Berkley City Council Approves Resolution to Continue Berkley's Local State of Emergency

Media Contact: Torri Mathes, Community Engagement Officer; tmathes@berkleymich.net; 248-658-3333 

Berkley, MI - April 2, 2020 - At the rescheduled special meeting of the Berkley City Council on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, the City Council unanimously approved the resolution to confirm and continue the City of Berkley’s Local State of Emergency declared by Mayor Daniel Terbrack on March 16, 2020.

The resolution for the State of Emergency will allow the Mayor, City Council, and City Administration to make immediate decisions in the interest of the City’s health, safety, and welfare during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Additionally, the purpose of the State of Emergency is to assist in receiving any state or federal aid, should it become available, to help residents, businesses, and the Berkley community as a whole affected by the spread of COVID-19. It also preserves that the City administration and Council are leveraging every resource to contain the virus. The City of Berkley will be joining a number of communities within Oakland County that have declared a local state of emergency in the state of Michigan. 

As a reminder, the City of Berkley has implemented the following measures to mitigate the challenges of COVID-19:

  • City Hall, Public Works, the Community Center, and Library are closed. Each department has been set-up to work remotely with minimal office check-ins in order to check mail, process paperwork, and other essential materials.

  • Public Safety will remain open, however, we encourage the community to call ahead before physically visiting at 248-658-3380. Additionally, Public Safety has activated its Online Reporting System for non-emergency or no suspects type incidents. Visit the public safety website for details on what types of crimes can be reported online or to start a report if needed. Learn more at berkleypublicsafety.org 

  • Public Works will continue with its "on-call"  field crews for essential services and needs. Their mainline will continue to be answered during normal business hours. For additional questions, please contact them at publicworks@berkleymich.net.

  • Residents and community members can pay their water bills and other utilities online or at our secure dropbox located at City Hall (3338 Coolidge Hwy). To learn more about how to pay online, head to our Treasury page on our website. If you have additional questions, you can reach the Treasury Department at treasury@berkleymich.net

  • All non-essential permits and inspections will be suspended per the Governor's Executive Order that limits business operations to essential services only. New permits may be issued only for essential maintenance or repairs that are necessary to maintain and improve the safety, sanitation, and essential operations of residences per LARA guidance. In line with this same standard, the City of Berkley will no longer be conducting interior or exterior inspections for non-essential construction projects; including new home construction. Applications for new permits may be submitted to Community Development via mail, email, or the City's secured dropbox. Each application will be reviewed per our normal application process; however, no non-essential permits will be issued until the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order is lifted by the Governor. Determinations of essential and non-essential permitted work will be made by Berkley's Community Development Department on a case-by-case basis. We will keep records of all submitted applications and permits and will have them ready to be issued, when appropriate. For further questions, contact Community Development at building@berkleymich.net

  • Code Enforcement can be reached at codeofficer@berkleymich.net

  • For any inquiries related to the Clerk's Office, please contact them at clerk@berkleymich.net

  • Those who have registered for a Parks & Recreation program, event, or activity that is taking place this month will automatically receive a refund. Please contact them at parks@berkleymich.net. You can also stay connected with Parks & Rec by following their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BerkleyParksandRec/

  • We are no longer offering Senior busing transportation as an option due to the risk of exposure to our drivers and the residents.  

  • Play structures are closed to the public but PARKS are still open. 

  • The Library has asked its patrons to hold onto items they have checked out and return them after the Library opens. Overdue fees will be waived for overdue items. For additional questions or inquiries, contact them at library@berkleymich.net. You can also stay connected with the Library by following their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BerkleyPublicLibrary/.

To stay up-to-date with the latest information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit any of the sources included here:

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