Springfield Board of Commissioners passes a COVID19 Emergency Response Ordinance

Posted 3/31/20

by Betsy Wallace The Springfield Township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a COVID19 Emergency Response Ordinance at their special Business meeting held on March 26. In keeping with …

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Springfield Board of Commissioners passes a COVID19 Emergency Response Ordinance

Posted

by Betsy Wallace

The Springfield Township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a COVID19 Emergency Response Ordinance at their special Business meeting held on March 26.

In keeping with the State’s “Stay at Home” order the board held its public meeting live on Zoom. The ordinance, which was made retroactive to March 16, allows the board to conduct its meetings “via teleconference, webinar, or other electronic method” so long as method chosen allows a for 2-way communication.  All six Commissioners and 19 residents attended the meeting from the comfort of their own homes.  No Commissioner could think of another time in Springfield Township history where the board could not meet in public at the Township building.

Generally, Ordinance No. 964, “COVID-19 Emergency Response Ordinance,” enables the Township to respond quickly to the corona virus pandemic if and when an emergency response is needed.  In addition to the provision allowing for 2-way video conference public meetings, here’s what the ordinance provides:

Local and real estate taxes; refuse service fee discount period is extended to May 31.

The ordinance extends the “discount period” for the payment of local real estate taxes and the refuse service fee from March 31 to May 31, 2020.  The penalty period that will start, as usual, on June 1.  The Township’s extensions coincide with Montgomery  County’s extension for the County Real Estate Tax portion of the bill.

Business, earned Income and local services taxes: filing date is extended to July 15.

The Ordinance also authorized an extension of the filing and payment date for Business Privilege and Mercantile Taxes, the Earned Income Tax and Local Services Tax from April 15 to July 15, which complements extensions granted by the state and federal government for the filing of personal and business income taxes.

Waiver of competitive bidding requirement limited to healthcare emergency services and materials

The ordinance waives competitive bidding for “such services and materials as may be required by the Township Administration for health emergency purposes,” in the event those services are called for.

Notices re: Right To Know Law, appointment-only public access to the Township Administration buildings.

In keeping with Governor Wolf’s orders, all township departments, except Public Works and Public Safety personnel, are working remotely, checking and responding to emails and conducting township business throughout the day.  The Emergency Response ordinance notifies the public that there may be a delay in the township’s response to requests made under the Right-to-Know Law and that a township agency closure on any particular day “shall not be considered “business day” under the Right-To-Know-Law.  Finally, because everyone is working remotely, the township simply asks that the public visit the building by appointment only.

As the meeting came to a close, the commissioners and residents expressed their pride in and gratitude for the work of the life essential businesses located in the township, and the township’s police, medical, fire and voluntary fire responders, and waste department personnel, all of whom are working on the front line of the pandemic with courage, patience, and generosity.

Township residents can see and listen to Recorded Zoom meeting here: Springfield Township Special Public Meeting – 3/26/2020.  A copy of the COVID-19 Emergency Response ordinance is available online at the Springfield Township municipal website. Check the Township website for all Public Meeting Agendas, minutes and video-recordings of the Township Business meetings at Springfieldmontco.org

coronavirus, news, springfield