May 8: Update from Mayor Madden
Weekly Message from Mayor John L. Madden
Since my phone has been ringing off the hook, I know many of you are aware that the Recycling Center is temporarily closed due to our large roll-off truck requiring a major repair. All recycling that is brought to our yard is sorted into individual containers which are placed on the roll-off truck and then brought out of town for disposal. Because everyone is home now cleaning out attics and basements and, with the good weather of Spring bringing yard waste as well, all of our 40 cubic yard containers are full and we are not able to empty these without the use of the roll-off. Until we have the roll-off truck back, we have no way to take any additional recycling as we must first get rid of what is here. Please know that it is against the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s regulations to place any yard waste, branches or other natural debris on the ground. We are hopeful that we will be open next weekend. Please watch our web scroll on the Borough’s website and our Facebook page.
I have also been asked by our sewer server, Middlesex County Utilities Authority, to put the word out that the so-called flushable/disposable wipes that everyone is cleaning with right now are NOT truly flushable. MCUA is having major problems unclogging their sewer system which has been stuffed with undissolved cleaning wipes. Please put these in the trash and not in the toilet.
They sent out a very interesting, short and informative video that really shows the problem; I encourage you to watch it: select here to view "Please Keep Wipes Out of the Pipes!"
This week, we discontinued the nightly Nixel update on the Borough’s new positive cases. I know some residents want to continue receiving this information. The decision was made not to put out nightly Nixel reports because we had a number of complaints that people were being overloaded with Covid information and Nixel is really supposed to be used for emergent matters (i.e., traffic issues and occasional public service announcements). The County's website does offer up-to-date information more quickly than the Borough, as well as other information. However, I will be reporting those daily counts from the prior week in my Friday message. As the last night we reported was last Sunday, here are Monday thru Thursday’s numbers:
May 4: 2 new cases
May 5: 2 new cases
May 6: 1 new case
May 7: 2 new cases
Although we now have 200 reported positive cases, this is the best week Middlesex Borough has had in many, many weeks. I hope people are encouraged to continue all of the best practices we have been doing: physical distancing, wearing masks and gloves, and staying home. Keep up the great work – we are hopefully beating this back!