitute for social distancing. Cloth face coverings are especially important to wear in public in areas of widespread COVID-19 illness.

NJEDA Grant Programs:

NJEDA launched the application for its Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program. Businesses can apply now to the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant at: forms.business.nj.gov/grant

Applications are open now and will close April 10, 2020, at 9 a.m. Completed applications will be considered on a first come, first serve rolling basis. Businesses can now access the full Notice of Funding Availability.

The grant program is part of a package of initiatives announced last week to support businesses and workers facing economic hardship due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

NJ Businesses Hiring:

Businesses around New Jersey are looking to hire employees, the State has launched an online portal to connect New Jersey residents with jobs in critical industries responding to COVID-19. The portal has been visited over 1 million times, there are over 44,000 active job listings from over 540 employers.

The jobs portal is available here: https://jobs.covid19.nj.gov. Employers in critical industries should submit information about openings with urgent hiring needs related to COVID19 here: https://jobs.covid19.nj.gov/intake.

NJ Labor Department:

Over the last week, more than 206,000 new claims of unemployment were filed. In just the past two weeks, more than 362,000 residents have filed for unemployment, according to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL).

The NJDOL is urging employers to keep employees on the payroll throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and to take advantage of a 100 percent, dollar for dollar, payroll tax credit provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

The federal law, which goes into effect on April 1, provides unprecedented support to employers to provide federal Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency Paid Family and Medical Leave to workers affected by COVID-19.

The payroll tax credit immediately and fully reimburses employers with fewer than 500 employees (99.8 percent of all NJ employers) by allowing them to reduce their federal payroll taxes by the amount they spent on emergency leave. This tax credit enables businesses to keep workers on their payrolls and ensures that parents and caregivers do not have to make the impossible choice of earning a paycheck or staying at home to care for themselves or a family member.

#NJThanksYou:

To thank our heroic essential employees, First Lady Tammy Murphy and Governor Murphy urge you to use the hashtag #NJThanksYou. Please feel free to post photos and messages of gratitude featuring essential workers in your community to your social media accounts and encourage your constituents to use the hashtag as well.