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The outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused the shutdown of thousands of businesses across the United States and millions of Americans are out of work. In New York State, over 1.6 million residents have filed for unemployment and frustration is mounting as claims continue to be unprocessed.[1] Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Plattsburgh) and Assemblyman Dan Stec (R-Queensbury) have received several hundred calls in their offices from their constituents expressing these same concerns.
“My staff and I are working tirelessly to assist my residents that have done their part and filed for unemployment amidst this pandemic,” Jones said. “Each day we receive dozens of calls from individuals who are struggling, and they shouldn’t have to be. It is heartbreaking to hear their stories: single parents who aren’t sure how they will feed their children this week because they are out of money, residents who aren’t sure how they will pay for their prescriptions, and small business owners who have drained their savings and are afraid their doors will be shuttered forever. It is simply unacceptable that these individuals cannot even receive a simple call back to finish processing their claims. We must do better.”
Jones joined his Assembly colleagues in calling on the Commissioner to process older claims and indicated that for several weeks he has notified the governor of claims that his office has received which are more than 30 days old and they are surpassing several hundred. Assemblyman Dan Stec stated he has also been in contact with the Governor’s office and has indicated the same.
“One of the most pressing and most frustrating failures of state government’s response to the Coronavirus has been the Department of Labor’s inability to process the volume of unemployment claims,” said Stec. “While certainly, the volume is unprecedented it is absolutely unacceptable for so many people to be waiting up to seven or eight weeks for their benefits, or to go weeks without contact from the Department on the status of their applications.”
Both Assemblymen agree this is not a time for politics or name-calling. The Assemblymen concur that we must work together and help these struggling individuals get the benefits they are entitled to.
“This is not a game, these are people’s livelihoods,” said Jones. “We are calling on the Department of Labor to fix these inadequacies and get these individuals the benefits that they are entitled to. We must put an end to their financial struggle.”
The Clinton County Health Department Media conference ended at 11:13 p.m.
Here’s some of the most important information imparted:
CVPH elective surgery will SLOWLY resume on May 18th. Patients will be notified when their surgery is scheduled.
Positive cases remained the same at 76. Only two COVID patients are currently in the hospital and they are recovering.
CVPH is focusing on reopening slowly and safely. They want people to be reassured that they are operating safely.
Emergency Room volume has dropped significantly. CVPH is very concerned that people who have a REAL emergencies are not coming to the ER. The ER is open for business for real emergencies. PLEASE go in if you have a medical emergency or call 911.
CVPH will not be utilizing waiting rooms when appointments begin.Patients will be asked to remain in their vehicles. They will be called via phone when the provider is ready to see them.
CVPH is in a very deep financial hole. Many things will have to be done differently. They will be trying as much as possible NOT to reduce staffing; however, no promises can be made at this time. A NYS work-sharing program is being considered. People might share a job but be paid when not working.
It will take months for the hospital to return to normal operations.
The Clinton County Health Department is developing a gradual recovery process. Testing, training, wearing masks and social distancing are absolutely vital.
Local code enforcement officers will be trained to assist with worksite enforcement.
Saratoga, NY – Congresswoman Stefanik has announced an estimated $63 million in HHS rural hospital funding from the CARES Act has gone to North Country rural hospitals. Recipients of the $63 million rural distribution include rural acute care general hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and Community Health Centers located in rural areas.
“This round of funding for our North Country rural hospitals is desperately needed during this financially challenging time,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I worked hard to ensure funding was included in the CARES Act for rural hospitals in underserved regions, and I will continue to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure each North Country hospital is provided with adequate funding to make up for the loss of revenues experienced as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.”
The estimated individual disbursements to hospitals are as follows:
MOTION/DISCUSSION:To Accept reports from all Departments: (Water/Sewer/Valcour; Highway; Town Clerk; Dog Control; Youth Department; Code/Zoning; Supervisor’s Report; Court; Website; JCEO; and Banking Reports)
MOTION:Approval of Minutes for the Town Board Regular Meeting of April 27, 2020.
RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:Approval of Buttonwood MOU for Sewer Project.
RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:Approval of Contract for North Country Animal Shelter.
RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:Award Town Hall Roof Repair Bid.
RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:Name the Washington St. Access Road Gala Lane.
RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:Pay Bills
DISCUSSION/MOTION:Adjourn to Executive Session.
DISCUSSION/MOTION:Return to Regular Session
MOTION: Adjourn
**In an effort to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, this Town Board Meeting will not be open to the public.The minutes will be available online as soon as they are approved at the following Board Meeting of May 28, 2020.Thank you for your understanding in this matter and stay safe!
The Peru Central School District is seeking candidates to fill two (2) vacant, at-large seats on the Board of Education, due to the expiration of the terms of Ms. Cynthia Mills and Mr. Steven Peters.
Both seats are for full five-year terms from July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2025.
A school board candidate must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a qualified voter in the District, and able to read and write. They must be a resident of the District continuously for one year before the election. At the time when the board member takes office, they cannot be employed by the District. They also cannot live in the same household with a family member who is also a current member of the Board.
Due to COVID-19, nominating petitions have been suspended, and individuals may self-nominate. Individuals interested in running for the school board must submit their signed self-nomination form to the District Clerk no later than 5:00 PM on Monday, May 11, 2020. Forms shall state the name, residence and phone number of the candidate. Forms may be submitted by faxing 518-643-2043 or emailing sprovost@perucsd.org. Please call 518-643-6002 with any questions. Thank you.
The Peru Central School Board of Education will hold a remote budget workshop meeting on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 6:00 PM. The public may view the meeting live at https://stream.meet.google.com/stream/1e5d13df-59fe-410c-ae66-4d7f29e9790b. This meeting will also be recorded and available on the website.
Also, please note that the regular monthly board meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday, May 12th has been postponed until Tuesday, May 19th.
The full agendas for both will be available on the District’s website at perucsd.org.
New data reveals that, outside of progress in the New York metropolitan area, the rest of the U.S. is moving in the wrong direction when it comes to the fight against the coronavirus. Figures from Johns Hopkins University show the known infection rate exceeding 20,000 per day and the daily death toll surpassing 1,000. The figures support public health officials’ warnings that the failure to flatten the curve could lead to many more deaths as more states begin lifting lockdowns.
• There have been more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases and more than 71,000 deaths.
• By Sunday, at least 43 states will have completely or partially reopened.
• A new study suggests more African Americans are dying from the virus in the U.S. than whites or other ethnic groups. Counties with higher black populations account for more than half of all coronavirus cases and almost 60% of deaths, according to the study.
This week, I began holding working group phone calls with our local County Public Health Officials and hospitals and community health centers from across the district. It is very important for me to hear directly from our healthcare professionals and administrators to ensure I work to meet their needs on the federal level. I will continue to hold these working group calls over the next few weeks with local elected officials, business owners, farmers, and school districts in order to gain valuable feedback as we create a path forward together. Read more here.
Announcing $300,000 EPA Grant for Glens Falls
This week, I announced $300,000 in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment funding will be awarded to Glens Falls. EPA’s Brownfields program empowers states and communities to assess and clean up hazards in local communities. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct up to 24 Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments and develop up to six cleanup plans. Assessment activities will target the city’s Gateway Industrial Corridor, of which the Broad Street portion is designated as a Qualified Opportunity Zone. This funding will be crucial to helping the City of Glens Falls clean up a formerly contaminated site, and will help spark economic development opportunities. This grant will not only help clean up environmental contaminants, but also utilize these properties to create jobs, increase the tax base, and open new opportunities for a previously unused area. I am proud to advocate for federal funding that supports community-based projects like the one that will be conducted in Glens Falls, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it has on the area. Read more here.
Requesting Support for State and Local Governments
This week, I sent a letter to House and Senate leadership requesting that future relief legislation include immediate financial assistance to state and local governments that have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the CARES Act included $7.5 billion in assistance for New York State and its large municipalities, it did not include direct funding for local governments with less than 500,000 people. The letter, sent by the entire New York Congressional Delegation, requests robust funding for all levels of government as well as provisions to ensure states do not use this funding to supplant assistance currently provided to local governments. The North Country needs direct assistance in order to continue to provide essential services to communities. New York has been the epicenter of this pandemic and those effects have disproportionately affected the economy in our region. I will continue to work with my colleagues to deliver federal relief to our local governments in order to provide the most direct support. Read more here.
Requesting Support for Mental Health Services During COVID-19
I have sent two letters to House leadership requesting support for mental health resources and suicide prevention as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The first letter specifically requests leadership to include provisions related to suicide prevention in any forthcoming COVID-19 relief package, including $61 million in funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The second letter calls on leadership to prioritize the mental health needs of healthcare workers who are treating COVID-19 patients, including a new grant program through the Department of Health and Human Services to supplement existing assistance programs focused on mental health. The COVID-19 outbreak has presented numerous challenges not only for our essential healthcare workers but for many people struggling with mental health issues. It is imperative that we provide adequate resources and funding in any forthcoming legislative packages to support suicide prevention and help our communities address this crisis on all fronts. The provisions and funding outlined in these two letters will ensure struggling individuals have access to the resources they need. I will continue to advocate for initiatives like these in order to help our North Country communities respond to and recover from this crisis. Read more here.
Requesting Support for the U.S. Postal Service
Last week, I sent a letter to House and Senate leadership requesting immediate help for the United States Postal Service. The letter, signed by members of the New York Congressional Delegation, outlines the importance of the Postal Service in New York State, where 7.7 million addresses are served. The letter also outlines the negative financial impact that the COVID-19 outbreak has had on mail volume and goes on to support the Postal Board of Governors’ request for a total of $75 billion in funding for the Postal Service. I have heard from many constituents and met with many Postal groups throughout my time in Congress. I understand firsthand the importance of the Postal Service in my district, especially in our more rural areas. The Postal Service is a critical component of our infrastructure, and it employs many people in my district as well. I will continue to advocate for federal funding to support the Postal Service through this challenging time and beyond. Read more here.
