The following is from South Orange VP Sheena Collum:
April 15, 2020
Neighbors,
As of 9:00 a.m. today, our community has 58 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. To put this into perspective, 123 residents have received access to the limited available testing (e.g., they’ve exhibited the required fever and respiratory symptoms), and of that number, 58 results have returned positive and 65 have returned negative. Two members of our community have passed away due to COVID-19 to date. Please continue to keep their families in your prayers.
[Editor’s note: Essex County reported there were four deaths in South Orange as of April 15; that is incorrect and is a result of “reporting errors,” according to VP Sheena Collum].
In Essex County, there are 8,561 positive cases and 589 reported deaths. In New Jersey, there are 69,204 positive cases and 2,861 reported deaths.
Reminders
- Property tax payments are still due on May 1; this is mandated at the state level.
- Sewer payments are due May 1; the Board of Trustees has extended the payment date.
- The Public Works yard and recycling center will remain closed to the public until future notice. This includes Container Day scheduled for Saturday, April 25; Electronic Waste scheduled for Saturday, May 2; and Container Day scheduled for Saturday, May 16.
- The Governor’s Executive Order requires “customers to wear a face covering when entering any essential business open to the public, with limited exceptions” (e.g. health-related reasons and children under age 2). As you know, this is no longer optional. If you are not wearing a face covering, you can be denied service.
- You must properly dispose of your gloves/masks in the trash, not our streets. Do not flush “disposable wipes.”
- The physical operations of all non-essential construction projects ceased at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 10. For homeowners or renters, projects already underway with a construction crew of five or fewer individuals and involving individual single-family homes or an individual apartment unit where an individual already resides may continue.
- STAY AT HOME
Lastly, the Village has a wonderful partner in the South Orange Village Center Alliance, which has been working closely with our small business community. You can find the message to our community below from Julie Doran, SOVCA’s executive director
Sincerely,
Sheena Collum
Village President
