Phase I Reopening Guidance

Businesses within Glenville will become eligible to reopen in phases as the Capital Region clears NYS requirements. NYS issued a matrix of seven triggers that must be met prior to a region reopening. The matrix necessitates a region experience a 14 day decline in the number of hospital deaths, number of net hospitalizations, and number of new hospitalizations. The region must have a sufficient number - at least 30% - of available hospital beds as well as 30% available beds in ICU units. The last two metrics concern testing and contact tracing. As of May 20th the Capital Region met the requiments to open Phase I businesses.

Reopening will take place in four phases, with different industries permitted to open in each phase. The first phase allows construction, curbside retail, agriculture and manufacturing facilities to reopen. The second phase reopens retail, real estate and professional services. The third phase reopens restaurants and food service. (See CDC guidance specific to restaurants at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/busine....) The fourth phase reopens education, arts, entertainment and recreation. Guidelines for Phase I businesses - construction, manufacturing, retail with curbside, and wholesale - are available in the pdf links below from NYS PAUSE Task Force, OSHA and the CDC. In addition, each business will need to complete and retain on-site the plan template which documents the safety plan specific for that business. Businesses need to affirm an understanding of the guidelines at https://forms.ny.gov/s3/ny-forward-affirmation. If you own or operate an essential business you will need to abide by the new guidelines.

The NYS PAUSE Task Force (CDC and OSHA) issued guidance for reopening businesses that generally requires businesses to practice social distancing, provide masks for employees, require masks on customers in public spaces, clean and implement other changes in business operations. Failure to implement these measures risks either an employee complaint to NYS Department of Labor (DOL) at https://labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/coronavirus-complaints.shtm or an individual complaint to New York State PAUSE Enforcement Assistance Task Force. The Task Force can be reached at https://mylicense.custhelp.com/app/ask or by phoning 1-833-789-0470.  Although localities are asked to provide guidance, which Glenville will provide through its Building Inspectors and Community Development, ultimately enforcement is through these NYS agencies.

Please feel free to reach out to Melissa Cherubino at 518-688-1218 or mcherubino@townofglenville.org with any questions or concerns. For additional information see https://forward.ny.gov/metrics-guide-reopening-new-york; https://www.cd... and https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/.