As COVID Pandemic Persists, Moorestown Considers Event Guidelines

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Moorestown Council is considering the conditions under which township events may take place this year as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause problems across the country.

Several groups have been asking how events will work this year after many events were canceled last year due to the pandemic, Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie said during Monday night’s council meeting.

“I think we should consider a conditional approach,” Gillespie said. “They should comply with whatever executive orders are in place at the time of the event. We should see their plans about the number of participants and how they plan to control things such as social distancing and ensuring people are wearing masks. We should also keep in mind that we might have to revoke events if things get worse.”

Last year, events that were canceled included the Lions Club’s annual holiday parade, the Halloween parade, and the paddleboard/kayak races, among other events.

Others were drastically altered, including meetings of council and the township’s committees, which went virtual and look to remain virtual for the foreseeable future.

The pandemic has resulted in feelings of isolation nationwide, as social gatherings are limited and restaurants and businesses were forced to close, some permanently.

A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on national health issues, found that 53 percent of adults have had negative impacts on their mental health.
Effects include trouble sleeping or eating, increased alcohol consumption and worsening chronic conditions. These effects are caused by isolation and job loss, the report found.

“Everyone really wants to get things scheduled, and I’m hopeful we’ll be in much better shape months from now,” Deputy Mayor Sue Mammarella said, adding she would be open to conditional approvals.

The number of cases continues to rise, but there are now two vaccines in New Jersey. However, the rollout of these vaccines has been more difficult than anticipated.

Currently, the state is receiving 100,000 doses per week. Officials said that the state had been expecting a supply of 400,000 doses per week to meet demands.

Vaccination sites have been set up across the state, including six “mega-sites,” one of which is at the Moorestown Mall.

As of Monday, there have been 1,083 cases of the coronavirus and 72 deaths in Moorestown since the pandemic began. Countywide, there have been 27,298 cases, 647 confirmed deaths and 65 probable deaths since the pandemic began.

Decisions about how to handle this year’s permitting process can be handled by resolution because the situation is temporary, Township Solicitor Kevin Aberant said.

The discussion was held during the workshop portion of the meeting, meaning no official action was taken. No council members voiced opposition to allowing testing on municipal property in Moorestown, though, so it is likely council will consider a resolution at an upcoming meeting.

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