UPDATE: Trick-or-Treating Postponed Until Monday

UPDATE: Township manager Scott Carew said the township will adhere to Gov. Christie's executive order and postpone trick-or-treating until Monday, Nov. 5.

At this point, the township will adhere to its normal 10 p.m. curfew for trick-or-treating on Monday night. However, if conditions dictate otherwise, special restrictions may be imposed, Carew said.

Maple Shade and Mount Laurel have also postponed trick-or-treating until Monday, per the governor's order. 

The Moorestown Business Association's (MBA) 36th annual Candlelight Night will be held, as usual, from 6-9 p.m. Friday along Main Street.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, MBA president Mark Morgan said he'd spoken with Carew and Police Director Harry Johnson and both told him the Main Street area is safe and that police would be available to staff the closing of Main Street. 

"If they had said the area was not safe and/or that the police were still busy in other areas of town, then the event would have obviously been postponed," Morgan said. "It was mutually agreed by Scott (Carew) and the MBA board that, while some businesses may not be able to fully staff the event to the levels of past years, that everyone could use a night of fun and enjoyment that this event always bring to the residents and guests of Moorestown ... We know that no matter which decision we make regarding this event, that there will be people disappointed with it, but we hope that you will all respect, understand and support our decision."

(To read the full statement from the MBA, click here.)

The MBA happy hour event scheduled for Thursday night at CareOne at Harmony Village has been postponed. Morgan said it would be rescheduled for either early December or early January.

Moorestown public schools will be closed again Thursday. Both Moorestown Friends and Our Lady of Good Counsel School will be back in session Thursday. However, bussing for Friends School students who live in Moorestown will not be available due to the number of detours still in place in the township. 

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Township manager Scott Carew said the township's Department of Public Works and the police/fire department/EMS are still in the "triage phase" of Hurricane Sandy cleanup Wednesday.

He announced the following earlier today (Wednesday):

• PSE&G, working with the Burlington County Office of Emergency Management, have prioritized the downed wires and power outages that PSE&G needs to work on. The number to report power outages is 1-800-436-PSEG. They are actively working in Moorestown but have not been able to provide the township with a timetable regarding dealing with downed wires and power outages.
• The township's public works crew cannot begin to work on a downed tree with downed lines until PSE&G have properly dealt with the lines.
• Because of dangerous conditions for such an activity, trick-or treating is prohibited throughout town this evening and tomorrow. The township anticipates making an announcement later today about when trick-or-treating will occur.

"We are trying to get a handle on when we can expect neighborhoods to be safe for (trick-or-treating)," Carew added. "Between the trees, the debris and the power outages, it is too dangerous right now."

The township had previously announced trick-or-treating was rescheduled for Friday night.

Gov. Chris Christie issued an executive order Wednesday directing all communities to reschedule trick-or-treating for Monday, Nov. 5, in light of the dangers posed by the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Though the order applies specifically to towns that had not already rescheduled Halloween, those that have rescheduled have also been advised to postpone trick-or-treating until Monday. 

(Click on the PDF above to read the full text of the executive order.)

It was not immediately clear whether the governor's directive would affect Moorestown's Halloween schedule. 

Stay tuned to Moorestown Patch for more information as it becomes available.