With the recent surge in the number of coronavirus cases, the Township of North Bergen has urged residents to refrain from any unnecessary public interactions. To that accord, public access to Town Hall has been restricted until further notice as of Dec. 27.
Town Hall was closed since the onset of the pandemic until it opened its lobby back up to the public around March of 2021. Public access expanded in October of this year, as the North Bergen Board of Commissioners began meeting in person again for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. While Town Hall was nearly back to being fully open to the public, that is no longer the case due to COVID-19.
Most township services are still available online and by phone, officials said. Municipal employees are continuing to work at their jobs and can respond to answer questions and concerns from the public via telephone and email.
For a list of phone numbers and other contact information, go to northbergen.org/directory. Meanwhile, frequently requested forms are available online at northbergen.org/forms.
Copies of the most commonly requested forms can also be picked up at the municipal chambers entrance to Town Hall, around the side of the building. Completed forms can be emailed back or deposited in the drop box by the Chambers entrance.
For general questions, email nbhelpdesk@northbergen.org. It is not yet clear if the Board of Commissioners will shift from holding in-person meetings and return to virtual meetings.
Library restrictions
As Town Hall announces restrictions to mitigate the virus, so has the North Bergen Free Public Library. All branches of the library have restricted public access to doorside pick up only from Jan. 3 to Jan. 9. For more information or to arrange a pick up, go to nbpl.org.
Also a result of the recent COVID-19 surge, the township has limited public access to North Bergen Police Department headquarters. Now, residents can file a report over the phone by contacting police dispatch at 201-392 -2100 to speak with an officer. Meanwhile, the NBPD will continue to respond to calls for emergencies and police assistance.
On top of that, the Recreation Department has temporarily suspended basketball, wrestling, dance, and any other recreational activities out of an abundance of caution. According to the township, the situation will be reassessed in two weeks to determine when these activities are safe to resume.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.
