Towns making changes in face of COVID-19
HALFMOON, N.Y. » With the number of positive tests for the COVID-19 coronavirus increasing daily in the state, municipalities have begun reacting in ways that will give their employees and the public as much protection as possible and still allow government business to continue.
It’s a fine line and one that is changing daily.
On Sunday the Town of Halfmoon Town Board called a special meeting to update the public and town staff on the impacts of the coronavirus in the county and the town.
“We’re trying to provide as much information as possible on the county level, the state level, and the federal level,” Supervisor Kevin Tollisen said. “It’s changing rapidly. Just since calling the meeting yesterday and today there have been additional changes.”
Reading through a list of the impacts, Tollisen noted that as of Friday March 13 all programming at the town senior center had been cancelled, local school districts had canceled classes, a department managers meeting had been held the previous week to update staff on enhanced cleaning in all buildings, and that all county supervisors were receiving daily updates from the Saratoga County department of Health and the county administration.
Tollisen discussed the formation of the Saratoga County Northway Corridor Public Health Task Force, its Facebook page and the fact that Dr. Harry Miller is in continuous contact with Task Force members.
“The best place for information (on the coronavirus) is the Center for Disease Control’s website,” Tollisen said. “We have information our website and the Task Force has its Facebook page. Don’t feed into the frenzy. Be diligent in what you see. If you’re not, it’ll scare you. That’s not the point here. Our point here is to be reasonable, practical and very prudent in all things that we do.”
Pointing to the quick closure of the senior center and its cleaning and sanitizing, Tollisen noted that taking care of the elderly in the town was a priority.
“The home delivered meals (for seniors) will continue and I have directed the director of the senior center to meet with me tomorrow to see that the seniors keep all their benefits,” he said.
Town Clerk Lynda Bryan added that the town’s senior bus service had been reduced to essential services only, such as grocery shopping and doctor appointments. Speaking to the Home Delivered Meal program Bryan said those doing the deliveries cannot leave a meal on the porch.
“With the Home Delivered Meals, we have to knock and see someone come to the door,” she said.
Bryan noted that the program operates Monday through Friday only. However, those receiving meals from the program can get two frozen “hot” meals on Friday along with that day’s meal.
Town Emergency Management Coordinator John Cooper said he is getting daily updates from the county’s Department of Health which he in turn re
lays to town hall’s department managers.
In an update on the town and the state’s court system, Town Justice Joseph Fodera read a statement from the state Office of Court Administration and Court System that said local jury trials had been canceled and weekend jail sentences halted for the immediate future.
However, Fodera said he expects the town court will remain open for criminal and traffic matters with some changes to accommodate health recommendations.
In matters placed before the Town Board, the board unanimously approved the cancelation of all non-essential meetings held in town meeting rooms for the next 30 days, the cancelation of workshops and conferences that employees were required to attend for the next 30 days, the cancelation of the Halfmoon Winter Market for the next 30 days, employees getting a 10 day infusion of time off for day care or sickness, and flex time for all departments so employees could work in staged time periods.
“The infusion of time off must be approved by a department manager. It’s not just to get a day off,” Tollisen said. “But, if you have a sniffle, I don’t want you here.”
The flex time gives employees a chance to work 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., or 3 a.m. to 10 a.m.
As of Tuesday afternoon the Town of Clifton Park had undertaken no similar actions. The Senior Community Center however, was closed except to town employees and volunteers affiliated with the daily lunch program.
In a statement released mid-day, the town said staff at the senior center will continue to report to work each day to assist with the needs of the town’s senior population and the lunch program would continue with delivery only.
The town court is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for routine court matters like payment of fines only. Town justices will not be holding cases on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
“All pending cases have been adjourned and parties will receive a new court day,” the statement read.
In response to Gov. Cuomo’s order on Tuesday that all municipal governments reduce their staff by half the towns of Moreau and Malta said they were doing so while the supervisor of the Town of Wilton said he was preparing to consult his board.