City of Tallmadge’s Response to COVID-19

Updated: April 3, 2020

The City of Tallmadge is doing what it can to work within the multiple directives from the federal, state, and county governments regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. Please bear with us as we collectively work through the unique, unprecedented issues that have arisen from the spread of this unfortunate virus. All actions we are taking, many of which are difficult, are intended to slow the spread of the virus. We are all in this together and we must all work together to get through it. Please do what you can: donate blood if you are healthy (this is safe to do!), call an older neighbor to see if there is anything they need, and be patient with each other.

See the Ohio Department of Health COVID-19 daily dashboard for the latest information on the virus.

The City of Tallmadge is following Governor DeWine’s and the Ohio Health Department’s recommendations to promote prevention activities to slow the spread of the outbreak. Please see the Letter from the Mayor in response to COVID-19.

Notice Regarding Your Recycling and Trash Service

Effective Monday, April 13, Republic Services will be temporarily suspending the collection of recycling, yard waste, and bulk items for the safety of their drivers.

Please limit the amount of material set out each week to only that which will fit inside the cart. Residents may use their recycling container for trash overflow as all recycling carts at the curb will be dumped “as trash” during this time. Once the Governor rescinds the Stay at Home Order, all collection services will return to normal.

Also, Simply Recycling, the “orange bag” textile recycling program, has been suspended until further notice.

City Building Restrictions

Due to Governor DeWine’s extension of K-12 school closings and the extension of the Presidential social distancing guidelines until the beginning of May, City of Tallmadge facilities will continue to be closed to the public until further notice. To contact specific City departments, all office phone numbers can be found using the City Directory.

City Cancellations and Postponements
Utility Payment Information
Cemetery and Burial Information, please call 330-633-5367
Code Enforcement/Property Maintenance Issues and Planning & Zoning, please call 330-633-0090

Municipal Income Tax Filing Deadline Extended to July 15

Municipal income tax returns and payments for tax year 2019 with a due date of April 15, 2020 have been extended to July 15, 2020. Estimated payments for the first and second quarters of tax year 2020 have also been extended to July 15, 2020.

No request for extension or other filing is required to receive these extensions. No late filing or late payment penalties, or interest, will be imposed for the period of April 15, 2020 through July 15, 2020 for these extended filings and payments.

RITA’s call center will remain open and available for taxpayer calls at 1-800-860-7482, however, staffing is reduced and call times may be longer than normal. In addition, RITA offers several secure, simple and convenient online ways to file returns, make payments, review account information, even send a message to a RITA agent through MyAccount, all available at ritaohio.com.

Public Safety Seeks Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Donations

As the pandemic continues and current supplies are stretched thin, the need for PPE grows increasingly important for the City’s first responders. The Tallmadge Police and Fire Departments ask local businesses and the general public to donate any PPE in their possession to the benefit of all Tallmadge residents.

Tallmadge Safety Forces are in need of:

N95 masks, surgical masks, or other dust/procedure masks
Disposable surgical gowns
Barrier coveralls (Tyvek suits)
Safety glasses

Parks & Recreation Social Distancing Reminder

In an effort to protect public health and safety, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Governor Mike DeWine issued a Stay at Home Order effective March 24 to further promote social distancing. This order allows the use of public parks as a means of getting exercise and fresh air as long as social distancing guidelines are followed. These guidelines prohibit group gatherings in any number and require 6 feet of separation from others when using parks.

Since the order was put into place, we have received notification of park users not abiding by these guidelines. Signs are being posted to help reinforce proper social distancing guidelines. We are asking your help to spread the word about the importance of proper social distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19. If we continue to witness park users not respecting social distancing, we may be forced to close our parks.

Public Safety Adjustments

The police department has begun handling as many calls as possible via telephone to minimize the exposure to officers. They will also avoid entering homes and businesses to the extent possible.

Residents will experience the following when requesting assistance from the fire department:

When talking to dispatch, callers will be asked several additional questions to determine COVID-19 risk factors.
Residents are asked to meet responders at their front door, and to please leave the screen/storm door closed and communicate through it.
EMS personnel will be wearing a face mask and eye protection on all calls.
Patients experiencing respiratory symptoms will be required to wear a surgical mask during any interaction with fire personnel. The mask will be provided by responding personnel.
EMS personnel will contact the hospital before transport to determine whether the patient will be taken to the hospital or advised to stay home with instructions.

All of these procedural modifications are implemented with the safety of residents and City employees as a top priority. Everyone’s patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.