COVID-19: New Operations Impacts

- 3/27/2020 -

In response to the continuing COVID-19 health crisis and due to state- and county-level developments this week, the Village is amending some of the previously issued operations impacts.  Below is an updated summary of impacted Village operations and services, effective March 27, 2020.

• The Village Hall will remain closed to public access through Friday, April 24.  Only essential personnel will continue to have access to the Hall. (The U.S. Postal Service will issue directives regarding access to the Post Office). 
  
  
• Extending the telework status for all non-essential administrative office personnel through Friday, April 10.  Administrative staff are continuing to monitor and respond to emails and are returning calls left on their extension.  We will reevaluate resuming in-office operations as we approach April 10.
  
  
• All classes, events and activities in the Hall are canceled.  The spring class session has been officially canceled due to the extended closure of the Village Hall.
  
  
• Public Works personnel are returning to work under a modified schedule. The department will resume operations effective March 30, however, in an effort to limit person-to-person contact, half of the department’s personnel will work Mondays and Wednesdays and the other half will work Tuesdays and Thursdays. The department will be closed on Fridays. This modified schedule will allow us to resume yard waste collection, special pick-ups and other department functions. This modified schedule will continue through April 10 and will be reassessed at that time.
  
  
• The Monday, April 13 regular monthly Board Meeting and the Monday, April 20 Annual Meeting will be held remotely, with members of the Board, staff, and residents participating via phone/video conference.  Information regarding public access and participation will be posted to the Village website and included in the weekly blast email on the Friday preceding each meeting (April 10 and 17, respectively). 
  
  
• Refuse and recycling collection continue normally; HOWEVER, should Montgomery County close its Transfer Station, refuse collection will be suspended.  No closures are anticipated at this time.
  
  
• All previously-issued permits that are set to expire before April 24 are extended through Friday, May 1, 2020.
  
  
• All new applications for administrative permits (Building, Tree Removal, Dumpster, Sign) must be submitted online.  These applications and permits will be reviewed remotely by staff and applicants will receive further follow-up by email/phone.
  
  
• All forms for new parking permits must be submitted online.  Once processed, Communications Center personnel will maintain a log of approved permits that are pending issuance of the decal/permit for reference by Village patrol officers.  Permits/decals will be provided to the applicant when the Village Hall reopens.
  
  
• Mail pick-ups—Village Police are continuing our house check program as usual, however, residents are encouraged to contact the U.S. Postal Service to have mail stopped while you are away.  If our officers collect mail during a house check, residents will continue to receive a notice that mail has been collected.
  
  If you receive a notice that mail has been collected during your absence, please call BEFORE coming to the Hall.  In anticipation of your arrival, Communications personnel will bundle the mail in a bag.  Upon your arrival at the Hall, press the doorbell at the main entrance to speak with the on-duty clerk, who will ask you to present your photo ID in front of the camera located on the porch.  Once photo ID has been confirmed, the on-duty clerk will electronically open the door to allow you to retrieve your mail. 
  
  
• Key Pick-Up/Drop-Off—where practical, residents are encouraged to call BEFORE coming to the Hall.  Upon your arrival at the Hall, press the doorbell at the main entrance to speak with the on-duty clerk who will ask you to present your photo ID in front of the camera located on the porch.  Once photo ID has been confirmed, the on-duty clerk will electronically open the door to allow you to retrieve/leave your house key. 
  
  
• The April 2 deadline for candidates seeking election to the Board of Managers remains.  Candidates who intend to submit their Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement should call ahead (301-654-7300) and leave a message for the Village Manager, who will coordinate with the candidate regarding submission of the required documents.

• Primary Election Rescheduled—The Primary Election in Maryland has been postponed.  The county’s Board of Elections has set June 2, 2020 as the new Primary Election date; however, we are awaiting confirmation as to whether the election will be held “in person”.
  
  
• IRS Filing, Payment Deadlines Extended—As of Friday, March 20, the Internal Revenue Service’s filing and payment deadlines for 2019 federal individual and corporate income taxes have been extended to July 15, 2020.  The State of Maryland has also extended its filing and payment deadline to July 15 for individual and corporate income tax.

Village officers who will continue to interact with the public are adhering to prevention efforts, including politely avoiding handshakes, maintaining social distance, sanitizing vehicles and work spaces, and staying home when feeling ill.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we have taken steps to protect our staff, and the community and public we serve, by closing down the Village Hall and placing eligible employees in a telework status. A special thanks to our police and Communications Center personnel who have continued to report to work every day to ensure continued public safety operations.

As a member of the Montgomery County Emergency Management Group, Village staff is continuing to receive frequent updates from various county agencies, including the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), and federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control. 

Residents should stay informed.  Below is a list of website resources (some of these sites provide redundant information):

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/

Maryland Department of Health
https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/Pages/Novel-coronavirus.aspx

Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services
https://montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS/RightNav/Coronavirus.html

U.S. State Department Travel Advisories (specific to COVID-19)
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/novel-coronavirus-hubei-province--china.html

U. S. State Department Travel Advisories (general)

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/

 
Should you or a member of your household believe that you have symptoms (fever and cough) or if you have been in close contact with a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, you should call your health care practitioner or the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ Disease Control Office to speak with a nurse at (240) 777-1755. If you are unable to get through, call the state’s Infectious Disease Bureau at (410) 767-6700 (daytime) or (410) 795-7365 (after-hours).