As we continue to work through the ongoing concerns and blunt the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19, Mayor Colleen Mahr and the Borough of Fanwood will be providing updates on a regular basis.

We encourage residents to check our website and social media for regular updates, our newsletter and tune into Fanwood’s Public Access television channels – on Comcast Channel 35 and on Verizon Channel 24.

Additionally, Fanwood Memorial Library is closed until further notice. We encourage you to visit their website for info on how we will assist the public during this time.

Additionally, all community-related activities and events are canceled until further notice.

Borough Hall and the Police Department will remain open but will be closed to the public. There is also a drop box located at the front of Borough Hall which can be utilized, as well as email and calls to contact borough administrators. For contact information, please visit this webpage. We thank our residents for their cooperation and understanding during this time.

As SPF schools remain closed until further notice, we strongly advise against any playdates, social gatherings, and sleepovers. We also strongly urge all residents to continue to follow the CDC’s guidelines as it pertains to cleanliness and social distancing.

The Borough of Fanwood is a member of the Westfield Regional Health Department and relies on the Department to provide the most up-to-date information.

3/16 Council Meeting to be Streamed

Monday’s regularly scheduled Mayor and Council meeting for 7 pm will continue as scheduled. While the meeting was noticed as open to the public, we are strongly encouraging residents to watch it live through our public access or on Facebook. The agenda is on our website.

The Borough will be streaming the meeting through Public Access television Channel – on Comcast channel 35, and on Verizon/FiOS channel 24.

 We will also be streaming on Facebook Live. The Live stream will be an opportunity for residents to hear the necessary steps Fanwood is taking. The Westfield Health Department will be in attendance tomorrow night to review safety precautions and answer resident questions.

Fanwood’s Health Officer to attend Council Meeting

Megan Avallone, Health Officer of the Westfield Regional Health Department, will be in attendance for Monday’s  3/16 meeting. We will be taking questions and answering them in real-time.

Up until 4 pm on 3/16, residents are encouraged to submit questions for the borough council and Ms. Avalone to mayor@fanwoodnj.org. Ms. Avallone will also be taking questions live during tomorrow night’s meeting.

Ms. Avalone will incorporate your questions into her presentation. While this meeting is publicly noticed and open to the public, it is our hope that you refrain from attending. The agenda for Monday’s meeting is posted on our webpage.

From the Office of Chief Richard Trigo and Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr

In an effort to assist the community’s most vulnerable population, the Fanwood Police Department will provide for the delivery of essential medical equipment / supplies / medicine to our senior residents on a need basis. 

Seniors are instructed to contact County Dispatch at (908) 322-5000 and enter 0 for all requests. Please provide dispatch with your information and you will be contacted by a Police Supervisor for coordination. 

This shall remain in effect until further notice. Emergency calls for service shall take precedence over these requests.

Municipal Courts closed thru March 27

Effective March 16, until March 27, all New Jersey Municipal Court sessions have been suspended as part of the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. Persons who are scheduled to appear before a Municipal Court to contest a traffic or parking ticket, or minor local ordinance violation should not appear and should await notice of a new court date.

Check the Judiciary’s public website (njcourts.gov) for updated information about Municipal Court closures.

Senior Tax Reimbursement Information

If you are a senior and need your tax reimbursement form signed by our tax collector, we ask that you either drop it in our drop-box located at Borough Hall or please mail it to Colleen Huehn with your contact information. She will sign and return it. Please mail your forms to:

Fanwood Borough Hall
75 North Martine Avenue
Fanwood, NJ 07023
908-322-8236
ATTN: Colleen Huehn

Tax & Sewer Payment Information

If you need to make your tax and utility payment, you can do so online by following this link.
Payment is available online through the Fanwood homepage on the right-side tab, titled “Tax & Utility Payment and Lookup.”

A Message on Local Businesses

As supplies and continue to be scooped up, we ask all residents to support our local businesses where they feel comfortable and to be cordial and understanding to local businesses that are short-staffed or running low on supplies. 

Many of our establishments are offering no-contact delivery or curbside pick-up to avoid spreading germs.

Finally, be kind to your fellow shoppers. We are all witnessing the chaos throughout the country as shoppers fight over toilet paper and other needs – we are all in this together and we will get through it so long as we are respectful, smart, and understanding.

COVID-19 Preparedness

The Borough of Fanwood, as a member of the Westfield Regional Health Department (WRHD), is monitoring the evolving situation involving COVID-19 in New Jersey. The WRHD is reviewing and sharing the guidance that is being provided by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more information, residents can call (908) 789-4070 or visit westfieldnj.gov/coronavirus.

We understand there is growing concern around the virus and are suggesting all Fanwoodians take the following steps to ensure your family is prepared:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
  •  Stay home when you are sick
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
  • Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask. The CDC DOES NOT recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
Additionally, you should consider the following actions:
  • Stocking up on a two-week supply of food and water
  • Periodically check your regular prescription drugs to ensure a continuous supply in your home
  • Have non-prescription drugs and other health supplies on hand including pain relievers/fever-reducing medications, stomach remedies, cough, and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes, and vitamins, tissues
  • Stock up on household supplies such as toilet paper, hand soap, paper towels, garbage bags, cleaning supplies, etc.
  • Get copies and maintain electronic versions of health records from doctors, hospitals pharmacies and other sources and store them for personal reference
  • Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what would be needed for them in your home
  • Have pet foods and supplies
  • Stock up on baby care items
  • Plan for extended school and daycare closures
  • Talk to your employer about telecommuting opportunities in the event that movement of people is restricted
  • Plan for a sick room in the home. Designate one room that would work best, usually a bedroom with its own bathroom that no one else will use. If someone in the home becomes ill, keep them in the sick room away from others.