MONCKS CORNER, S.C.- (Monday, March 16)- Berkeley County leadership has met with county directors and elected officials throughout the day to develop a plan for County operations in response to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). Berkeley County has explored opportunities for work to be done online and is closing County buildings and facilities to the public, effective Tuesday, March 17. County employees are still to report to work. There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Berkeley County, and Berkeley County leaders are working to limit the spread of the virus while safely maintaining County operations. County leaders are canceling many public meetings, public events, and moving several meetings to phone or video conferences. All Berkeley County updates will be posted on the Berkeley County website under “Coronavirus COVID-19 latest.” Also, follow Berkeley County on Facebook and Twitter for related updates.
Berkeley County Council will hold an emergency called Council meeting on Tuesday, March 17 at 12:15 p.m. to discuss a State of Emergency Resolution. That notice can be found HERE.
Starting March 17, County departments will operate as follows. County employees are still to report to work.
Berkeley County Library Locations: CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Cypress Gardens: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Berkeley County Administration Building: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, payments accepted online. This closure includes the following departments.
- Auditor’s Office- Allowing drop-offs at secure box located inside
- Treasurer’s Office- Allowing drop-offs at secure box located outside o Delinquent Tax- Allowing drop-offs at secure box located outside
- Register of Deeds- Drop-offs accepted at box at table in the entrance of the lobby
- Real Property Services- Drop-offs accepted at box at table in the entrance of the lobby
- Permitting and Codes- Drop-offs accepted at box at table in the entrance of the lobby
- Planning and Zoning- Drop-offs accepted at box at table in the entrance of the lobby o Economic Development o GIS o Finance
- Human Resources, Supervisor’s Office
- The Berkeley County Courthouse, at 300B California Avenue, Moncks Corner, will be CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC beginning March 17, 2020, until further notice.
- Jurors summoned for the week of March 23-27, 2020, are EXCUSED and should not appear for juror service.
- Summary Court: bond hearings will be conducted at least once a day
- General Sessions Court: will be handling guilty pleas for the local jail on Monday and a half-day on Tuesday, upon Judge’s approval
- Family Court: will be hearing ONLY emergencies and statutory mandated hearings: domestic abuse, DSS probable cause; juvenile detention and bench warrant hearings
- CSE Admin Rules will proceed as scheduled on Wednesday with DSS Attorney LeBarron in the Jury Panel room.
- Probate Court: closed to the public; marriage license may be picked up at the Family Court Drive-thru on Jail Street behind the Courthouse
- Magistrate Court:
- The courts will be open to the public on a limited basis. All jury trials and traffic court cases will be rescheduled.
- Bond hearings will continue twice a day at the normal times of 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. We ask for attorneys and victims to participate by phone, rather than in person, if possible. All bond hearings are by video-conferencing unless we have technical difficulties. BONDING COMPANIES should call the bond court to coordinate matters involving surety bonds.
- The following hearings will still take place: Restraining orders and bond hearings. In addition, other non-jury trials including, but not limited to small claims, claim and deliveries, and public sales may continue at the discretion of the judge. All eviction proceedings will be halted unless it involves essential services and/or harm to person or property. Please call the court if you are uncertain if your case has been continued. Court phone numbers are listed below.
- You will not be allowed to enter the courthouse building unless you have a scheduled hearing and only at the designated time on your notice. Please appear for court with only your attorney (if applicable) and any necessary witnesses. Please do not bring your children. We do not have any protective items to give you to help prevent the spread of illnesses.
- You may continue to file pleadings with the court. New document filings can be dropped off in the drop box located at each court or at the window at the entrance to the court on Live Oak Drive in Moncks Corner. Also, all documents can still be submitted by mail. Make sure you enclose a stamped/self-addressed envelope for your receipt and clocked copies. Please submit payment by money order or check. If you have trouble with a drop box location, please call the appropriate court and speak with an employee. Phone numbers are listed below.
- If an immediate hearing is required, you will be contacted by telephone for scheduling. Make sure you include all relevant phone numbers with your filing.
- If possible, please make payments on traffic tickets via our internet portal. If you must pay in person, payment will only be taken at the window at our Moncks Corner location.
- If you are encountering symptoms associated with COVID-19, please contact the court prior to appearing for any court session. Please note, a decision on a continuance will be made on a case-by-case basis. Many hearings can and will be conducted by video-conferencing.
- Please contact our courts by telephone if you have any questions. We will remain open during our regular business hours of 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. to answer your phone calls.
- Moncks Corner (All matters): 843-719-4050
- Goose Creek (Small Claims Matters Only): 843-553-6099
- Goose Creek (Evictions and all other matters): 843-553-7080
- St. Stephen (All Matters): 843-567-7400
- Bond Court: 843-719-4549
- Berkeley County Airport: To remain open
- Berkeley County Animal Center: To remain open, no longer accepting owner turn-ins
- No longer allowing children volunteers at the shelter
- All animal adoption events have been CANCELED
- Voter Registration & Election Commission – Candidate filing opened at noon on March 16, 2020 and will close at noon on March 30, 2020. All partisan candidates seeking office in the November 3, 2020 General Election must file during this period. Any candidate that would like to make an appointment for filing can call the office at 843719-4056 beginning tomorrow, March 17, at 9 a.m. or email .
- Berkeley County Water & Sanitation (BCWS)- The lobby of the BCWS building will be CLOSED to the public until further notice.
- BCWS is restoring water service to non-payment customers.
- Berkeley County Landfills and Convenience Centers: To remain open
- Berkeley County Roads & Bridges: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Mosquito Abatement: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Veteran Affairs: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Coroner’s Office: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Please note the following adjustments to County events and meetings:
- Red Cross Blood Drive scheduled Tuesday, March 17- CANCELED
- Board of Zoning Appeals scheduled Tuesday, March 17- CANCELED
- ManuFirstSC classes scheduled March 14- April 2 – POSTPONED, TO BE RESCHEDULED
- Vendor Fair scheduled April 23- CANCELED
- Job Fair scheduled March 31- POSTPONED, TO BE RESCHEDULED
- Cypress Gardens Events
- Second Oyster Shell Craft Classes scheduled March 21 & 22- CANCELED
- K9 Egg-Stravaganza scheduled April 5- CANCELED
County employees will continue to work a regular schedule. Anyone with questions is asked to call the respective department. Those phone numbers and email addresses can be found on the website: https://berkeleycountysc.gov/
On Sunday, March 15, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster ordered school closures around the state. Schools will remain closed through the end of March. More info HERE. President Donald Trump declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency on Friday, March 13. Governor McMaster declared a state of emergency throughout South Carolina on Friday, March 13 to allow the state to respond to current and future COVID-19 impacts.
Berkeley County officials continue to encourage citizens to take precautions and limit the spread of the virus. Public health officials also continue to advise proper preventative measures that have been issued by DHEC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stay healthy and help limit the spread of the virus.
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/.
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