Town of Berkley Closes Town Hall, Other Town Buildings in Response to Coronavirus Outbreak

Closures Meant to Promote Concept of Social Distancing

BERKLEY — Town Administrator Heather Martin-Sterling and the Board of Selectmen, in conjunction with Emergency Management Director Scott Fournier and Board of Health Chairman James Romano, wish to update residents on closures of public buildings in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The following closures are in effect until further notice:

• The Berkley Town Hall will be closed to the public. 
• The Berkley Public Schools is closed, but bagged lunches are available for pick-up Monday through Friday. Click here for more information. 
• Council on Aging activities are cancelled.
• The Berkley Public Library is closed.
• The transfer station is open for regular hours, but is only accepting sealed town trash bags (no recycling).
• Town playgrounds are closed to the public.
• The Public Safety Building isn’t open to the public, with the exception of the vestibule at the front entrance. Residents are encouraged to call the departments’ business lines for all non-emergency matters. The Police Department’s business line is 508-822-7040 and the Fire Department’s business line is 508-822-7516.
• As always, please call 911 for any emergency. All emergency services are fully functional and prepared. Emergency Management and the town’s new CERT team are also prepared.  

These closures are being done to promote the concept of social distancing and reducing the number of in-person interactions on a daily basis to decrease the chances of spreading in transmitting the COVID-19 virus. Town staff will continue to perform their duties and be present to assist residents via telephone or email during normal business hours. For a list of Town departments visit the Town website here. 

Residents and others will still be able to pay bills by check or money order by placing the bills, along with the checks and/or money orders, in an envelope and dropping them off in the drop box located outside of the main door of Town Hall. 

In addition, payment can be made via the Town Tax Collector’s website (click “Online Payments”). 

If a resident’s only option is cash and they cannot get a money order, they should contact the Treasurer-Collector’s office at 508-823-9620 and make arrangements for a cash payment. Any resident looking for copies of documents, such as birth certificates, septic system plans, assessor records, etc., should call the appropriate office and staff will work out a method to obtain the necessary documents.

Any resident looking for information, whether general or specific, should contact the appropriate department and staff will provide that information using a variety of methods. Any resident needing to file documents, applications for permits, etc., should contact the proper department and a solution will be worked out to make that happen.

Additional decisions on how to conduct Town operations will be made as the situation evolves. The hope is that residents and others will work with the Town to facilitate this. The Town will continue to provide the services that residents and others expect. 

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