Original Post Date: March 11
Latest Update: May 7
Pleasant Ridge Response Summary
- City Hall is closed to the public until further notice. We are staffing the building and will be here to answer phone calls and emails and will support you however we can.
- Payments can be placed in the drop box by the entrance to City Hall or paid online. We are working with the County to eliminate service fees from the online payment system. In the meantime we will apply a credit to your account equal to the amount of the service charge while City Hall is closed.
- Late fees on utility payments (water bills) are waived until further notice.
- The Community Center, Wellness Center, park play structures, and Gainsboro shelter are closed until further notice.
- Building inspections have resumed effective May 7. Contact City Hall during regular business hours to set up an inspection or to apply for building permits.
- The May 12 City Commission meeting will occur as a remote meeting. Click on this link for more information.
- Pet licenses can be renewed online through Oakland County’s website.
Shelter In Place Order
The Governor issued a shelter in place order on March 23, effective March 24 through May 15. The order requires individuals to remain in your home unless you have been designated as a critical infrastructure worker by your employer, or for certain specific activities:
- To engage in outdoor activity, including walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household.
- To perform tasks that are necessary to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family or household members (including pets). Individuals may, for example, leave the home or place of residence to secure medication or to seek medical or dental care that is necessary to address a medical emergency or to preserve the health and safety of a household or family member (including procedures that, in accordance with a duly implemented nonessential procedures postponement plan, have not been postponed).
- To obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves, their family or household members, and their vehicles. Individuals must secure such services or supplies via delivery to the maximum extent possible. As needed, however, individuals may leave the home or place of residence to purchase groceries, take-out food, gasoline, needed medical supplies, and any other products necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and basic operation of their residences.
- To care for a family member or a family member’s pet in another household.
To care for minors, dependents, the elderly, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons.
- To visit an individual under the care of a health care facility, residential care facility, or congregate care facility, to the extent otherwise permitted.
To attend legal proceedings or hearings for essential or emergency purposes as ordered by a court.
To work or volunteer for businesses or operations (including both and religious and secular nonprofit organizations) that provide food, shelter, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals, individuals who need assistance as a result of this emergency, and people with disabilities.
Individuals may also travel:
To return to a home or place of residence from outside this state.
To leave this state for a home or residence elsewhere.
To travel between two residences in this state.
As required by law enforcement or a court order, including the transportation of children pursuant to a custody agreement.
Past Updates
March 23 Update: The Governor has issued a shelter in place order effective until Tuesday, April 14.
City operations will continue largely as they have been for the past few weeks. We will still be at City Hall to answer phone calls and emails and to address any critical issues. The police will patrol as normal. The recreation department will close, although Shawnie and Greg will be available by email.
The parks will remain open, however the play structures, Gainsboro shelter, and basketball courts are closed. The dog park remains open.
Residents can leave the house for certain activities specified in the executive order linked above.
March 19 Update: All late fees on utility bills are waived until further notice. We must continue sending out utility bills, but will not assess penalties for late payments.
March 17 Update: City Hall is closed until April 5. We are staffing the building and will be here to answer phone calls and support you however we can.
March 16 Update: We are now up to 54 confirmed cases in Michigan. The Governor has issued executive order 2020-9 which closes most places of public accommodation including bars, restaurants, theaters, libraries, fitness and recreation centers, etc. until March 30.
March 13 Update: The number of confirmed cases in Michigan has grown to 16. Oakland County, the State of Michigan, and the Federal Government have all made emergency declarations. K-12 schools are closed until April 5. Gatherings and events larger than 100 people are now prohibited by declaration. Small group classes at the Community Center are also now canceled. The Red Cross blood drive on Wednesday, March 18 from 1 pm to 7 pm is still scheduled to proceed as there is a critical need for blood donations in the region. Healthy residents are encouraged to donate.
On the evening of March 10 the State of Michigan confirmed that Oakland County had its first confirmed case of COVID-19, with an additional confirmed case in Wayne County. Given the low number of tests that are being done for COVID-19, and the experiences with community spread in other locations in the United States and around the world, it is likely that there are additional undetected cases in Southeast Michigan.
Based on what we know of this virus and its spread, the actions we take now will determine how quickly the virus spreads in our region. We also know that COVID-19 is not just the flu or the common cold. It has an overall mortality rate about many times higher (10x at least) than the seasonal flu, and the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions are much more vulnerable to the disease. Even if younger persons are not affected by the virus, they can still spread it to more vulnerable persons.
While it may still be possible to stop the spread of this virus in our region, we must ensure that we take steps necessary to mitigate the spread of the virus so that we do not overwhelm the health care system. There are a finite number of hospital beds, respirators, and medical staff in our area, so our goal is to slow the spread of the disease to a level that can be treated and managed by the health care system.
In Pleasant Ridge we can take personal actions, and community actions:
Personal Actions
At the individual and household level actions include practicing good health habits, curtailing travel, and preparing for the possibility that you or a family member will contract the virus and have to self-quarantine. All residents should isolate to the largest extent possible. Social distancing is the most effective method to slow the spread of the virus and preserve the capacity of our health care system to manage this pandemic.
Please refer to the Oakland County COVID-19 Guidance Document for personal and household steps you can take to slow the spread of the virus.
If you are having symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 virus, please call your doctor and self-isolate to the highest degree possible. You should not attempt to walk in to a medical facility if you are having symptoms consistent with COVID-19 without first calling for guidance.
Remember, even if you are younger and not in a high-risk group, your actions will help protect your neighbors and family members who may be in a high-risk group.
We are approaching this situation with an abundance of caution and will take further measures as warranted. When in doubt, we will err on the side of caution. We thank you for your understanding and your assistance in working together to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our local community. We will continue to communicate as we receive further guidance from County, State and Federal government.
