Tax Collector Notice
NOTICE TO ALL BERNVILLE BOROUGHRESIDENTS
Due to the COVID-19 Virus pandemic and the Stay at Home Laws, I will not be having my sitting hours for the month of April 2020.
Please mail your payment (check or money order), BOTH copies of the bill and include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your receipted bill.
I appreciate your cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience at this time!
Sincerely,
Deborah Craig
Deborah Craig
Bernville Borough
Tax collector
Berks County ordered to stay at home effective 8 p.m.
The best way to stop the spread of disease and protect hospitals from being overwhelmed is to make all Pennsylvanians stay home, said Governor Tom Wolf on Friday, March 27, when he issued a stay-at-home order for Berks County and nine other counties to try and stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
As of 8 p.m. Friday, residents in nine additional counties are ordered to stay at home unless it’s essential to go out: Berks, Butler, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Wayne and Westmoreland.
Staying at home is the main rule of a shelter-in-place order, but it doesn’t mean you can’t go outside.
The order allows people to venture out for food, gas, medical appointments, shared custody drop-offs and pick-ups, and exercise. And Pennsylvanians who are employed by essential businesses can still go to work.
What is allowed under the stay-at-home orders in Pennsylvania?
- Tasks essential to maintain health and safety, or the health and safety of their family or household members (including pets), such as obtaining medicine or medical supplies, visiting a health care professional, or obtaining supplies they need to work from home
- Getting necessary services or supplies for themselves, for their family or household members, or as part of volunteer efforts, or to deliver those services or supplies to others to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences
- Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking or running if they maintain social distancing
- To perform work providing essential products and services at a life-sustaining business
- To care for a family member or pet in another household
- Any travel related to the provision of or access to the above-mentioned individual activities or life-sustaining business activities
- Travel to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons
- Travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related service
- Travel to return to a place of residence from an outside jurisdiction
- Travel required by law enforcement or court order
- Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the commonwealth
- Anyone performing life-sustaining travel does not need paperwork to prove the reason for travel.
Who is exempt from the order?
- Life-sustaining business activities
- Health care or medical services providers
- Access to life-sustaining services for low-income residents, including food banks
- Access to child care services for employees of life-sustaining businesses that remain open as follows: child care facilities operating under the Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning waiver process; group and family child care operating in a residence; and part-day school age programs operating under an exemption from the March 19, 2020 business closure Orders
- News media
- Law enforcement
- The federal government
- Religious institutions
How will it be enforced?
At this time, law enforcement will be focused on ensuring that residents are aware of the order and informing the public of social distancing practices rather than enforcement.
To report a noncompliant business, contact your local law enforcement agency’s non-emergency number (610.655.4911 in Berks County) or the nearest Pennsylvania State Police station.
Law enforcement officers should refer to Business Closure Order Enforcement Guidance available online.
Pennsylvania primary postponed until June, due to Coronavirus-19
The next primary election is on June 2, 2020.
- Polls are open on election day from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M.
- Last day to register to vote: May 18, 2020
- Learn about primary elections.
- If a voter does not want to go to your respective polling location on the day of the primary you can request a mail-in ballot by going to Votespa.com or completing a paper application by calling the Election Services Office at 610-478-6490.
- 📬 May 26 to sign up to vote by mail ballot: VotesPA.com/
ApplyMailBallot.
The next general election is on November 3, 2020.
- Polls are open on election day from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M.
- Last day to register to vote: October 19, 2020
- The deadline to register to vote is now 15 days prior to an election, rather than 30 days.
- Learn about general elections.
“Flushable” wipes in our wastewater system
As store shelves become empty for everyday items such as toilet paper, “flushable” wipes, disinfection wipes, paper towels, and other cleaning supplies, The Borough wishes to remind you that wipes, even the ones that say “flushable”, and paper towels do not break down like toilet paper does in water. Therefore, wipes and paper towels should not be flushed and should instead be thrown away with the trash.
Historically, flushing of wipes and paper towels has caused raw wastewater backups in people’s homes by wrapping around broken or misaligned drain pipe joints in sewer laterals between the home and the sewer main within the street. The problems with flushing wipes and paper towels do not end at the house lateral pipe and have caused raw wastewater backups within the sewer main collection system, at pump stations by tangling within the pumps, and has caused mechanical breakdown at the wastewater treatment plant that is used to treat the wastewater and provide for disinfection.
Flushing of wipes and paper towels has become a significant concern in recent times due to the shortage of toilet paper and the potential need to utilize alternate means combined with increased cleaning/disinfection recommendations by the CDC for prevention of COVID–19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings.
Help protect your ability to flush your toilet and do not flush if it isn’t toilet paper or human waste. All other miscellaneous items should be properly disposed of in the trash, The Borough thanks you for your help in advance as we collectively work together in these extraordinary times. Our goal is to ensure everyone has safe and adequate wastewater service.
Welcome New Borough Officials
The borough welcomes Michele Ehrhart and Jason Weinrich to Borough Council. Both are serving on council for the first time and were sworn in at the January Council Meeting. The borough greatly appreciates their willingness to volunteer their time to the improvement of the borough.
Heritage & Cultural Society Open House Was A Success
Approximately 50 people participated in the January Open House sponsored by the Heritage & Cultural Society Committee. Attendees viewed over 35 historical items, and the scrapbooks compiled by local residents were the most popular. We thank all who planned or participated in this event; special thanks are extended to those who donated new items to the historical collection.
The upcoming Heritage & Cultural Society meetings will be on April 21st and June 16th at 7:00 p.m. in Borough Hall. You are welcome to attend either or both meetings.
Junior Council Person Program
Last year borough council passed a resolution to create a Junior Council Person (JCP) program, as a way to way to improve our community for the youth, engage young adults in local government, and instill a sense of community pride. We are still looking for our first JCP! Young people are an essential part of our community, that we do not hear from often enough. An important goal of the junior council person program is to reduce this gap. Through this program, the JCP will be able to explain to his/her peers the importance of local government and how the decisions are made within the borough. Additionally, the JCP will help the borough council better understand what can be done to improve the community for its adolescent and young adult citizens.
The Junior Council Person has the right to attend all borough council meetings, including committee meetings and working session, and to participate fully in these meetings including voicing his/her concerns on matters discussed. The JCP will not be able to vote or to attend executive council sessions.
Qualifications:
• Resident of Bernville Borough
• Current Freshman or Sophomore (will be a Sophomore or Junior in August).
• Available to attend meetings the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.
• Willing to serve a one-year term (starting in August)
To apply, interested students should submit an application online at bernvilleborough.org by selecting the Junior Council Person Program option under the Borough Officials and Support Services Tab. If you have any questions please email either the Mayor at shawn@bernvilleborough.org or Councilman Raup-Konsavage at communityday@cottoncandyhouse.com
Umbenhauer Park Closed
As part of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts, by consensus of Borough Council, and the support of the Mayor; Umbenhauer Park and all buildings at the park, including restrooms, will be closed, and all events and public programs will be canceled. While closed, borough police officers will continue to work to ensure security and essential operations continue, and that public safety is protected.
To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, Pennsylvanians can:
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands
Clean surfaces frequently.
If you are sick, stay home until you are feeling better
Visit BERNVILLEBOROUGH.ORG for updates.