April 24: Weekly Report from Mayor John L. Madden

By now, most residents are acclimating to this strange new “lifestyle”. I am pleased that these health guidelines are being followed. We have all witnessed in real time how easy it is to contract this virus even without human contact. I also understand that some residents are dealing with other, new hardships as well. I am always available to address your concerns. However, please understand that there are certain issues that are out of my jurisdiction and that of local government to which I cannot facilitate or intercede on your behalf. Some examples are issues with federal or state stimulus checks or state unemployment filing.

Regarding unemployment concerns, the New Jersey Department of Labor has recently created a new web portal which allows New Jersey residents to contact the NJ Department of Labor directly. The web site is: www.myunemployment.nj.gov.

Lastly, I have noticed an uptick of vehicle traffic lately. With all the talk in the news about business and the economy opening up, we must still exercise constraint before going back to our normal routines. Please leave this decision to the experts. Announcements will be made when the danger is behind us.

Stay healthy and please stay safe!