City of Ventnor reports that the first two, local COVID-19 cases were confirmed.
Ventnor residents should be informed that the Coronavirus is in our community. ALL Ventnor residents should follow CDC, state and local public health advisories.
We continue to encourage second homeowners and non-residents to stay in their full-time communities to avoid increasing the population density and the possibility of transmitting or contracting the virus.
Ventnor continues to cancel or postpone gatherings and events as well as breaking up large gatherings of people. The boardwalk and beaches are still open, but the potential exists to restrict access if these guidelines are not followed.
A Ventnor Public Safety update will be posted every Friday morning as the conditions warrant.
The coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak is an unprecedented global event resulting in countless issues for municipal, county and state government. Please be advised the City of Ventnor is doing everything within its power to keep essential operations performing, while at the same time keeping our employees safe and responsive to our residents.
We are following the directives provided by the Federal and State governments, the recommendations and insight of county government, and the guidance provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). In addition, our Office of Emergency Management is in continual contact with the County OEM and other down beach OEM offices.
We are also actively monitoring what other municipalities are doing and implementing what seems to be best practices under the circumstances.
We are also proud to have some of the best dedicated employees working for us. Essential employees will continue to work. This includes Police, Fire, Public Works, Water & Sewer, and certain Finance personnel. We are fortunate to have experienced leads in these roles, who we have the utmost confidence in.
In an effort to reduce the chance of transmission of COVID-19 virus, we have done the following:
City Hall has been closed to the public and employee to employee engagement is limited or not at all. As previously noticed, there is a drop box in the entrance of city hall at Cambridge Avenue.
Public Works employees will have a split schedule, consisting of two shifts, thereby limiting interaction with each other. Street Sweeping will be postponed until further notice.
Police and Fire have enacted certain procedures to not only protect them but to protect the public. Do not be alarmed if someone responding to your home for an EMS call is wearing a mask. It is to protect the longevity of that employee as well as yourself.
Essential employees working will be required to take their temperature prior to entering the building and will be sent home at a certain benchmark.
To the best of our abilities, we will limit use of vehicles and equipment to few or same employees.
And other commonsense approaches as advised or directed by our Chiefs and Department Heads.
NJ Poison Control and 211 have partnered with the State to provide info to the public. You can call 211 or 1 800 962 1253 or go to nj.gov Department of Health.
As we have heard over and over again social distancing is key to overcoming this virus.
As I am writing this message to you, our Governor made an announcement, which I can update you on here. He issued an executive order he called “stay at home” order. He indicated it is no time to panic but it is also no time for business as usual.
He canceled till further notice all gatherings, such as no weddings, no services, no parties. He urged jersey shore second homeowners to not come to the jersey shore, explaining that the resources here cannot accommodate an influx at this time of year and under these circumstances.
All non-essential businesses are closed until further notice. He urged businesses that can, have their employees work from home.
The Governor made it clear there is one set of rules for the state, and that this order supersedes any conflicting county or municipal orders.
Again, he said this is the “stay at home” order. You can go out and walk and run, but not together. There needs to be a six-foot distance between each other.
The State is doing aggressive testing for the virus, so he indicated an increase in confirmations is expected. We will see a sharp increase. He urged not to panic; it is to be expected.
Finally, and back to the originating purpose for this notice, please know the City is doing everything it can to protect you as well as our employees, and to continue operating in the areas that are necessary.
Together we can get through this. I urge all to follow the directives of the State, and to practice the common sense approaches to getting us through this.
Will there be any change in the due date of Ventnor property taxes?