BE PREPARED
Town of Milton COVID-19 response update
Like the traditional Boy Scouts motto, the Town of Milton is prepared for most any eventuality during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Last week, effective March 16, Milton Town Supervisor Benny Zlotnick directed Deputy Town Supervisor Barabara Kerr to issue a declaration of a State of Emergency for the town that will remain in effect for 30 days.
(That document is attached to this article online).
Because the outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 virus appeared to be accelerating at an alarming rate, coupled with reports of cases in Saratoga County rising daily, and since the Milton Town Hall building was undergoing remediation for mold, that facility was closed and Town Hall operations were relocated to the Milton Community Center located at 310 Northline
Road on a temporary basis. That closure coincided with the COVIS-19 emergency.
That building also houses the Ballston Spa Senior Center during regular conditions.
On Wednesday, although Town Hall is closed to the public, Zlotnick and other town offices continued to be staffed and operating in the large gathering space that enabled employees to observe the six feet public health social distancing directives. Just one step in from the rear entrance is a sanitation station set up with gloves, basic masks and sanitizing supplies for all who enter to use.
“We want the residents of Milton to know that we are there for them,” said both Zlotnick and Building Inspector and Zoning Official Bill Lewis, who with other town officials have been putting in countless hours behind the scenes, taking the calls of residents that are forward to facilitate timely response given
Governor Cuomo’s mandate that only essential services should be doing business as usual.
Town business has been scaled back with non-essential workers asked to remain at home. The offices of the Town Supervisor, Comptroller, and Building Departments remain functioning also on a scaled back basis by appointment, with only exterior construction inspections being conducted by the Building Department.
The Dog Control Officer Arcenci Polyak can be reached by phone at this time at (518) 885-9220 x 136.
Deputy Highway Department Superintendent Jason Miller drew from the town’s emergency supplies to drive between 40-60 masks to the Ballston Pines Apartments and senior living apartments that are next door to the temporary site for town operations.
Lewis and Miller had been taking inventory of the supply count, some of which are stored in the large Town of Milton Disaster Preparedness truck.
“We’re prepared for most emergencies. This van holds 200 emergency blankets, cots and pillows, space heaters, fans, folding tables and chairs, and portable lighting equipment. We’ve got a generator, shelter kits, portable radios, internal twoway radios for communicating within any shelter we might have to set up during any emergency that occurs, and NOA radios” said Lewis.
In addition, Lewis explained that the Disaster Emergency Preparedness van itself was equipped with water connections that when connected to a water source can enable four people to take warm showers at a time, complete with a rod to accommodate a shower curtain for privacy.
He cited the instances when emergency responders would need to take showers in the event of encountering a contaminating substance in a disaster scenario that would require them to shower immediately, but here was the capability in any situation.
At present, between 300400 Town of Milton residents are registered on the Saratoga County alert system.
“My team and I were just deployed to assist the Office of Emergency Services at the Saratoga County Correctional Facility last weekend, where we helped sort and distribute a shipment of supplies that went to the Home of the Good Shepherd locations, and various physicians offices in the County.
“I want the residents to know we are here to help, and that they should follow the CDC directives to stay at home, practice social distancing and to wash their hands frequently at this time” Lewis said. •••
Town of Milton operations updates:
• The March 25 Town Board, Planning, Building and Zoning meetings scheduled during March are cancelled. When rescheduled, all Planning and Zoning Board meetings will be held at the Community Center at 310 North Line Road, until further notice.
• All Ballston Spa Senior Center meetings and events are cancelled during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Milton Town Court is closed and will not be in regular session due to the coronavirus pandemic. All non-essential matters are adjourned until further notice. When regular operations are restored, the court will be contacting anyone with business with the court.
• Anyone with a scheduled appearance or who was otherwise directed to appear will not be penalized for their absence. Questions can be directed to Milton Town Court at (518) 885-9267 or to the Fourth Judicial District Office at 518-285-5099.
Town of Milton Phone: (518) 885-9220; updates will be posted at the Saratogian, the Town of Wilton website at https://www.townofmiltonny.org/, and their Facebook page at https://www. facebook.com/pg/MiltonNY.