Beginning today, Dauphin County and Derry Township will be moving to the “Yellow Phase” of the Commonwealth’s Reopening Plan for Pennsylvania.

The Derry Township Municipal Building and Tax Association lobbies will be open for normal business hours starting June 1, 2020. Residents and visitors looking to conduct Township business or pay taxes must wear a mask and observe social distancing etiquette as outlined by the CDC and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. 

The Derry Township Recycling Center will remain closed until further notice; however, the Yard Waste Drop-Off Center is open and the hours are listed on the Township website .

The Hershey Public Library will be open for lobby pickup of materials starting Monday, June 8, 2020. Lobby pickup will be available Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM with evening hours Monday and Wednesday from 4-8 PM. Patrons may request library materials by placing an online hold or by calling the library at 717-533–6555 beginning June 8. Patrons are required to wear a mask while picking up library materials and we request that no more than three patrons convene in the lobby at a time. For more information please visit www.hersheylibrary.org .

Derry Township Parks & Recreation will reopen its tennis courts and make picnic shelters available on a first come first serve basis. All open spaces will be accessible to the public with all applicable distancing guidelines. Please continue to follow all CDC and Department of Health guideline while using The Jonathan Eshenour Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail, which has remained in operation since the beginning of the health crisis.

Thank you for your cooperation and we look forward to seeing you!

Dauphin County and Derry Township have waived penalties on the 2020 County/Township Real Estate tax until 12/31/2020. This tax was issued February 1, 2020. The amount listed for April and May on the tax bill will be payable through 12/31/2020. At this time, this is the only tax bill in which the penalties have been waived. The penalties are still due on the Occupation Taxes and the Interim Real Estate tax bills.

The Derry Township Board of Supervisors held its regular meeting Tuesday, May 26th at 7 p.m. Members of the public streamed the meeting on YouTube and some joined the Zoom webinar to participate in public comment. To watch the recording, please visit the  Township's YouTube channel.

The Derry Township Yard Waste Center is open to residents with reduced hours and safety precautions in place. Please be advised that residents are required to wear masks at all times or entry will be denied. Access will be limited to a maximum of 12 vehicles at any one time with entry controlled by Derry Township staff. All visitors to the Drop-Off Center, while outside their vehicles, should remain 6-feet apart. Mulch is also available for pick-up.

The new Drop-off Center hours will be Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. until further notice. The Yard Waste Drop-off Center will be closed on the following holidays:

    Monday, May 25, 2020 – Memorial Day

    Friday, July 3, 2020 – Independence Day

    Monday, September 7, 2020 – Labor Day

    Wednesday, November 11, 2020 – Veterans Day

    Thursday, November 26, 2020 – Thanksgiving Day

    Friday, November 27, 2020 – Thanksgiving Holiday

    Thursday, December 24, 2020 – Christmas Eve

    Friday, December 25, 2020 – Christmas Day

    Thursday, December 31, 2020 – New Year’s Eve

The Recycling Center remains closed until further notice.

The Dauphin County Board of Elections has temporarily changed the voting locations for Precincts 1, 3 and 12. The temporary location for these Precincts is the Hershey Primary Elementary, 450 Homestead Road, Hershey, PA 17033.

On June 2nd, for the Primary Election, please vote at Hershey Primary Elementary. If you normally vote in one of those precincts, please vote at Hershey Primary Elementary for the June 2nd Primary Election. You will not be issued new voter ID cards as this is a temporary polling place for only the Primary Election.

To locate your polling place click here.

Questions, please call 717-780-6360.

Derry Township has compiled a list of resources that may be useful for local businesses as they navigate recovery efforts in response to COVID-19. Visit our  COVID-19 Business Resources page , which can be found under the “Business” tab on the Derry Township website. The page contains a variety of resources for businesses provided by government, organizations, and private industry.

After careful consideration, the Township of Derry has decided to cancel the Summer Day Camp program for 2020. This decision has been based on the review of all issued health guidelines under both the Red and Yellow Phases, and guidance provided by the CDC, the Department of Health and the Governor’s Office. As a result of these guidelines, it has been determined that daily gatherings of our campers and staff would not be in compliance and could pose a health risk to both. Our commitment continues to be the health and safety of our community and our staff as we navigate the COVID-19 Virus. Thank you for your support and understanding during this challenging time and we look forward to seeing everyone back at our next Summer Day Camp Program.

Join us for the Run for Hershey Virtual 5k! All proceeds will go directly to support small businesses in Downtown Hershey impacted by COVID-19.

Register for the race on our website, then get out to walk, run, hike, bike, skip, or even bunny hop a 5k on your own time by May 31 while using appropriate social distancing precautions.

Take a picture or video and share your love for Downtown Hershey on social media using #RunForHersheyVirtual5k and #DowntownHershey .

Register here: https://bit.ly/RunForHersheyVirtual5k

Hershey Public Library's May Calendar

2020 Board of Supervisors Meeting Dates

Monday, June 1, the summer officially begins at the Hershey Public Library. Get ready for the Adult Summer Reading Program kick-off with Aly Tran, Adult Programming Manager, and Children's and Teen's Summer Quest with Rita Smith, Children's Librarian. Join a Facebook LIVE event at 2:00 p.m. on June 1st on Facebook @hersheypubliclibrary . Learn how to sign up online for the library's summer-long virtual reading program  that's going to be fun for the whole family! The theme this summer is "Imagine Your Story" featuring Fairy Tales, Mythology and Fantasy. Online access is easy using Beanstack.com . How it works: Register, read books, log activities, experience new things, imagine the possibilities! Earn the prizes detailed in each age-specific program. Please visit the library's website at www.hersheylibrary.org  for more information.

Monday, June 1, the library’s outside book drop is officially open! Please return items for check in. The library will continue to waive all fines. Please do not deposit book donations at this time. The library will notify the public when it's OK to drop them off.

Monday, June 8, Grab and Go pickup service begins. Access to the library will be strictly limited to the lobby.

Have a hold waiting for you at the library? The library will check it out to you, and it’ll be available starting June 8 for pick up in the library’s front lobby. Patrons will be notified that their item is checked out either by phone or email, depending on how their notifications are set with the library. Items will be checked out for 5 weeks to allow plenty of time to pick up items. All fines will continue to be waived and the library will issue liberal renewals while Dauphin County is in the Yellow Phase of reopening.

Lobby Pickup Hours Starting June 8th: 

Monday: 10-2 & 4-8

Tuesday: 10-2

Wednesday 10-2 & 4-8

Thursday 10-2

Friday 10-2

Saturday 10-2

Patrons will be limited to 10 items checked out per library card.

Also starting June 8, the library will accept telephone requests for library materials at 717-533-6555 during lobby pickup hours.

How is the library ensuring your safety while using Grab and Go?

The library’s lobby will be disinfected before and after each lobby pickup shift. All materials are quarantined for the CDC recommended timeline of 72 hours before being circulated back into the community. All lobby pickup patrons must wear a mask when entering the lobby. All staff will wear masks and gloves while handling your materials. Sorry, the library’s public restrooms will be unavailable to ensure that public access is limited to the front lobby. The library requests that no more than 3 patrons enter the lobby at a time.

Wednesday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m.

Presented by Steve Anderson.

Please register online to attend this virtual program by Zoom link.

More than 150 years before “social distancing,” the people of Gettysburg knew what it was like to be trapped in their homes, afraid to go out, not knowing how long it might last. How did they get through it? How would you respond in their place? And what can we learn from their experience? Join us as we explore the stories of ordinary people, in extraordinary circumstances.

Please contact Aly Tran at atran@derrytownship.org with any questions concerning adult programs.

Bob Watson’s “The Nazi Titanic” Book Discussion. Saturday, July 11. 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Join a virtual program with award-winning author and historian, Bob Watson, who has published over 40 books on topics in history and politics. He will discuss his book “The Nazi Titanic”. Please register online . You will be sent a Zoom link to attend the program after you have registered. No app or account is required to participate. Please contact Aly Tran at atran@derrytownship.org with any questions about adult programming.

Registration is now open for the following programs, and all will be held online. A Zoom link will be sent after registration. No app or account is required to participate. Please contact the Children's Librarian, Rita Smith, at ritahuntsmith@derrytownship.org with any questions.

Books & Babies  - A time for pre-walking babies (birth-12 months) and parents/caregivers to share in songs, simple stories, nursery rhymes, and action plays. The program is on Mondays at 9:30 am beginning on June 15. (6 occurrences.) 

1, 2, Whee!  - A mixed-age program for ones and twos with a caregiver. Join Miss Rita in the Zoom room for songs, stories, dances, fun, and learning--all at the same time! The program is on Tuesdays at 10:00 am beginning on June 16. (6 occurrences.)

Chewsy Readers is a program for readers (registered children) to meet for lunch and share books.  Chewsy Readers  for children in grades K-2 and ages 5-8 is on Mondays at 12:15 pm beginning on June 15.  Chewsy Readers  for children in grades 3-5 and ages 8-11 is on Wednesdays at 12:15 pm beginning on June 17. (6 occurrences of both groups.) 

Furry Tales  - Struggling readers in grades K-5 are paired with licensed therapy dogs and their handlers for an online reading experience. Readers sign up for a 15 minute time slot to read via Zoom with handler and animal. The program is on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm beginning on June 17. (6 occurrences.) 

Lego Club  - Budding architects and LEGO fanatics ages 6+ are welcome to join the library's virtual LEGO Club. (Please register for each week your child will attend.) A Zoom link will be provided along with the week's challenge via email prior to the club meeting. We will share a short story or lesson and then participants will have the opportunity to share the creations they made to meet the weekly challenge. The program is on Thursdays at 1:30 pm from June 18 to July 23.

Date: Saturday, June 6

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Location: 64 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey, PA 17033 - First UMC upper parking lot and/or “porch” next to alley (rear of church)

The Coronavirus pandemic has greatly affected economies worldwide and Derry Township is no exception. We will serve our local community by collecting items for Hershey Food Bank and Love INC’s Personal Care Closet, both of which have seen increased demands.

Volunteers will wear masks. Participants will maintain social distancing and will have an option to make “drive-through” donations.

Pop-Up Community Drive Collections:

Hershey Food Bank : Collection of non-perishable food items. Most needed items: tuna, canned meats, baked beans, canned peas, peanut butter, canned pasta sauce, bagged rice, bagged noodles, and catsup.

Love INC Personal Care Closet (PCC) : Collection of full-size toiletry items. Most needed items: body wash, dish liquid, dishwasher pods and liquid, feminine hygiene products, paper towels, hand soap, baby wipes and antibacterial cleaners.