Thanks to Mr. Holliday, ever ready with great idea for students and staff, St. Peter School launched "Project COVID19 Time Capsule". Students will complete a booklet of questions about how they spent this time and when school reopens and they return their time capsules will be planted to commemorate this historic moment in the school's history. Students are part of something special here. How will SPS students view you 50 years from today?

March 13, 2020 - The pandemic of coronavirus is causing disruption to the lives of people throughout the world and Merchantville is no different. I want to assure the residents of Merchantville that throughout this pandemic, the Borough is committed to and has put into place certain contingencies to ensure the continued provision of essential services to the community including police, fire and other first responders, along with public works and other essential services. We are working with our partners at the County, State and Federal levels on contingency planning to obtain resources and to implement effective planning. Residents should rest assured that those services will continue, and residents can expect the same exceptional service and response from those essential services during this unprecedented time. Residents are also reminded that our community is built upon our relationships and now is a time to show courage and calm, avoid panic and care for ourselves and our neighbors by taking measured actions such as social distancing.

In the interest of public safety and to do our part to assist in the control of this dangerous virus, both in and outside our community, effective immediately the Borough is enacting the following measures:

• All Borough Commissions, Committees, Agencies and clubs will hold public meetings via telephone and video conference only until further notice. Interested members of the public will be provided opportunity to participate via telephone or video conference and will have the same access currently afforded by the respective commissions, committees and agencies. This restriction does not apply to Borough Council which will continue to operate through its normal process until further notice is provided but will offer streaming of all Borough Council meetings.

• The Borough is encouraging all residents, businesses and visitors to conduct business with the Borough digitally through our website (www.merchantvillenj.gov), e-mail or through the telephone. Borough employees will have access to e-mail and Borough servers throughout this period of disruption regardless of where they are sitting. Further, the Borough will be focusing efforts to enhance the available information on the Borough website to make the Borough more accessible in a digital manner.

• All Borough public events scheduled through April 12, 2020 are cancelled including the annual Easter Egg Hunt – April 5th • Merchantville Borough Municipal Court is cancelling previously scheduled court sessions for March 25, 2020 and April 1, 2020. Individuals who were scheduled for those dates will be provided new court dates through the regular process.

• Businesses, residents and other applicants to our Boards, Construction Offices, Code Enforcement and Zoning Offices will receive a 14-day extension on any and all deadlines, expiration dates and abatement periods that fall between March 13th and April 3rd 2020. Trash along with brush and debris pickup will remain as scheduled. Borough communication will continue to occur through official social media channels, the Borough website and through our emergency Reverse 911 system when necessary.

In response to current Covid-19 restrictions, many places of worship have adjusted the ways in which they commune with parishioners and congregants. St. Peter Church, First Presbyterian Church, Trinity UMC, Grace Episcopal Church, High Place Church and Congregation M'kor Shalom have posted Easter and Passover season events on their individual Facebook page calendar and website. Many of these local churches and synagogues also offer weekly opportunities to gather, worship and comfort virtually through Facebook Live including bible study, daily Mass and Friday Shabbat services. Worship and fellowship events can be found on Merchantville Online's Facebook page calendar. 

On April 8th, New Jersey officials announced 3,088 new positive tests, for a total of 47,437. Additionally, 231 out of 375  long-term care facilities have now reported at least one COVID-19 case. Based on information from seven labs sending the state testing data, 94,525 tests have been performed and 41,550 (44%) have come back positive. According to hospital data, there are 7,026 hospital patients that are COVID-positive or under investigation. 1,617 patients are in critical care and 1,576 (97%) of those in critical care are on ventilators. Another 275 deaths brings the statewide total to 1,504 and 48 of these new deaths are associated with long-term care facilities. NJ's hospitals had a pre-mitigation capacity of 18,000 medical/surgical beds and about 2,000 critical care beds.

Governor Murphy signed new Executive Orders to further NJ's aggressive efforts to enforce social distancing. All non-essential construction across New Jersey will CEASE, indefinitely, effective 8:00 p.m. Friday. Exceptions include projects at our hospitals and schools, in our transportation and public utility sector, the building of affordable housing, other individual housing sites that can adhere to strict limits on the number of workers on-site, and other limited instances.

We’re also aiming to mitigate overcrowding at essential retail stores – particularly in our grocery stores. Under this Executive Order, all essential retail must indefinitely limit the number of customers allowed in their stores to NO MORE than 50% of their approved capacity. Additionally, customers & employees must wear face coverings. Stores must also provide special shopping hours for high-risk individuals, erect physical barriers between customers and cashiers and baggers where practicable, regularly sanitize areas used by their employees, & more. And, moving the date of our primary elections from Tuesday, June 2nd to Tuesday, July 7th.

Phoebe M. Walsh, a longtime Merchantville resident passed away at home on Sunday, April 6, 2020. She was 85. Services and interment private. For condolences please visit www.gaskillbrown.com. To plant a tree in memory of Phoebe M. Walsh, please visit our tribute store.

The Merchantville Business and Professional Association aims to promote, advocate for and educate local businesses. During the Covid-19 pandemic their Shop Merchantville Facebook page provides up-to-the-minute information about Borough retail shops, restaurants and essential services, including their extraordinary efforts to serve the public while trying to keep their businesses afloat. We cannot overlook the contributions, dedication and sacrifice of these individuals who have brought so much to Merchantville's everyday life. #shopmerchantville #supportsmallbusiness #merchantvillestrong

As you may know, the CDC and federal guidelines may begin to require us to wear face masks anytime we go outside. Check out this quick video update from Dr. Gary Sapienza, from Leading Smiles in Merchantville, as he reviews ways to control the spread of Covid-19 infections, protection in the absence of testing and some of the common face mask options and alternatives that are available to you. He urges all of us to wear a mask to protect your neighbors first and yourself second. Stay healthy!

Effective 8:00 p.m. this evening Mayor Brennan closed Merchantville's public parks and spaces consistent with Governor Murphy's Executive Order 118, which was issued today and is part of the continuing effort of the Borough to help flatten the curve and took additional Covid-19 actions. The mayor recognizes that the closure of all parks, particularly the multi-use path will upset many, but we stand united with the State and Camden County in trying to do everything we can to get through this difficult time, encourage appropriate social distancing and urge residents to stay home. The next few weeks will be difficult and we are seeing a significant increase in cases and deaths in the County in the last few days. We must remain vigilant.

Help save a life by donating at The American Red Cross blood drive at Merchantville School, 130 S. Centre Street, on Tuesday, April 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Red Cross encourages healthy, eligible people to donate blood and reminds us there is no evidence that shows coronavirus can be transmitted by blood transmission - no cases of respiratory viruses have ever been reported through blood transfusions. Further, the Red Cross has asked potential donors to postpone their donation for 28 days following travel to China and its special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Iran, Italy and South Korea or diagnosis of COVID-19, contact with a person who has or is suspected to have the virus. Appointments can be made through this link.