Bedford County Closes Courthouse to the Public

Bedford County has closed its courthouse to the public in an effort minimize COVID-19 exposure to county employees.

Any non-county employee issued a county identification badge including vendors, contractors, attorneys, abstractors, etc. should be aware that those badges will not longer be accepted. They should contact the county to schedule an appointment and check-in with Sheriff deputies on the 2nd floor courthouse entrance.

For deliveries contact the courthouse at 623-4807.

For access to other county departments, refer to the following departmental instructions or visit the county website at http://www.bedfordcountypa.org:

9-1-1 Center: Emergency Management and 9-1-1 Communications has continued to operate at full capacity during the COVID-19 incident. The department is working with PEMA, DOH, Regional Task Force, Regional EMS Council as well as local agencies to maintain 24/7 service to Bedford and Fulton Counties. Only use 9-1-1 for emergencies. Non- emergency call such as controlled burns, may call 814- 623-1105.

Commissioners: Call (814) 623-4807 with any questions about county operations or offices.

Planning Commission: The Bedford County Planning Commission office is currently closed to the public. Emails are being monitored remotely and responses will be received. Phone calls are being automatically forwarded to staff cell phones for a response. Staff can conduct video conferences,

if desired. All municipalities, local engineers and local surveyors have been notified that subdivision, land development and sewage module plans must be mailed to the office (one copy only; no multiple copies). If a signature is required to record a previously reviewed plan, please contact the Director at 814-624-2680. If the April 22 meeting of the Planning Commission is canceled, a notice will be published in the Bedford Gazette.

Tax Office: The Tax Assessment Office can be reached at (814) 623-4842 between 8:30 am -4:30 pm. Monday through Friday. Please mail correspondence for Bedford Tax Assessment to: 200 S. Juliana St. Ste.#104; Bedford, PA. 15522. Most questions can be answered by phone, postal mail or email at retax@bedfordcountypa.org.

The Tax Claims Bureau can be reached at (814) 623-4842 between 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Monday through Friday. Payments are being accepted online, using our website: http://www.bedfordcountypa.org; online payments; https://www.paylocalgov.com/P ayment/SelectEntity/114 or through the postal mail using either a bank certified check or money order. Personal checks will be accepted only during the virus pandemic and receipts will be mailed. Cash payments will be accepted when placed in an envelope, having pertinent account information on and in the envelope as to how it should be applied; when paying with cash, we need 24-hour advance notice of the appointment. After the payment has been applied, a receipt will be mailed out.

Correspondence by mail can be addressed to Bedford Tax Claims to: 200 S. Juliana St. Ste.#104; Bedford, PA. 15522.

Coroner: The Coroner’s office is operating as normal. We are still responding to any death deemed necessary to respond to. Call 814-623- 1105.

District Attorney: The office is closed to the public. Business is conducted by phone or email when feasible. Hearings will be held as identified by the State Supreme Court and directed by the County’s President Judge. Questions can be directed to 623-4855.

Probation: The office is closed to the public. Business is conducted by phone or email when feasible. Hearings will be held as identified by the State Supreme Court and directed by the County’s President Judge. Questions can be directed to 623-4855.

Treasurer: The Treasurer’s Office will be closed until further notice to the state of emergency due to COVID-19. Hotel Tax Quarterly Payments will be accepted by mail, as well as small games of chance applications and tax collectors’ reports. Dog licenses may be ordered online (follow the link on bedfordcountypa.org) or sent in by mail. We will be available by phone if you have any questions, please call us at 814- 623-4846.

Sheriff: During this time of COVID-19. The License To Carry Application will be taken by appointment only. Contact Sheriff Wayne E. Emerick Jr at 814-623-2910 to schedule the appointment. The Sheriff Office will continue to serve the public in an Emergency capacity.

Domestic Relations: Due to Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s recent decision to slow the COVID-19 virus, the Bedford County Domestic Relations Office is currently closed to the public until further notice. The office remains fully staffed and is available by phone at, 814- 623-4813. All support conferences and hearings are currently continued. For the time being, individuals wishing to file a new complaint for support or file a modification of an existing support order, may do so by accessing the Pennsylvania Child Support website, http://www.childsupport.state.pa.us and clicking on the appropriate tabs. Child/spousal support payments may also be made through the same

website. Instructions for making payments are located under the “Make a payment” tab on the web page.

Register & Recorder: The Recorder of Deeds office is still processing documents through E-recordings, as well as documents sent by U.S. Mail, Fed Ex and UPS packages. The Recorder of Deeds office partners with Simplifile and CSC recording systems to record documents electronically. If you are interested in setting up that service, please contact Simplifile 800-460-5657 or email erecord@simplifile.com and CSC 866-652-0111 or email erecording@cscglobal.com.

Nearly all documents are searchable http://www.infoconcountyaccess .com where documents can be viewed, printed or

downloaded. You may also request that the office email you any needed documents.

Register of Wills office services will be severely limited. All inheritance payments and documents should be sent by US Mail, Fed Ex and UPS packages. The office does offer video conferencing for estate openings.

Please contact us concerning any questions at RandR@bedfordcountypa.org or 814-623-4836.

The Archives Dept is also closed to the public. Please email mfeltman@bedfordcountypa.org for archival requests.

Children & Youth Services:

Bedford County Children and Youth Services continues to ensure that the safety of all Bedford County children remain our top priority through the Emergency Crisis by continuing to be available 24/7. The agency continues to provide in office staff during normal business hours to receive calls and to respond to reports with face to face contacts for all for moderate to high risk allegations and child abuse (physical, sexual, and/or neglect)

reports. CYS has been able to maintain the safety and security of the children we serve including in-home and out of home placements (foster, kinship, and congregate care) in accordance with service providers COVID-19

policy. Staff has assisted in providing basic needs to families by delivering food and personal items to our families/children. BCCYS can be contacted through normal business hour contact number at (814) 623-4804 or Childline 1- 800-932-0313 or the public portal at keepkidssafe.pa.gov.

Court Administration:

The Court is available for the following essential functions only:

• Revocation hearings

• Bench warrant

hearings pursuant to

Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 150

• Juvenile delinquency detention hearings

• Juvenile emergency shelter and detention hearings

• Temporary protection from abuse hearings • Emergency petitions

for child custody

• Emergency petitions for guardianship

All other proceedings scheduled between March 20 through at least April 30th are cancelled.

For emergency custody filings, call the Prothonotary Office at 623-4833 for further instructions.

For Protection from Abuse filings, call Your Safe Haven at 623-7664 for further instructions.

For questions regarding other scheduled court proceedings contact Court Administration at 623-4812.

No payments will be accepted at the Domestic Relations Office. Alternative payment information can be found on the County website under the Domestic Relations tab.

Magisterial District Judge Offices are closed to the public. No payments or civil filings will be accepted. For further information call the Magisterial District Judge Offices.

• MDJ Brian Baker-390- 6061

• MDJ Tonya Osman- 733-4375

• MDJ H. Cyril Bingham-623-6918

• MDJ Kathy Calhoun- 652-2523

Prothonotary:

No court filings are being accepted by in the office.

Prothonotary and Clerk of Court filings can be made via regular mail or fed ex with payment included or by emailing to pcoc@bedfordcountypa.org. If payment is needed for an emailed filing, you can mail, or we will invoice you.

Clerk of Orphans Court filings can be made via regular mail or fed ex with payment included.

Marriage Certifications: Certified copies are available through written request via mail. We need date of marriage, both parties full name including ladies maiden name. Please enclose payment of $10.00 and self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Marriage License Application: You must obtain your marriage license within 60 days of your planned ceremony. You are asked to wait to as close to the ceremony as possible. Applicants will only be for Bedford County residents at this time. Consideration will be given to those who are

getting married in April to waive the 3-day waiting period. You MUST make an appointment to apply for a license by calling 623-4833.

Contact information and a fee schedule is available at 623- 4833.

Veterans Affairs: When someone calls into the Bedford County Veterans Affairs office the calls are being answered even though we are not in the office and we are working remotely. If anyone has a question or needs a discharge paper, we can still do that either by mail or e-mail.

We can assist with claims. This also will be done by phone, mail or e-mail but we can still do claims and get the process started to them. They might not get processed as quickly but we will get them into the system.

They are being forgiving at Indiantown Gap with the Real Estate Tax Exemption, if they are due for a renewal and can't come into the office they are making allowances for that.

We can't do the Temporary Assistance right now because there is no one in the office at the Gap to do them now.

We have stopped all the DAV rides to Altoona VAMC this will resume after all is safe for our drivers.

Call 623-4848 with any questions.

Elections: The Elections office and Voter Registration is operational via 814-623-4807. Mail in and absentee applications can be done online at http://www.votespa.com or you may contact our office and we will mail them to you.

Public Defender: Call 623- 8606 with any questions.