MORRIS COUNTY — “The Morris County Clerk’s Office understands the balance it must achieve between maintaining essential functions, including its role in supporting the economic stability of the region, and designing a plan compliant with guidelines to slow the spread of the Coronavirus (“COVID 19′).” said Clerk Ann Grossi, Esq.

As the need arises, updates will continue to be posted at www.morriscountyclerk.org.

The Morris County Clerk’s Office continues to be closed to the public as follows:

REGISTRY DEPARTMENT:
It is recommended that stakeholders who are impacted forward all documents to be filed and recorded either by mail or utilizing the Clerk’s automated e-filing system. To participate in e­filing, please contact one of our e-filing (electronic) vendors below:

Simplifile @ 1-801-223-1052 or www.simplifile.com
CSC@ 1-435-374-0139/0150/0141 or www.cscglobal.com.
ERX@ 1-214-887-7461 or email www.erxsupport@conduent.com

All documents will be processed upon receipt as required by law. For further information, please call the Recording Department at (973) 285-6130.

DROP-OFF BOX:
A drop-off box is now available in the lobby of the Records and Administration Building, 10 Com1 Street, 1st Floor, Morristown, NJ

PASSPORT DEPARTMENT:
Passport Department services have been suspended. For further information, please call the Passport Department at (973) 285-6161.

RECORDS VAULT DEPARTMENT:
The Records Vault Department remains closed to the public. Business users and the public may access all documents on line back to 1969 at www.morriscountyclerk.org. Anyone needing a certified copy or requiring assistance may do so by either email or calling the Vault. If you need assistance, please call (973) 285-6747.

ELECTION DEPARTMENT:

The Election Department remains closed to the public. We strongly urge all residents to Vote-by­Mail (“VBM”) to avoid unnecessary exposure to COVID-19. VBM applications and other documents and information can be accessed at www.morriscountyclerk.org. If you need assistance, please call the Election Department at (973) 285-6066.

NOTARY DEPARTMENT:
The Notary Department remains closed to the public and services have been suspended until further notice. New notary applications are available online at www.njportal.com/dor/notary. For additional details or updates, please call (973) 285-6122.

WEDDING SERVICES:
Wedding ceremonies performed by the County Clerk remain suspended until further notice. For additional information, please call (973) 285-6120.

ADULT ID CARDS, VETERAN ID CARDS, AND GOLD STAR ID CARDS: Issuing of all ID cards are suspended until further notice.

OUTREACH, ON THE ROAD AND SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAMS: All programs are suspended until further notice.

MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Chief Administrator Sue Fulton announced that all agency, road testing, and inspections facilities will remain closed until at least Monday, May 11. The closures are part of the Murphy Administration’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

In addition to expanding online services, the Commission is continuing essential operations, including measures to support commercial trucking to keep the supply chain moving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most renewals of driver licenses, non-driver IDs, and registrations – including, for the first time, some commercial registrations – can be processed online at NJMVC.gov. Customers can change their address, pay fees, and other services online as well.

Drivers with suspended licenses can seek to get licenses restored, if they are eligible, using email instead of phone or in-person interactions. Drivers who believe they are eligible for restoration should email suspension.info@mvc.nj.gov.

“As Governor Murphy reminds us, public gatherings represent a threat to all of us, as New Jersey works to flatten the curve in this global pandemic,” Fulton said. “The volume of customers that typically visit our agencies would risk the health of our customers and employees alike. We will continue to strive to make as many services available online as possible.”

Working with Governor Murphy, Chief Administrator Fulton ordered the initial closure of agencies and inspection stations from March 16 until March 30 and followed that with two-week extensions until April 27. Expiration dates for driver licenses (including CDLs), registrations, inspection stickers, and temporary tags were extended by two months on March 13.

Customers should check NJMVC.gov for the latest information and updates.

MORRIS COUNTY —  Morris County has risen to 4662 an increase of 207 cases since last reported on Wednesday, April 22. A total of 324 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 99,989 with a total of 5,368 deaths.

The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869, in parking lot 1. Testing is scheduled beginning at 9:00 a.m. and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.

To sign up for an appointment online click here for details.

The figures reflect COVID-19 positive cases as of the date and time indicated, some cases which may be pending, or have yet to be entered into the system.

Please note the following limitations and provisos related to the data above:

• COVID-19-related deaths are not included in this data. Visit the State of NJ COVID-19 Dashboard for a summary of death totals.
• Pursuant to HIPAA, specific identifying health information of persons testing positive or who have passed due to the virus will not be released.
• Data reflects COVID-19 positive cases on dates and times indicated; some cases may be pending and are not yet entered.
• Data may not include cases with incomplete or incorrect street addresses or PO boxes. Such cases require additional investigation by local health officials.
• Figures do not include persons under quarantine/isolation due to exposure and who have not tested positive.
• The numbers, especially higher numbers, do not necessarily reflect community spread in a specific town. Various factors may be related to high numbers, such as increased testing and facilities with high-risk populations.
• This data should not be used to gauge if heightened precautions are needed in specific towns. Social distancing, hand hygiene, and preventive steps must be followed at all times regardless of the number of cases in a municipality.

MORRIS COUNTY —  The Morris County Board of Freeholders is creating a Morris County COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, to include a group of key leaders from all segments of Morris County life, to help plan for the county’s eventual return to normalcy from the COVID-19 crisis.

The Task Force would operate in concert with President Donald J. Trump’s three-phase plan to gradually Open Up America Again. (Click here) “We thank Morris County residents for their great effort to deal with the current crisis, from sewing masks and helping to feed unemployed families to social distancing, hand washing, and caring for their family, friends, and neighbors,’’ said Freeholder Director Deborah Smith. “Now we have to consider the next step to determine how recovery will occur, how we will get our great county on its feet again.’’

The Board of Freeholders voted last night to create a Task Force subcommittee, including Freeholders Smith, John Krickus, and Tom Mastrangelo, to spearhead this effort.

Leaders from government, health, education, labor, social services, and others would be invited to participate in an effort to gather information, share ideas and develop strategies for the post-COVD-19 world in Morris County, in conjunction with state and federal governments.  They would consider how to overcome potential obstacles to recovery.

The Task Force could:
• Gather information on the current state of Morris County’s economy, to determine what is and what is not working in the current response to the virus;
• Examine the potential gradual ramping up of the county’s workforce;
• Consider how various businesses, industry, government, and education could adapt to new concepts to be able to reopen;
• Examine the role of local and county governments to assist in the reopening of the county.

More information on the creation of the Task Force will be provided in the coming days.

Please keep up-to-date on Morris County’s response to COVID-19 by clicking here.

MORRIS COUNTY — The United Way of Northern New Jersey and the United Way of Hunterdon County have jointly launched the ALICE Recovery Fund (#ALICErecovery) to help support working families who are have lost their jobs, businesses, or had a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ALICE stands for Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed, and focuses on employed people earning more than the federal poverty level, but who are struggling financially and maybe living paycheck to paycheck and unable to save for emergencies.

The newly created fund is strictly limited to assisting residents of Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Suburban Essex, Sussex, and Warren counties. (Suburban Essex includes the Caldwells, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Millburn-Short Hills, Montclair, Roseland, and Verona.).

Eligible households will receive a minimum financial award of $500.00. Applicants must provide documentation that their household income qualifies as falling below the ALICE Threshold prior to the pandemic. In addition, applicants must show a loss of income due to the pandemic, beginning February 1, 2020.

The income guidelines are as follows:

• Single adults must have had an annual income below $35,560 without dependents or no more than $88,128 with two or more dependents.
• Two adult households must have had an annual income below $52,444 without dependents or no more than $103,836 with two or more dependents.
• Complete the application online on the United Way website. Also, check our Frequently Asked Questions about the ALICE Recovery Fund.

Please check this out for frequently asked questions around the ALICE Recovery Fund. For more information click here.

As the need is great, United Way asks that anyone who can afford to donate, please consider making a tax-deductible gift to the ALICE Recovery Fund. Donations can be made to the ALICE Recovery Fund online by clicking here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Community Hope will hold its 19th Annual Flag Day 5K Run and Fun Walk again this year, but it has been nicknamed the Social Distance Run and Walk.  This year, the 5K and Walk will be held virtually, challenging walkers and runners from all corners of the world to come together in support of homeless veterans.  Participants are asked to complete their 5K run or 1-mile walk on or before June 11, and track their results using the Strava app.  Results, including time and distance, will then be uploaded to Community Hope, and prizes will be awarded in various age groups.

Details and registration can be found through the Community Hope website by clicking here.

All participants will receive a free t-shirt.  The fee to participate is $30.00 for each runner and $20.00 for each walker.  All proceeds from the event will go directly towards Community Hope’s Hope for Veterans Program serving homeless veterans and at-risk veteran families.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available and all sponsorship packages include free registration for teams ranging from three to twenty participants.

“This is a great event for a great cause,” says Carmine V. Deo, Community Hope Executive Director. “It is our only event of the year, completely supporting our Hope for Veterans program.  We at Community Hope believe that no veterans should ever be homeless and we work every day to give the gift of hope to veterans who need it because when someone has hope, anything is possible!”

 Community Hope, a non-profit organization since 1985, employs a team of over 150 and helps hundreds of people annually, including veterans and their families, overcome mental illness, substance use, and homelessness.  The organization provides clinical case management and support, transitional housing, affordable housing, and homeless prevention services.

MORRIS COUNTY —  Morris County has risen to 4455 an increase of 128 cases since last reported on Tuesday, April 21. A total of 309 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 95,865 with a total of 5,063 deaths.

The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869, in parking lot 1. Testing is scheduled beginning at 9:00 a.m. and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.

To sign up for an appointment online click here for details.

The figures reflect COVID-19 positive cases as of the date and time indicated, some cases which may be pending, or have yet to be entered into the system.

Please note the following limitations and provisos related to the data above:

• COVID-19-related deaths are not included in this data. Visit the State of NJ COVID-19 Dashboard for a summary of death totals.
• Pursuant to HIPAA, specific identifying health information of persons testing positive or who have passed due to the virus will not be released.
• Data reflects COVID-19 positive cases on dates and times indicated; some cases may be pending and are not yet entered.
• Data may not include cases with incomplete or incorrect street addresses or PO boxes. Such cases require additional investigation by local health officials.
• Figures do not include persons under quarantine/isolation due to exposure and who have not tested positive.
• The numbers, especially higher numbers, do not necessarily reflect community spread in a specific town. Various factors may be related to high numbers, such as increased testing and facilities with high-risk populations.
• This data should not be used to gauge if heightened precautions are needed in specific towns. Social distancing, hand hygiene, and preventive steps must be followed at all times regardless of the number of cases in a municipality.