March 19, 2020
RE: Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak
State of Emergency
Glen Ridge Residents,
As we move forward through this national health emergency, the Mayor and Council along with the Office of Emergency Management have taken the following steps to minimize the contact between residents while providing essential Borough services.
Municipal Building:
The administrative office staff is available via phone and email business days between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Our staff directory can be found at http://glenridgenj.org/grdirectory.htm
Please consider using our online payment center for signing up for services and paying bills. Available services include:
• Property taxes
• Water bills
• Dog licenses
The link can be found here. - http://www.glenridgenj.org/onlinepaymentcenter/
Additionally, there is a drop box located in the foyer of the Police Department entrance on Herman Street. Payments placed in the box are picked up daily. Questions regarding tax payments can be directed to Donna Altschuler at 973-748-8400 x236.
Please also consider utilizing postal mail for payments.
All payments can be made out to, Borough of Glen Ridge and addressed to:
Borough of Glen Ridge
825 Bloomfield Ave
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028
Municipal Court:
All Glen Ridge Municipal Court Sessions are cancelled beginning March 16th through March 27th. Please contact the court directly for your new hearing date. You can reach our Court Administrator at dciandolo@glenridgenj.org or 973-748-8116
Pay tickets online at:
https://portalnjmcdirect-cloud.njcourts.gov/prweb/PRServletPublicAuth/wQ2guhy8lqKPggD8pVI7RLYVZ9vxwNMF*/!STANDARD?AppName=NJMC
Parking:
Until further notice all overnight on street parking rules are suspended. This suspension does not include parking lots or the one-hour parking zone in our commercial area. Designated handicapped parking spaces or illegal parking in violation of state law or ordinance will be enforced.
Birth & Death Certificates:
The New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry offers the convenience of ordering a copy of vital records (Birth & Death Certificates) online https://www.state.nj.us/health/vital/order-vital/online-requests/index.shtml
Department of Public Works:
Public Works will continue to operate. Garbage and recycling collection services will continue during this time.
Building Department:
We will stop all building inspections beginning Monday, March 23, 2020. Staff will still be reviewing permit applications. Applicants are encouraged to download the counter form from the website (http://www.glenridgenj.org/pdfs/building.pdf), and mail the completed form with necessary plans to the office.
In regard to home sales, we will be working with home buyers and sellers on affirming their smoke detector certificates and zoning compliance certificates.
Historic Preservation:
The April 1st meeting of the Glen Ridge Historic Preservation Commission has been canceled. You can reach our Historic Preservation Consultant at hpc@glenridgenj.org or 973-748-8400 ext. 238
Board of Adjustment:
The April 16th meeting of the Glen Ridge Planning Board has been canceled. You can reach the Director of Planning & Development at eideline@glenridgenj.org or 973-748-8400 ext. 238.
Playgrounds:
All playground equipment is to be closed until further notice.
Jitney, Train Station & Community Center:
NJT Trains are still running.
Beginning Thursday, March 19, 2020 the Borough jitney program will be cancelled until further notice.
Parking enforcement for the Commuter Parking zone on Ridgewood Avenue is suspended. Drivers utilizing the Glen Ridge Train Station may park in the Commuter Parking area on Ridgewood Avenue. Designated handicapped parking spaces or illegal parking in violation of state law or ordinance will be enforced.
The Community Center at the Glen Ridge Train Station is closed to the public until further notice.
All events at the Community Center, private or public, are cancelled until further notice.
The Glen Ridge senior citizen programs are canceled until further notice.
Assistance for Senior Citizens:
Senior Dinner Drive
During this trying time (COVID-19), the Glen Ridge Policemen’s Benevolent Association has allocated $1,000 to assist our elderly residents who have taken precautionary measures to self-quarantine, by providing those in need with a meal. If you are aware of a resident who is in financial need or other hardship, please contact the PBA via 862-220-7482 by sending a text message with your information and one of our members will call you back for the details.
The established plan is to have dinner delivered directly to the doorsteps of those in need from Angelo’s Pizzeria (Broad Street, Bloomfield). In the event that the allocated funds run out, the PBA will host a community wide fundraiser specifically for this cause.
In a community-oriented partnership to limit the expense, Angelo’s Pizzeria has agreed to waive all delivery costs and offer the meals to the PBA at a discounted rate.
According to Joseph R. Uliano, Ed.D., President of PBA Local 58, this “Dinner Drive” has been made possible through the continued generosity of our community through annual donations and they are fortunate to be able to give back to those in need. Their members remain committed to serving the community both on and off the job, and as a civic association, they are here for you.
Shop for a Senior:
Many of our senior citizens are homebound due to health concerns regarding COVID-19 and need help with grocery shopping. Can you help? If so, please join the Glen Ridge Shop for a Senior program.
This program will run on a two-week trial basis from March 16 through March 29 at which time we will evaluate the program. If it is successful and there is still a need, it will be continued. Here is the way this service will work:
For VOLUNTEERS:
• Eligible volunteers must have a cell phone and a reliable vehicle with room for groceries.
• Volunteers will be matched with a Glen Ridge senior citizen and will shop for and deliver essential groceries to them once per week.
• Volunteers will either speak to their senior by phone or pick up a shopping list in. (This list can be left in the mailbox or under the doormat to reduce the instances of physical contact.)
• Volunteers will pay for the groceries and then be reimbursed by the senior upon delivery. The volunteer must present the receipt. The receipt should only include items from the senior’s list.
• Volunteers must carry a cell phone on every trip in order to call their senior if an item on the list is not available and a substitution needs to be made.
Those wishing to volunteer should contact Jim Cowan jtcowan@glenridgenj.org (973) 748-2924.
For SENIOR CITIZENS:
• All senior citizen residents of Glen Ridge are eligible.
• Seniors will be matched with a volunteer. The volunteer will shop for groceries once per week.
• Seniors should limit their shopping lists to essential groceries.
• Seniors will either speak to their volunteer by phone or arrange for the volunteer to pick up a shopping list. (This list can be left in the mailbox or under the doormat to reduce the instances of physical contact.)
• The volunteer will pay for the groceries and then be reimbursed by the senior upon delivery. The volunteer will present the receipt. Seniors must pay with check or cash.
Glen Ridge senior citizens wishing to receive this service should contact Jim Cowan jtcowan@glenridgenj.org (973) 748-2924.
Many thanks to our police and ambulance members, the public works crew and the administrative staff for all of their hard work and dedication to our community.
To our residents, please be safe and thank you for your cooperation. As we move forward, and additional changes occur, we will keep you up to date via Borough Facebook page, email and our webpage.
Sincerely,
Stuart K. Patrick
Mayor
