Effective August 29, 2020, Columbia County is changing its mass-notification emergency alert system from CodeRed to the system provided by New York State known as NY-ALERT.

​All Columbia County residents are encouraged to enroll in the new emergency alert system, NY-ALERT, prior to August 29th.

Existing landline telephones will be automatically subscribed to the new service.

Thankfully, our efforts to stay at home, socially distance and practice good hand hygiene have paid off. We've managed to slow the spread and flatten the curve, which helped avoid a healthcare crisis in our local emergency rooms.

New York State is slowly beginning to reopen, but unfortunately it will be some time before things return to "normal." That said, I regret to share with you the following cancellations:

The Philmont Memorial Day Community service and parade have been canceled. The Minkler-Seery American Legion Post 252 will still honor those Veterans who gave their lives for us with a service at each cemetery and at the Village Memorial Parks, with a time and date to be announced.
Chairman Jeffrey French is asking all Claverack residents to take a moment out of your day on May 25th to remember those service members who are no longer with us.

All rentals of the Claverack Town Park have been suspended for the Summer. This includes any private parties, gatherings, concerts, etc. The park will remain open for walking and playing, but residents are asked to refrain from playing any contact sports (basketball, etc.). 

The Claverack Summer Youth Program at the Town Park has been canceled. The Town Board regrets having to make this decision, but we did not feel it was prudent to move forward with the program as State and County government have both discouraged summer camps and youth programs during this time. We look forward to having a program in Summer 2021.

The Claverack Republican Club's Summer Concert Series has been canceled for 2020. In making the announcement, Club vice-president Charles Schram said, “there was simply no way to make it work given the nature of the venue and the close interaction required.” The club will begin planning for the 2021 season at the first of the year.

Philmont Community Day has been canceled. Any donations, and all money from fundraising will be utilized for next year’s event. Anyone with questions or concerns can contact Secretary/Treasurer Brenda Baker by calling (518)-821-4481, or by email.

For additional updates and announcements, please continue to check the town website.

The Town of Claverack has received a limited amount of cloth face masks (not medical grade) from the County to distribute for free to Claverack residents who have been unable to obtain them elsewhere.

A limited supply of these masks will be distributed in the Claverack Library Parking Lot on Saturday, April 25th, from 12:00 Noon until about 2:00 PM (or until we run out). Masks are also available at McNann’s on Main Street in Philmont for those of you that live closer to Philmont.

The masks come in packages of five, so we are limiting the distribution to one package per family. We encourage you to share any unneeded masks with someone who needs one. They are made of soft cloth and can be washed and re-used.

Per the State social distancing guidelines, we ask that everyone maintain at least a 6-foot distance from one another if you come to get a package.

Please note that if you cannot make it on Saturday, there will be a supply of these masks at the Town Office on Church St during the week. If you come to the office, our Town Clerk will come out and give you a package.

We apologize for the short notice, but we just received these and wanted to get them out into the community without delay.
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Thank you,
Claverack Town Board

Here's the latest information...

• "New York on PAUSE" was extended today until May 15th, meaning all Schools and nonessential businesses will remain closed.
• Governor Cuomo issued an executive order requiring all people in New York to wear masks or face coverings when in a public place and unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance.  There has been some confusion on this as different sources have relayed this information incorrectly. The Executive Order explicitly says "when in a public place and unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance." Social distance means 6 feet between you and other individuals.  
• An executive order directs employers to provide essential workers with masks free of charge to wear when interacting with the public.
• New Yorkers who have recovered from COVID-19 are encouraged to donate blood. Here’s information on how to donate.
• New Yorkers without health insurance can apply through NY State of Health through May 15, 2020; must apply within 60 days of losing coverage.
• The Columbia County Department of Health is our local community contact for COVID-19 concerns. 
• The Claverack Town Park is closed until further notice.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues it's grip on our state, I wanted to give you a quick update on things here locally.

First, I want to say THANK YOU to all of our healthcare workers and first responders who are out on the front lines battling this pandemic. I want to also thank all of the essential workers who still report to work everyday, to provide essential goods and services to our residents and community. Much appreciated.

Governor Cuomo has extended the New York State on PAUSE executive order through April 29th. This means that all schools and non-essential businesses must remain closed. Non-essential gatherings of any size (including parties, celebrations and other social events) are prohibited. All residents are encouraged to stay home, and to employ social distancing (keeping at least 6' from others) when situations require you be in public (trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, etc.). The CDC also recommends that you wear a cloth face covering when in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
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While this shutdown is necessary and warranted, it is unfortunately going to take a toll on small businesses and our town budget. We are expecting a sharp decline in sales tax revenue, which will require us to take measures to keep finances stable. Rest assured that we are monitoring the situation and planning for what may lie ahead. 

With all of that said, everything isn't all doom and gloom. There are some very positive signs that things may be starting to trend in the right direction. The rate of hospitalizations and admission to Intensive Care Units are starting to decline, as it the rate of intubations (which refers to patients being placed on ventilators). This is all good news and a glimmer of hope!

Please hang in there, stay home and be safe!

Update from the Columbia County Department of Health, as of 3:00 pm, April 9, 2020:

Unfortunately, we have had a fifth death in our community from COVID-19.

• 83 positive cases of COVID-19 in Columbia County
• 32 of the 83 cases have recovered from COVID-19
• 9 of the positive cases are hospitalized, 1 of those are in the ICU
• 558 test results completed for Columbia County residents
• 80 residents are under mandatory quarantine
• 19 under precautionary quarantine
• 15 residents with suspected, not tested cases

We’ve created charts representing the information reported in our daily updates that can be viewed on our website. 

Dear Residents,

Our Board feels that is is prudent to take proactive steps to minimize the spread of coronavirus into our community.  As of Monday morning, March 16, the Town Office, including the Clerk’s Office, Assessors Office and Building Inspectors Office are all currently open, but please check often as this situation is subject to change as developments dictate.  Updates will be posted on our website and on the Town phone system.  There are no scheduled meetings this week, and decisions on upcoming meetings will be made in the near future.  We ask that you postpone any in-person visits to the Town Office while we remain open, unless it is absolutely necessary.  Thank you for your understanding and patience during this challenging time.

Also until further notice, All County meetings have been cancelled until further notice

Food Pantry Updates: As of this week the pantry will be open on Tuesday, However, food will be brought outside for you. There will be a table outside with extra items for those in need.  At this time, we will be using paper bags.  Please keep your reusable bags to be returned at a later date.  Updates will be made as necessary.
 
Notice from the Claverack Town Court - Court Closure

The court has received notification from the Office of Court Administration that effective 5pm on Monday March 16, 2020, all town and village court proceedings will be postponed for 45 days in relation to the Coronavirus public health emergency.

All Tuesday night court proceedings for Vehicle & Traffic Court, Criminal Court and Civil Court will be postponed until after May 1, 2020.

All cases already scheduled will be rescheduled and adjournment notices will be mailed.

The court office at this time remains open, but please check often as this situation is subject to change as developments dictate.  Updates will be posted on our website and on the court’s answering machine.

Thank you for your understanding and patience during this challenging time.

COLUMBIA COUNTY PREPARES FOR CORONAVIRUS

HUDSON -- “The Columbia County Board of Supervisors and county personnel are taking all precautions in the fight against the coronavirus, or COVID-19. This includes protecting our residents to the extent possible and making plans for the county to continue carrying out its business in the event a major outbreak occurs here,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell said today.

The county is monitoring the situation and following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), NYS departments of Health and Education, and the Columbia County Department of Health.

At the county Department of Health, Public Health Director Jack Mabb called COVID-19 an “incredibly fluid situation. The CDC is screening people as they come into the country if they have a fever, or if they have a travel history” involving one of the countries with people who have been infected.

If a county resident tests positive in that situation, or if they have traveled to a country with people who have tested positive, county DoH is notified. Its job is to then make sure that the resident is able to effectively self-quarantine.

To date, no county residents have testified positive for the virus. One person is self-quarantining after traveling through Italy, Mabb said. “We make sure they have thermometers. Fever is the big criteria.”

In the early stages of the coronavirus situation, Mabb said, the Centers for Disease Control “was all about containment. Now, it’s about mitigation. We will continue to try to contain it, but we probably won’t be able to So what can we do to slow it down in a community.”
Mabb said the county is also working closely with leadership of the six county school districts on COVID-19 response.

“The department has received a number of calls from organizations regarding live events that will attract a lot of people, asking whether they should cancel or not. Our job is not to say you must cancel, but in most cases we do in fact recommend that they postpone their event,” Mabb said.

​To keep-up-to date on announcements pertaining to COVID-19, the county Department of Health website can be found at columbiacountynyhealth.com.

Director of Emergency Management David Harrison said that county leaders “have been involved in insuring that all county departments and services can continue” in the event of a widespread outbreak here.

Harrison pointed out that a continuation of operations plan is part of good emergency management practices. “What we’re doing is part of that. While we train for a large scale power outage, that training provides county department heads and leadership with a plan on how to handle other things such things as a building being destroyed, or a large number of employees out of work. Fire services and EMS has to go on. We are always meeting, always planning,” he said.
“I would like to stress to everyone to not panic,” Harrison added.

From the standpoint of county emergency services, Emergency Medical Services Coordinator PJ Keeler noted that he and the county EMS agencies “have been in constant contact with the state Bureau of EMS, which puts out policy statements and practitioner guidance as to personal protective measures we need to take when we go out on a call.”

“Most important,” he continued, “is the 911 center. It has instituted a screening process that will hopefully identify patients prior to our arrival. An example: If someone were to call in and say they have difficulty breathing, part of that screening process would include such questions as have they traveled?, do they have a fever?, and so on.”

The screening process gives emergency responders the opportunity to take protective measures. The responders, in turn, would notify the hospital of the patient’s condition prior to their arrival so the hospital can be prepared as well, Keeler said.

Keeler added that the EMS plan is the same as has been in place and practiced in previous situations, such as during the SARS outbreak.

At the county Office for the Aging, Administrator Kevin McDonald said that as a contingency the plan is to begin preparing extra frozen meals to have in stock.

“That’s in case, for whatever reason, we are unable to deliver a hot meal – we would be able to drop off five frozen meals for the week. We also want to be able to make available self-staple meals, or meals that that can be prepared without cooking. We give those out during the winter season anyway so that people have something to eat if we can’t get a hot meal to them,” he said.
Repeating the words of Emergency Management’s Harrison, McDonald added, “The last thing we want to do is panic people.”

As a best practice for overall health in cold and influenza season, the CDC recommends that individuals receive the influenza vaccination and engage in everyday, preventative measures to prevent the spread of germs and avoid illness, such as:

· Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
· Avoid touching eyes, mouth and nose with unwashed hands.
· Avoid close contact with individuals who are sick.
· Stay home when you are sick.
· Cover your cough or sneeze with the crease of your elbow.
· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
· Take any anti-viral medication prescribed to you as instructed by your physician.
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If you or a family member start showing symptoms of a respiratory disease and suspect it may be COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider. Before going to your healthcare provider’s office, or the hospital emergency room, inform them that you may be a suspect case for COVID-19, and follow their advice.

At the December meeting of the Claverack Town Council, the Town of Claverack became Columbia County’s first Purple Heart Community, joining other municipalities across the country along the symbolic Purple Heart Trail.

As a Purple Heart Community, Claverack pays tribute to our nation’s military service members who have been injured or killed in combat.

New York State Senator Daphne Jordan was on hand at the meeting to present the Town Board with a Senate Proclamation. 

“This is a special honor for Claverack to be able to formally thank and pay tribute to our wounded military members,” said Claverack Supervisor Kippy Weigelt. “I thank Senator Jordan for her support of this program and her leadership on this and other veteran programs and issues. Most importantly, I thank all of our Purple Heart heroes – living and passed – for their service and great sacrifice.”

Senator Jordan’s office is working closely with local governments all across the 43rd Senate District in encouraging more localities to become Purple Heart Communities to help recognize the courage and sacrifice of the men and women of America’s armed forces. 

To learn more about becoming a Purple Heart Community, e-mail Senator Jordan’s office at jordan@nysenate.gov. 

The Town of Claverack has been designated a Clean Energy Community by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), recognizing its leadership in reducing energy use, cutting costs and driving clean energy locally.
 
Announced by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in August 2016, the Clean Energy Communities initiative supports local government leaders across the state by providing grants to eligible municipalities to implement energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable development projects in their communities. 

The Town of Claverack received the designation for completing four of 10 possible high-impact clean energy actions identified by NYSERDA as part of the Clean Energy Communities initiative. 
 
“We are so proud the Town of Claverack has achieved this designation. It will allow us to become more aware of energy efficiencies, lower are utility costs and take advantage of the technical support now available to our Town when working on future projects,” said Supervisor Kippy Weigelt.
  
“Congratulations to the Town of Claverack for making this important step towards a cleaner and more renewable energy future,” said Alicia Barton, President and CEO, NYSERDA.