MONCKS CORNER, S.C.– (Friday, March 20, 2020) — Berkeley County Council will hold its regularly-scheduled Council meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 23. However, it will be a “call-in” meeting that will not involve a gathering. All public hearings scheduled for this meeting are postponed. Council will not be conducting any business requiring public hearings, and public attendance will not be permitted. However, the meeting will be streamed live (audio only) via the County’s Facebook page HERE. The agenda can be found HERE. The Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 24 has been CANCELLED. Berkeley County citizens are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts on the County website: berkeleycountysc.gov
County leaders are continuing to closely monitor COVID-19 and adjust plans as new orders are announced at the state and national levels. On Tuesday, March 17, Berkeley County Council issued a State of Emergency in response to the local threat of COVID-19. The declaration, which can be found HERE, was necessary for Berkeley County to implement emergency planning for anticipated problems and prepare for emergency actions needed to confront the challenges of COVID-19. Below is a list of County department/facilities operations.
CLOSED:
- Berkeley County Libraries
- Cypress Gardens
- Berkeley
County Administration Building
- Drop
boxes have been placed in the lobby to drop-off payments and materials for
specific departments
- Treasurer’s Office (drop box outside building)
- Auditors Office (drop box in the lobby)
- Delinquent Tax (drop box in the lobby)
- Planning and Zoning (drop box in the lobby)
- Real Property Services (drop box in the lobby)
- Drop
boxes have been placed in the lobby to drop-off payments and materials for
specific departments
- Berkeley County Water and Sanitation
- Berkeley County Departments at Live Oak Drive (NOT including the Sheriff’s Office)
LIMITED ACCESS:
- Berkeley County Animal Center- Curbside service ONLY. Fosters and adoptions needed.
- Clerk
of Court:
- For statutory mandated filling, the courthouse drive-thru window will operation 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Jail Street
- Probate
Court:
- Marriage licenses ONLY may be picked-up from the drive-thru window on Jail Street. Marriage applicants should apply for marriage licenses at the front of the Courthouse, at the new applicant window.
- Magistrate Court: Full info HERE.
OPEN:
- Berkeley County Landfill and Convenience Centers
- Berkeley County Airport
- Berkeley County Voters Registration and Elections Commission
Berkeley County Water and Sanitation has also restored water service to a number of homes and is no longer cutting off water to BCWS customers who cannot pay their water bill. As of Monday afternoon, March 16, water had been restored to at least 73 homes where water had been previously turned off due to missed payments. In addition, water was not cut-off to at least 354 homes due to non-payment.
Berkeley County officials continue to encourage citizens to take precautions to stay healthy and help limit the spread of the virus by following the proper preventative measures that have been issued by DHEC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Berkeley County Emergency Management is currently operating at OPCON Level 2. This means a disaster or emergency is likely to impact the County and there is enhanced awareness. Berkeley County Emergency Management continues to coordinate plans with its emergency management and public health partners at the local, state and national levels.
Berkeley County 911 has updated its call-taking software to include the Emergency Infectious Disease Surveyance Tool, a screening resource to identify individuals who may be experiencing coronavirus symptoms.
DHEC has also set up a Care Line for public inquiries about the virus. The number is 1-855-472-3432 and is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.
MUSC is offering FREE health virtual care screenings. You can call 843-792-7000 for more information, or visit https://muschealth.org/patients-visitors/coronavirus-information. Additionally, patients who use MUSC Health Virtual Urgent Care are offered access to the drive-through respiratory specimen collection site for COVID-19 testing.
Roper Hospital is also offering free virtual screenings from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. https://www.rsfh.com/virtualcare/.
Berkeley County has closed a majority of its buildings and facilities to the public. All Berkeley County updates can be found on the Berkeley County website under “Coronavirus COVID-19 latest.” A full list of County Closures can be found HERE. Changes to the Courts Schedule and other related Courts information can be found HERE. Also, follow the County’s Facebook and Twitter pages for all related updates.
Berkeley County has confirmed its first case of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). The case was confirmed on Friday, March 20, and the individual is currently in isolation
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– Prepared by the Berkeley County Public Information Office –
