City COVID-19 Communication Updates

We would like to share with the Berkley community that the City will be reopening by individual municipal building locations via our COVID-19 Recovery and Reopening Plan.

Our facilities will be opening the following ways:

• Parks & Recreation: Community Center will open on June 1. Learn more at www.berkleymich.org/parks.
• Library: Opens June 7 for Grab & Go Service. Learn more at www.berkleymich.org/library.
• **Latest Update**City Hall & Public Works (DPW): Opens June 14 to the public for partial hours (8:30 AM - 1 PM).
• As always, Public Safety has remained open to provide 24-hour operations and support to the community. 
  • However, the front lobby is closed for construction. If anyone needs to meet, they can contact them at 248-658-3380.  

• Community Development (building/planning, permitting, licensing, and zoning). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 
  • If you would like to speak to the Building Official, Code Enforcement, or an inspector, please call first. They will be able to return your calls when they are in the office.
  • Applications and plans should be completed prior to entering the building.
• Clerk's Office (FOIA records, pet and peddlers licenses, and elections). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 
• Public Works Department (yard waste & leaf collection, chipper service, water main maintenance, and repairs). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 
• Finance / Treasury Department (water and utility bills, property transfer forms, or tax deferment forms). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 
  • A Note About Payments: Please visit our Finance/Treasury page to learn more about how payments will be accepted. 

• Indoor and outdoor programs will continue following the guidelines from the CDC and State Health Department.
• Room/space rentals will resume abiding by the State's COVID-19 compacity guidelines.  
• Summer Camp will continue following Michigan’s Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Guidelines for Safe Child Care Operations during COVID-19. 
• Visit the Department's page for more details here. 

• You'll be able to browse the collections, make your selections, and check them out at the front desk. Curbside pickup will continue to be available. 
• Grab & Go and curbside hours will continue to be Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 3 pm to 7 pm.
• Visit the Department's page for more details here.

• Wednesdays: 10 AM - 1 PM
• Sundays: 2 PM - 4 PM
  • Please Note: We will be closed on holidays (including Fathers Day on June 20)
• Learn more at www.berkleymich.org/museum.

• Masks are not required for both the public and staff but are strongly encouraged.
• Staff will continue to submit to a daily COVID-19 screening questionnaire per MiOSHA requirements.
• Staff will continue frequent cleaning procedures, especially for high-touch surface areas such as service counters.
• Signs encouraging social distancing and best practices will be prominently posted throughout the buildings and on the entrance doors.
• Plastic shields or "Sneeze Guards" will remain over the counters to limit person-to-person contact with staff and residents.
• Hand sanitizer stations will be maintained at all entrances.

Wondering How to Get In Touch with a Specific Department?
Please refer to the contact information listed below to get in touch with a specific department:

We would like to share with the Berkley community that the City will be reopening by individual municipal building locations via our COVID-19 Recovery and Reopening Plan.

What does this mean for our City?
In order for us to continue with providing exceptional City services, we ask that you review our COVID-19 safety procedures to ensure the health and safety of our staff. In addition, our facilities will be opening the following ways:

• Parks & Recreation: Community Center will open on June 1. Learn more at www.berkleymich.org/parks.
• Library: Opens June 7 for Grab & Go Service. Learn more at www.berkleymich.org/library.
• City Hall & Public Works (DPW):
  • Details continue to be finalized and we will share more information after the Memorial Day holiday. 
  • Accessing many of our City Hall services CAN BE DONE via phone, email, through a dropbox submission, or US mail. 
• As always, Public Safety has remained open to provide 24-hour operations and support to the community. However, the front lobby is closed for construction. If anyone needs to meet, they can contact them at 248-658-3380.  

• Masks are not required for both the public and staff but are strongly encouraged.
• Staff will continue to submit to a daily COVID-19 screening questionnaire per MiOSHA requirements.
• Staff will continue frequent cleaning procedures, especially for high-touch surface areas such as service counters.
• Signs encouraging social distancing and best practices will be prominently posted throughout the buildings and on the entrance doors.
• Plastic shields or "Sneeze Guards" will remain over the counters to limit person-to-person contact with staff and residents.
• Hand sanitizer stations will be maintained at all entrances.

Berkley community,

We are writing to inform you that the Clerk's Office & Treasury Department services have resumed as of today (April 28, 2021) at 12 PM (see listing below for department services). 
 
The City is happy to report that no other staff tested positive with COVID-19 so we are able to provide full service again within City Hall. As a reminder, there will not be any late fees or penalties added to anyone during this time.  

We would also like to thank all of you for your patience, understanding, and kind messages regarding those who are affected by the virus. 

CLERK'S OFFICE SERVICES

• Election-Related Business
• FOIA/Records
• Pet Licensing 

• Process Payments or Deposits
• Receive Property Transfer Forms, Tax Deferment Forms, and Treasurer Correspondence

Berkley community,

We are writing to inform you that we have had a staff member test positive for COVID-19 within City Hall. For privacy and HIPPA regulation, the name of the employee will not be disclosed.

With our COVID-19 safety standards, we have sent home all that have been potentially exposed to curb any additional contamination to any other Departments. City Hall will also be electrostatically sanitized and disinfected. 

Unfortunately, the Clerk's Office and Treasury Department will be shut down for at least 48 hours, pending negative test results from the potentially exposed staff. At that time, we will be able to reassess if additional exposure has happened or if we can reopen those Departments. 

We want to assure you there will be no penalties on your end, we just ask for your patience until we can be certain that the exposure has been contained and no one else gets sick. 

With this, the following services will NOT be available for each Department: 

CLERK'S OFFICE

• Election-Related Business
• FOIA/Records
• Pet Licensing 
  • Note: Anything placed within the secured dropbox will NOT be processed until staff return from quarantine. There will not be any penalty/late fees. 

• Process Payments or Deposits
  • Note: Anything placed within the secured dropbox will NOT be processed until staff return from quarantine. There will not be any penalty/late fees.  
• Receive Property Transfer Forms, Tax Deferment Forms, and Treasurer Correspondence
  • Note: We do not have late fees for property closing material 

Due to the rising COVID-19 case numbers and the small capacity of our building, City Hall will be closed to the public starting Tuesday, November 17, 2020. 

Services WILL STILL BE operational as staff will continue to be working as they have done since the beginning of the shutdown. This decision was made to ensure that our staff can continue to work safely and can continue to provide our community with exceptional service. We appreciate your patience with us as we continue to navigate through this.

We will be reassessing the closure of City Hall at the beginning of February. 

Starting Tuesday, November 17, City Hall services can be accessed in the following ways:

• Phone
• Email
• Dropbox submission (City Hall's dropbox is located to the right of the main entrance door; City Hall is located at 3338 Coolidge Hwy. Berkley MI 48072) 
• Traditional US mail

This includes the following municipal services:

• Community Development (building/planning, permitting, licensing, and zoning). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 
• Clerk's Office (FOIA records and pet licenses). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 
• Finance / Treasury Department (water bills, tax bills, and miscellaneous invoices). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 

• Parks and Recreation has reopened the Community Center but at a limited compacity. Check out our reopen frequently asked question's page here.
  • Please check online (berkley.maxgalaxy.net) or call (248-658-3470) for program information. Classes and programs are limited to ensure the health and safety of participants and staff. 
• The Library is still closed to the public, however, will continue to provide virtual activities and curbside pick-up. Learn more at www.berkleymich.org/library
• Public Works continues to remain closed to the public but staff is still working. For questions, you can contact them by phone or email. 
• Public Safety has remained open, however, the staff and building are set up to abide by physical distancing guidelines. We encourage the community to call ahead (when possible) before physically visiting.

All of the above practices have been determined by the CDC, State, and County guidelines, and may be altered if and when needed.

To learn more about the City's Recovery and Reopening Plan visit www.berkleymich.org/COVIDreopenplan.

As always, be sure to follow us via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as we will be sharing through those channels.

Please refer to the contact information listed below to get in touch with a specific department.

Hello Berkley community,

As a reminder, the City's COVID-19 safety procedure includes the following:

• All staff will be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and are submitted to a daily COVID-19 screening questionnaire
• Installation of sneeze shields
• Installation of hand sanitizing stations
• Markers placed on the floor to maintain social distancing
• Signs encouraging social distancing and best practices will be prominently posted throughout the building and on the entrance door
• Patrons are required to wear a mask when entering the building

All of the above practices will be determined by CDC, State, and County guidelines, and may be altered if and when needed.

Wondering How to Get In Touch with a Specific Department?
Please refer to the contact information listed below to get in touch with a specific department:

We would like to share with the Berkley community that City Hall is transitioning to "Phase 3: Maintenance" of our COVID-19 Recovery and Reopening Plan.

What does this mean for our City?
Starting Tuesday, October 6, 2020, City Hall will be open to the public during normal working business hours.

City Hall office hours are as follows:

• Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5 PM
• (Closed from 1-2 PM every day)

What to Expect When Entering a City Building
In order for us to continue providing exceptional City services, we ask that you review our COVID-19 safety procedures to ensure the health and safety of our staff. Many of our departments operate within a small space. If one member of a department gets COVID-19, the entire department must be quarantined.

The City's COVID-19 safety procedure includes the following:

• All staff will be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and are submitted to a daily COVID-19 screening questionnaire
• Installation of sneeze shields
• Installation of hand sanitizing stations
• Markers placed on the floor to maintain social distancing
• Signs encouraging social distancing and best practices will be prominently posted throughout the building and on the entrance door
• Patrons are required to wear a mask when entering the building

To learn more about the City's Recovery and Reopening Plan visit www.berkleymich.org/COVIDreopenplan.

Not Comfortable Coming Into City Hall?
Accessing many of our City Hall services CAN STILL BE DONE via phone, email, or through a dropbox submission. For City Department contact information, visit www.berkleymich.org/contactus.

Reaching Other Municipal Buildings During the Pandemic

• Parks and Recreation are currently working on a fall programming schedule in the Community Center (with proper social distancing measures in place). Be sure to follow their Facebook page and our website for more details to come: www.facebook.com/BerkleyParksandRec.
• The Library is still closed to the public, however, they will continue to provide virtual activities and curbside pick-up. Learn more at www.berkleymich.org/library.
• Public Works will continue to be closed to the public. For questions, you can contact them by phone or email.

All of the above practices will be determined by CDC, State, and County guidelines, and may be altered if and when needed.

Wondering How to Get In Touch with a Specific Department?
Please refer to the contact information listed below to get in touch with a specific department:

Stay up-to-date with Oakland County:

Oakland County has its OakAlerts notification system where they share the latest updates regarding COVID-19. Residents are encouraged to join by texting OAKGOV to 287-48 to retrieve them.

Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.

Stay up-to-date with the State:

Updates have been made as of 8/13/20. Modifications have been made due to staff capabilities. 

We would like to share with the Berkley community that some of our municipal facilities are transitioning to Phase 2: Revival of our COVID-19 Recovery and Reopening Plan.  

In order for us to continue providing exceptional City services, we are opening as carefully and deliberately as possible to ensure the health and safety of our staff. Many of our departments operate within a small space. If one member of a department gets COVID-19, the entire department must be quarantined. We understand that it is a difficult transition but it is important to us that we can continue to serve our community regardless of the circumstances.

What does this mean for our City?
Starting Monday, August 17, 2020, City Hall will be open to the public BY APPOINTMENT ONLY for ESSENTIAL BUSINESS pursuant to the Governor's newest Executive Orders. This includes the following municipal services:

• Community Development (building/planning, permitting, licensing, and zoning). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 
• Clerk's Office (FOIA records and elections). Visit the Department's page for more details here. 
• Finance / Treasury Department will NOT BE SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS for the Berkley Treasurer’s Office. We apologize for the inconvenience that COVID-19 has caused for life as normal in Berkley. Visit the Department's page for more details here. 

Accessing many of our City Hall services CAN BE DONE via phone, email, or through a dropbox submission. Appointments should ONLY be reserved for such activities that CANNOT be done through the avenues listed above or if additional guidance is given by city staff. 

Reaching Other Municipal Buildings During the Pandemic

• Parks and Recreation will continue to provide virtual programming and outdoor activities.
  • Additionally, Parks and Recreations is working on a fall programming schedule (with proper social distancing measures in place). Be sure to follow their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BerkleyParksandRec
• The Library is still closed to the public, however, will continue to provide virtual activities and curbside pick-up.
  • Learn more at www.berkleymich.org/library
• Public Works will continue to be closed to the public. For questions, you can contact them by phone or email. 

All of the above practices will be determined by CDC, State, and County guidelines, and may be altered if and when needed.

How to Make an Appointment at City Hall

Residents can make an appointment by calling the department they would like to meet with using the contact information below. Appointments are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Staff will accommodate residents by meeting you via curbside or letting you in the building.

What to Expect When Entering a City Building

The City's COVID-19 safety procedure includes the following:

• All staff will be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and are submitted to a daily COVID-19 screening questionnaire
• Installation of sneeze shields
• Installation of hand sanitizing stations
• Markers placed on the floor to maintain social distancing 
• Signs encouraging social distancing and best practices will be prominently posted throughout the building and on the entrance door  
• We ask that all patrons wear a mask when entering the building

All of the above practices will be determined by CDC, State, and County guidelines, and may be altered if and when needed.

To learn more about the City's Recovery and Reopening Plan visit www.berkleymich.org/COVIDreopenplan.

As always, be sure to follow us via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as we will be sharing through those channels.

Wondering How to Get in Touch With Certain Departments?

Please refer to the contact information listed below to get in touch with a specific department.

Stay up-to-date with Oakland County:

Oakland County has its OakAlerts notification system where they share the latest updates regarding COVID-19. Residents are encouraged to join by texting OAKGOV to 287-48 to retrieve them.

Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.

Stay up-to-date with the State:

We have mapped out three phases for our City Recovery & Reopen:

• Phase 1: Easing
• Phase 2: Revival
• Phase 3: Maintenance

Transitions to each phase will be determined by State & County guidelines, along with staff capabilities.  

To see how each City Department will be providing its service offerings, visit our City Services During COVID-19 webpage.

As a reminder, we are continuing to take all necessary precautions to the fullest extent as it is imperative in order to keep our staff and community safe per the guidance of the State and County.

It is also important to note that during a Public Health crisis of this nature, we follow the State and County's Health office's as they are our Emergency Operations lead and health experts since we do not have public health officials on staff. We follow their lead, not for political cover but because they are the experts in dealing with this Public Health crisis and are able to make qualified decisions about next steps. 

Wondering How to Get in Touch With Certain Departments?

Oakland County has its OakAlerts notification system where they share the latest updates regarding COVID-19. Residents are encouraged to join by texting OAKGOV to 287-48 to retrieve them.

Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.

Stay up-to-date with the State:

With the recent announcement of the City closing to the public, along with the executive order and mitigation strategies by the Governor and Oakland County, Mayor Daniel Terbrack has declared a local State of Emergency for the City of Berkley. 

"Our top priority is to make sure the Berkley community stays safe and healthy, as well as, minimize the public's and City employees’ exposure to the coronavirus." 

In accordance with Section 10 of 1976 PA 390, as amended, The Emergency Management Act and the City Charter, the Mayor has hereby declared that a "local state of emergency" exists within our jurisdiction as of March 17, 2020. 

This 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. The declaration of this State of Emergency specifically asserts the following: 

• City Council and City Administration will be making decisions and undertaking necessary and appropriate actions to protect the public health of our City residents and the general public. They will be monitoring the monetary damage caused to businesses and families due to the mandatory closing of businesses and endangerment of health and safety of the residents of the City of Berkley and will further be undertaking measures designed to provide assistance and relief to those affected by the emergency conditions.

City Council, Planning Commission, and ZBA meetings will continue but have been postponed at this time. We are currently working on virtual solutions for hosting our public meetings. Please stay tuned for more details. As always, residents will be able to view our meetings online at www.youtube.com/CityofBerkley or via WBRK. 

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 to the public. 
• Public Safety will remain open, however, we encourage the community to call ahead before physically visiting at 248-658-3380. 
• 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 public meetings are canceled (e.g. City Council, Planning Commission, ZBA, and all advisory boards/commission) until the end of March. We are currently working on virtual solutions for hosting our public meetings. Please stay tuned for more details.
• Community Development will still be processing permits. These can be mailed or placed within the dropbox at City Hall. Inspections being done on new construction or exterior buildings will continue; Inside occupied structures will be postponed until further notice. 
• Code Enforcement will continue but at a limited capacity for the safety of the employees. 
• 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 call Parks & Rec at 248-658-3470 with any questions. 
• 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.
• We are no longer offering Senior busing transportation as an option due to the risk of exposure to our drivers and the residents. 

To stay up-to-date with the latest details regarding what the City is doing, head to berkleymich.org/coronavirus. 

Be sure to follow us via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as we will be sharing through those channels as more information is provided. 

Click here to view see the Mayoral Declaration of Emergency.

• Public Safety will remain open, however, we encourage the community to call ahead before physically visiting at 248-658-3380. 
• Residents and community members are able to 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 Departement at treasury@berkleymich.net. 
• All public meetings are canceled (e.g. City Council, Planning Commission, ZBA, and all advisory boards/commission) until the end of March. At this time, we are currently working on virtual solutions and recordings for our public meetings. Please stay tuned for more details. 
• Community Development will still be processing permits. These can be mailed or placed within the dropbox at City Hall. Inspections being done on new construction or exterior buildings will continue; Inside occupied structures will be postponed until further notice. 
• Code Enforcement will continue but at a limited capacity for the safety of the employees. 
• 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 call Parks & Rec at 248-658-3470 with any questions. 
• 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.
• We are no longer offering Senior busing transportation as an option due to the risk of exposure to our drivers and the residents. 

Other Resources:

If seniors or at-risk residents are in need of further food assistance, we recommend Area Agency on Aging: https://aaa1b.org/ or Meals on Wheels: http://www.oaklandmow.org/.

Additionally, Oakland County Help Hotline is also available at 248-858-1000. They can aid in addressing the non-health needs such as food or housing assistance.

Berkley School District announced that they have partnered with Aramark to provide food assistance to those families in need. As of today, they will be distributing two meals a day (breakfast and lunch) for any child under 18 in our community. You can learn more on their website here. 

Be sure to follow us via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as we will be sharing through those channels as more information is provided. 

Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.

• Those who have registered for a program, event, or activity that is taking place this month will automatically receive a refund. Please call Parks & Recreation at 248-658-3470 with questions. 
• 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.
• Senior busing services will still continue essential transportation services (doctor appointments and grocery store trips) Busing services will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Passengers presenting fever or flu-like symptoms will not be allowed to board. 

We will continue to communicate with all residents, businesses, and community members via social media, the city website, and our email notification system as more information is provided. 

Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.

• All nonessential public information meetings will be postponed. 
• All recreation and senior program, events, and activities will be canceled or postponed. Those who have registered for a program, event, or activity that is taking place this month will automatically receive a refund. Please call Parks & Rec at 248-658-3470 with questions. 
• Our community center will be open during normal business hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. 
• Our library will remain open but all activities and programs are suspended for the remainder of March. 
• Senior busing services will be continuing essential transportation services (doctor appointments and grocery store trips) Busing services will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Passengers presenting fever or flu-like symptoms will not be allowed to board. 
• The city departments will be adding additional disinfectant measures such as cleaning counters and common workspaces hourly based on the information provided by the Oakland County Health Department. 
• Advisory Boards and Commissions will continue to meet so long as a quorum of the members can be obtained. 

We will be re-evaluating these protective measures at the beginning of April and as more information comes in. 

Our immediate plan and purpose for these measures are to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community. We will work to the best of our ability for the continuity of municipal services. However, our first priority is protecting the health and well-being of our community, especially those who are most vulnerable to illness.

As things evolve and we learn more recommendations from our health experts at the county, state and federal level we will communicate with all residents, businesses, and community members via social media, the city website, and our email notification system. 

Additionally, information from Oakland County Health Department is updated on their website OakGov.com/Health as it becomes available. The Oakland County Nurse on Call is also available at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM or you can email noc@oakgov.com.