COMMITTEE FORMING TO PLAN FOR THE TIME WHEN BUSINESSES ALLOWED TO RE-OPEN

With an eye to the day when Columbia County businesses and those across the state are given the okay by New York State to begin re-opening, Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell is in the process of establishing a committee tasked with helping to determine what needs local businesses will have at that time.

Michael Tucker, president and CEO of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, and Jeff Hunt, president and CEO of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, have agreed to co-chair the committee, to be known as Columbia County Business Moving Forward Together, Murell said.

Others asked by the Chairman to serve are Rob Beaury, Germantown Town Supervisor and Chair of the County Economic Development committee; Rob Lagonia, Austerlitz town supervisor, chair of the Health & Human Services committee, and a restaurant owner; and New Lebanon Town Supervisor and Economic Development committee member Tistrya Houghtling. Murell plans to request that “four or five business people also join the committee. We will definitely need their perspective.”

“We will be looking at such things as how county businesses have been affected, what businesses will need assistance, and what they might need to return to business,” he added. “I think it’s important, in this unique time, to get ahead of these and other business-related issues as we look ahead to when the state allows business to begin re-opening.”

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH MONITORS NURSING HOMES

County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb said Monday that the Pine Haven Nursing Home & Rehabilitation Center in Philmont experienced two additional COVID-19 deaths since Friday, bringing to 12 the number of deaths at the facility from the virus.

“The community should know that we continue to closely monitor the situation at Pine Haven, to the extent that, while we have limited testing kits, we consider nursing homes within the county to be a priority,” Mabb said. “If a doctor determines that someone needs to be tested, we will test them.”

Mabb explained that while the County Department of Health has no jurisdiction over the operation of private nursing homes, “These are county residents and we will do all we can to try to keep them safe. Matt B. Murell Chairman Kelly S. Baccaro Clerk Ronald L. Knott Deputy Chairman James J. Guzzi Deputy Chairman I will say that Pine Haven has done an excellent job of getting its residents tested, and an excellent job of containing the virus.”

INFORMATION FOR DONATIONS MASKS

Those interested in donating masks should contact Austerlitz Town Supervisor and county Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Rob Lagonia at [email protected]. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s five or 100, we need every one,” said Lagonia, who recommends that those wishing to help out with mask donations consult CDC guidelines at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

Currently, Ocean State Job Lot stores are offering free fabric for use in the construction of masks in a “Mask Fabric For Free” campaign. Visit any Ocean State location for the fabric, which is said to be of a high-quality cotton/polyester blend available in two sizes. Further information is available on the Ocean State Job Lot website.

MONETARY: Those wishing to make donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, face shields, and gowns, are advised to contact the Emergency Management Office at 518-828- 1212. If no one answers, leave a message and someone will return the call.

FOOD: donations should be directed to the county Office for the Aging (518-828-4258) and local food pantries. Monetary donations intended for the purchase of much-needed equipment for emergency responders, medical personnel, and others on the front lines of the coronavirus fight are advised to send a check in care of Columbia County, with coronavirus noted in the memo field. The check can be sent to the Columbia County Controller’s Office, 401 State Street, Hudson, NY 12534. All money received is being placed in a dedicated account.

REMINDER OF SERVICES AVAILABLE

Family Assistance Network: As part of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Columbia County Emergency Management has asked leaders in the human services and spiritual areas of our community for help, Director of Emergency Management David W. Harrison, Jr., said Saturday. The individuals were asked to form a Family Assistance Network to provide information to assist county residents who may be dealing with someone close to them who passed away as a result of the COVID-19 virus.

Information on where someone can reach out for help is posted on various websites, including the Columbia County website and Emergency Management Facebook page.

Hotline For Elderly And Vulnerable : Columbia County Sheriff David Bartlett has established a hotline for the elderly and vulnerable in our county, including those with medical conditions or are disabled, who would welcome a deputy checking on their well-being on a daily basis. The number for the hotline is 518-828-0601, extension 1400.

SELF-ISOLATION

Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell continues to urge anyone migrating from outside Columbia County to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival. “Everyone should consider they are a carrier of the coronavirus,” said Murell.

DISCLAIMER

It is the county’s intention to issue accurate information regarding the coronavirus situation under conditions that can change by the minute. For the most up-to-date, accurate information, visit the County Department of Health’s website at https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/home/coronaviruscovid-19 or their Facebook page @: https://www.facebook.com/Columbia-County-Department-of-Health469399129790791/. The state’s coronavirus website, with up-to-the-minute information, can be located at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home. The county will issue a daily press release on the coronavirus situation every afternoon at 4. The releases can be found on the Columbia County website and the Facebook pages of the Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Health, and the Emergency Management Office.

Columbia County Department of Health Update

As of 2 PM on April 20, 2020:

We are sad to report that Columbia County has had a 12th community member pass away from COVID-19
-120 positive cases of COVID-19
– 54 of the 120 cases have recovered from COVID-19
– 9 of the positive cases are hospitalized, 3 of those are in the ICU
-We have received 912 test results completed for Columbia County residents
– 118 residents are under mandatory quarantine and 14 under precautionary quarantine
-There are 2 residents with suspected, not tested cases