During Hot Mess Of Water Department Hires, Beacon Passes Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Related Links:

• Black Highway Department Employee & Community Organizer Put On 30-Day Unpaid Leave Since January 2021

• "Wait, What Is That?" Episode 5: Reuben Simmons And His One-Time Job Position As Highway Superintendent
  Hear it from Reuben himself, the summer before he was put on 30-Day Unpaid Leave

• Beacon’s New HR Director Hears From City Employees About Discrimination, Inequality, Growing Tensions; Suggests Solutions; Begins With Highway Department

• These 2 Black Beaconites Describe Being Ignored When Applying For Recent Water Department Or City Jobs

• "Beacon's Water Department Is A Completely Caucasian Department... Some Of Their [Highway Department Employees’] Behaviors Are Questionable"

• During Hot Mess Of Water Department Hires, Beacon Passes Diversity and Inclusion Statement

• Beacon Gets New City Administrator Chris White - Taking A Moment To Look Back At Past Administrator Actions

• Why Black Lives Matter (BLM) Signs In Storefront Windows Still Matter In 2021

Editorial Note: This article is long, but please consider reading in full. This article was intended to be a simple announcement of the City of Beacon passing “Resolution Adopting Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement” on October 5, 2020. However, during the City Council Meeting where that vote took place, a lot of discussion happened around the hiring practices of Beacon’s Water Department.

Reporting on employment within the City of Beacon has been difficult because discussions about the hiring, firing and disciplinary action of employees happens in a private meeting called an Executive Session, which happens after a public City Council meeting, or within City offices presumably during the work day. The Executive Session will be announced, and Council will go into it for a designated reason, for example: “Personnel” or “Real Estate,” and the camera shuts off.

Therefore, what is said in public is often framed carefully by the speaker, and can imply further issues, but not state them explicitly. It requires the listener to read between the lines in order to follow along with what is happening. Once the full picture is learned, often these public meetings about employment make more sense. Until then, many quotes are needed in order to figure out what is happening, or not happening.

Beacon’s Presentation Of Its Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement

Beacon’s Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement, posted on the new Human Resources page, like a shield. Job Postings are now listed underneath this document.

The City of Beacon signed into law a Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement on October 5, 2020. It came on an evening where the City of Beacon was announcing 2 new appointed hires to the Water Department: Justin Herring as Water and Sewer Superintendent, and Ricardo Brown as a Water and Sewer Maintenance Worker. During the presentation of the Diversity statement, the term “we’ve got work to do” was used several times. Councilperson Air Nonken Rhodes made a point to say: “This isn’t lip service.”

On the same evening, Mayor Lee Kyriacou also announced the hiring of Beacon’s new Human Resources (HR) Director, Gina Basile, who was hired on July 20, 2020 and previously worked as Human Resources Manager for the New York State Bridge Authority. She wanted the diversity statement published, which is currently included on the new main page of the Human Resources page, like a shield. You can read the Diversity and Inclusion Statement here, or it has been republished below for easy reading.

Mayor Kyriacou told the public: “We hired a professional HR person, Gina. We're not a big city; it's the first time we're doing this. We are sharing it with the Town of Fishkill. I look for sharing opportunities with the Town of Fishkill. I thank Gina for her work recently. Makes a difference on the messages we communicate to our managers, to our staff, and to our community as a whole.”

Public Calls In To Question The Hiring Process Of Water Department Hires

Two people called in to the public City Council Meeting on October 5, 2020, asking about the Water Department hiring process:

• Stefon Seward, a founding member of Beacon4Black Lives and appointee to the Police Chief Search Committee who identifies as Black, asked about the City’s expectations about that Water Department position, plus the Highway Superintendent position.

• The second caller was Weldon Henson, who called at the end of the meeting during the second opportunity for public comment, in order to express that he interviewed for an advertised Water Department job with Beacon’s new HR Director, Gina Basile, on August 26, 2020, but was never contacted after that. A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to Gina and the current City Administrator Chris White for confirmation, and received this response from Chris: “We do not comment on interviews and personnel issues.” ALBB would like to verify with Weldon, and if he is reading this, please feel free to reach out.

The callers’ questions, and the City’s answers, have been transcribed in full below. Because of their questions, more was expressed about the hiring process of city jobs, otherwise known as the Civil Service process. The hiring and firing process of city employees is hard to follow, namely because most discussions about them happen during Executive Session, which is a private meeting that happens after the public City Council meeting. Reporters reaching out with questions are usually told: “You’ll need to submit a FOIL,” (former Administrator Anthony Ruggiero told us this), or “The City does not comment on personnel items” (what current Administrator Chris White said to ALBB). Questions to the HR Director Gina Basile usually go unanswered, or she defers to someone else on staff.

Was The Water Department Job Posted Internally?
What Is The Hiring Process?

During the City Council meeting, questions were raised about if the Water Department job(s) were posted internally. It is not clear where that would be posted, or what the requirements are for that posting. As of today, there are job listings on the city website’s Human Resources Page, which is a new page for the City of Beacon. It is unknown if people are expected to refresh the page daily for new listings, or refresh a Dutchess County Civil Service employment page, or if employees are expected to simply notice flyers on the wall while they are walking by (if they are walking by), thereby putting the responsibility on them to see internal listings. It is unknown if emails are sent out to any lists, or if announcements are made in Department meetings, if such meetings happen.

The City Administrator last year, Anthony Ruggiero, explained that the job for the Water Department was posted internally at first, before being advertised publicly. After Anthony’s explanation, City Councilmember Amber Grant asked one more time about the internal posting before the final vote on the appointments of two people into the Water Department titles. This question of an internal posting seemed to be of high interest during the meeting.

In the past, and for another department, when asked if he knew about a Highway Department job opening, Reuben Simmons, a Maintenance Worker for the Highway Department, answered that he was not aware of open positions in the Highway Department toward the end of 2020 that were mentioned during City Council meetings in ways that indicated people were already being considered for the positions by the current Highway Supervisor, Michael (Micky) Manzi.

Reuben was the Highway Superintendent before Dutchess County told the City of Beacon that his job title did not exist - even though the former Mayor Randy Casale also held that job title decades ago - despite being recommended by and approved of by Anthony Ruggiero. Reuben was thereby demoted back down to Maintenance Worker, and Michael Manzi, a former co-worker, became Highway Superintendent of Streets. A slightly different job title that comes with a different required test and certification. It’s like being called “Boss” or “Boss The Boss,” with different tests to prove worthiness of either job title, but with similar (or the same) job responsibilities.

The “job title” question reference is notable because a single word change in a job title can alter someone’s career. Chances are, you don’t have to deal with this at your job. But City of Beacon employees do. The wording in a job title can mean that you lose almost everything that you have been working up for, if someone else wants your job and uses Civil Service rules to checkmate you out. Your job title and duties could change in the blink of a Resolution.

About The Hiring Process for City Employees, AKA “Civil Service” Jobs

The questions of Stefon and Weldon are transcribed below from the recorded City Council meeting. The previous City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero was always patient with explaining how the process works. The results of that process, however, can be surprising.

Stefon Steward: “I'm just curious if the titles on the agenda for the new hires are correct, and if they are, did the City consider hiring someone internally for this position? I was looking at the website... It says that Ed is on the Water and Waste Department. I want to know what Department does he manage, and does he have the proper license to run this plant and do this job? What are the duties and responsibilities for the Highway Superintendent. What are the City's expectations for this? Is it true that one of the appointees' family members, Justin Herring, has… The family does business with Beacon, is anyone getting any financial kickback from his appointment for his position?”

Ed Balicki, shown on the City of Beacon’s website as Water and Wastewater Superintendent on 3/2/2021. Justin Herring was appointed to his position on 10/5/2020.

Toward the end of the City Council Meeting, Anthony answered Stefon’s questions. As of today (March 2, 2021), Ed Balicki, who has worked for the City of Beacon since 2013 according to his LinkedIn profile, is listed on his LinkedIn as Chief Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator at City of Beacon. But on the City of Beacon’s website, he is listed as Water and Wastewater Superintendent.

Yet this new job appointment is for Justin Herring to be Water and Sewer Superintendent. (Note the slight difference in words in the title there. That can play a major difference in Civil Service rules by disqualifying someone out of their current job.)

Further, according to Reuben Simmons of the Highway Department, Justin Herring was a candidate for the Operator or Maintenance worker position. In the Meeting Agenda, he is listed as Superintendent.

On March 2, 2021, ALBB has reached out to HR Director Gina Basile and City Administrator Chris White for confirmation of job titles since this October 5, 2020 meeting, and was told by Chris that a response would be forthcoming. This response of a job title confirmation so far has not come. If it does, this article will be updated. If you are reading this, then a response has not yet come.

Anthony Answers Questions Regarding The Job Title and Hiring Process

Anthony answered Stefon’s question: “Titles: Those titles are in the municipality known as Civil Service. There are ‘competitive,’ which means there is a list [of qualified people] where you have to take a test, and there are ‘non-competitive,’ where you don't [have to take a test.] These titles aren't, but by the Civil Service Employee Association (CSEA) contract, first you have to post them internally. If nobody applies internally, then you can go out and advertise.”

ALBB has inquired with the HR Director Gina Basile and the current City Administrator Chris White as to whether the City’s contract with CSEA is current. According to city employee Reuben Simmons, who served as a past Union President for the City of Beacon CSEA Local 814 unit 6662 from 2009 to 2017, the Highway Department contract has not been negotiated or signed since 2019. The current contract posted on the City’s Human Resources page as of today is dated 2010-2015, and looks to have been first uploaded to the City of Beacon’s website in October 2020. Which would seem to mean that the Water and Highway Departments are currently not in any contract.

Anthony continued: “In this particular case, that is what happened. Nobody applied internally, so we went out and advertised. Gina handled the process. As the Mayor indicated, she's creating something from nothing. She's trying to get organized. The department head prepares a memo to her ‘requesting this position is budgeted, I'd like to go through the process.’ It comes to me, we talk about it, and then I sign off on it. If it's OK, we go after the process. Gina takes it from there and advertises.

“She tries to make it as diverse as she can. As I was saying, she's creating a whole process as it is. She's got work to do, we've got work to do. She's been wonderful, by the way, let me just say.”

Anthony continued to address Stefon’s question about Herring: “They do not, from my understanding, do any work. They do haul. They do take their trucks and their haulers down to the wastewater treatment plant. We might rent some of the port-a-potties that we have in the parks, but that's to the extent that we know right now. Nobody's getting any kickbacks, certainly we will verify that. Certainly that has not happened.

“There was questions about some of the titles. Ed Balicki was switched up to the Water Department. He was handling both. His title was Chief Wastewater Operator. We do have to fix that title for him. He did go to school for Water Certifications and License, and also all the operators in the plants have all the license. So we are fully compliant.”

You can find this quote in minute 55 of the meeting video.

Question From An Apparent Applicant For The Water Department Position

At the end of the meeting, during the second opportunity for public comment, Weldon Henson called in to ask about what he describes as an un-responded-to interview he had for a job in the Water Department. His question is in minute 1:10 of the meeting video.

Weldon: “I didn't quite hear you on the Water Sewer Maintenance. Were they looking for inside Beacon or outside Beacon for the hiring?”

Anthony: “Both. First, the first part of the process is to advertise internally, within the workforce, and then to advertise externally to anybody, if nobody internally is interested. So then it goes outside. For these positions, there is no list. So you can just advertise and interview candidates.”

Weldon: “Oh, OK, because I was a resident that applied for the job, actually got the interview for the job, but I never heard or received anything back.”

Silence followed from the City Council.

Anthony: “I can follow up with Gina on that.”

Weldon: “I had the interview on August 26, 2020, I think it was a Wednesday at 12:30pm.”

Mayor Kyriacou: “OK. And Anthony, you are able to do that? And Colin (the Mayor’s Assistant) has it on the record.”

Weldon: “Thank you for your time.”

Mayor Kyriacou: “Of course.”

The Voting Of The Diversity And Inclusion Statement

Sometimes, councilpeople state their thoughts before or after passing a Resolution. Statements from two councilpeople are below:

Councilperson Air Nonken Rhodes: “This isn't just lip service. I've observed in the ways that I've seen the City operate behind the scenes, and in conversations around hiring, and in everyday work. This is something that everyone I've talked with really believes in. I'm really glad to see it put in writing here. This will be something we can aspire to and really live up to. I'm glad to see this enshrined, and something we can look to in every hiring process.”

Councilperson Jodi McCredo: “Like we've said with so many other issues, this is a starting point. We do realize that we have a ways to go. This is a nice guidance towards making those changes and improvements that need to be made.”

The Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement

Find this statement here, and it has been republished below for easy reading:

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The City of Beacon is an equal opportunity workplace – and proudly so. We do not just accept differences – we embrace, support and celebrate them – knowing that diversity improves our performance and better serves our community.

The City of Beacon’s mission is to represent and serve all of our residents, including providing them with high quality services at reasonable taxes and fees, along with excellent customer service. The way we accomplish this is by representing everyone, listening to all ideas, and through the hard work and dedication of our employees.

We want to represent everyone. To do that well, we need a workforce that is representative of the community.

The City of Beacon is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. Our employees thrive when we achieve this. We aim to create a workplace that reflects and recognizes the diversity of our employees, and residents. We strive to provide services that benefit everyone in the community by including perspectives from backgrounds such as those that vary by race, ethnicity, social background, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, trans-gender status, veteran status, and national origin.

Having a diversified workforce builds a better team, enhances our skills, broadens our ideas, and is integral to effective performance.

Featured Businesses In ALBB's Black Owned Business Directory

Maggie and Ease

“We at MAGGIE & EASE are committed to preparing great food and providing a remarkable and enriching experience through bold flavor and savory delights made generously with love.” Try their desserts at Dia: Beacon art museum & Homespun Foods on Main. St.

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Sound Asleep Media

Sound Asleep Media is a production company in Beacon, NY offering photography & videography services including parties, portraits, family photos, and events.

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Salon Dae

A charming and cozy salon studio with a good energy and vibe. A rustic/chic boutique decor. It’s not just a hair appointment, it’s an experience!

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Blacc Vanilla

A Coffee Lounge located in Newburgh, NY with an experience that serves old-world passion evoking a strong sense of community. “Blacc Vanilla may not be an industry leader in the café business, but they have consistently been very active within the city community: hosting community and political events, providing relief for folks during disasters, and creating a business, as well as a community partnership.”

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APG Pilates

“Whether you’re new to Pilates or at an advanced level, at APG Pilates we work with each person individually and in small groups to help you achieve your personal goals. Pilates is designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.” Located in Newburgh, NY, APR Pilates is designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.

Are you in the Black community and run a business in the Hudson Valley? Let us know about you! Listings in the Black Owned Business category are free. All other categories can sign on as sponsors for a listing.

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Party! Restaurants/Bars Can Stay Open 'Till 11pm; Amusement Parks 33% Capacity; Indoor Family Entertainment Centers 25%

Caution-first of course, but this week, Governor Cuomo has signed an Executive Order “extending closing times for bars, restaurants, gyms and fitness centers, casinos, billiards halls, as well as other State Liquor Authority-licensed establishments, from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. statewide, effective immediately,” according to the Dutchess Business Notification Network.

Family Entertainment Centers

Beginning March 26, 2021, New York State announced that indoor family entertainment centers can reopen at 25% capacity.

Living indoors with young kids and teenagers with nowhere to go has been very difficult. More difficult, however, is hearing about a family who got COVID-19 and had family members go to the hospital. While these centers may open, businesses will need to show how safe they are being, and not exceed capacity.

Amusement Parks Can Open This Spring

Outdoor amusement parks are allowed to open on April 9, 2021 at the limited capacity of 33%.

Sports Venues Can Open At 10% Capacity

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on 2/10/2021 that sports and entertainment events in major stadiums and arenas with a capacity of 10,000 or more people can re-open with limited spectators beginning February 23. “Following the model established as part of the successful Buffalo Bills pilot program, venues and events must follow similar guidelines, including Department of Health approval for venues and events, capacity limitations, testing requirements, mandatory face coverings, temperature checks, and assigned, socially distanced seating.”

Venues will have to institute a 10% capacity limit in arenas and stadiums, as well as ensure all staff and spectators receive a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of the event.

According to the Dutchess Business Notification Network: “New York State and Empire State Development are looking to help vendors set up low-cost rapid COVID-19 testing sites for asymptomatic individuals with the idea being this will allow the state to begin the process of opening large gatherings/events. As such, the focus is on spaces near city centers/areas that will attract crowds.”

Location details include: “No or low cost 6-month lease immediately available; Street level store fronts with walk in access; About 750-1500 square feet (no additional charge for larger space). They are, on average, using 1200 sq. ft.” Email Deanna Robertson at drobertson@hvedc.com with questions.

Summer Day Camps Looking Probable To Open

The Dutchess Business Notification Network reports that “the New York Department of Health will release reopening guidance for day and overnight summer camps in the coming weeks. It is recommended that camps begin to develop their procedures and safety plan.”

Safety Measures

According to the Dutchess Business Notification Network: “All facilities must submit their plans to reopen, including the health protocols the facility will implement, to the local health department. Face coverings and social distancing will be required for all customers and staff, and customers will be required to have a health screening with temperature checks prior to entry.”

Additionally, the following guidelines must be followed:

• Contact information must be collected from each party to inform contact tracing, if needed;

• High-touch areas, attractions, and rides must be cleaned and disinfected frequently throughout the day;

• Attractions must close if they cannot ensure distancing and be frequently cleaned/disinfected;

• Sufficient staff must be deployed to enforce compliance with rules, including capacity, distancing, and face coverings;

• Tickets should be sold in advance, and entry/exit and waiting times should be staggered to avoid congestion;

• Indoor areas must meet enhanced air filtration, ventilation, and purification standards; and

• Retail, food services, and recreational activities must abide by all State-issued guidance.

Nursing Home Workers Stage Picket Calling For Owners To Be Transparent in Staff Treatment and Quality Care - In Poughkeepsie Thursday

Since the pandemic, the employees and residents of Nursing Homes have been in the national spotlight, out of concern for their physical and emotional safety. The pandemic has brought what may be systematic problems within the nursing home industry to light. Said Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of the Nursing Home Division: “Our members have been battling COVID-19 for the last year, but issues like low wages and a lack of adequate time to devote to individual patient care existed pre-COVID. Our goal is to enact real reforms to raise standards within the industry, and ensure that meaningful investment is made in residents and workers once and for all,”

In a prepared statement to the Legislature during hearings, which is published on NYSenate.gov, Milly stated: “The nursing home industry is not going to be the same after this pandemic. Resident census is lower, and it is unclear how quickly it will recover. Returning to the status quo pre-pandemic is impossible. More than that, it is not morally acceptable. New York ranked 31st in the nation for nursing home quality according to CMS surveys, and in the bottom 10 nationally for persistent pressure ulcers. Residents are only getting 2.38 hours of hands-on care per day, earning our state a ‘D”’on a national scorecard. Nursing home caregivers are forced to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, leading to staff turnover and burnout. We can, and must, do much, much better.”

Picket In Poughkeepsie By Nursing Home Employees

Today, Thursday, February 18, 2021, nursing home staff represented by the United Healthcare Workers East (1199SEIU) are hosting a picket and holding vigils in Poughkeepsie, calling for nursing home reform, transparency and investment in quality care.

According to the press release announcing the picket, “1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America,” it says. “We represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.”

What follows below is the press release sent by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East 2/16/2021:

1199SEIU Nursing Home Workers Stage Statewide Pickets and Vigils, Call for Nursing Home Reform, Transparency and Investment in Quality Care

Hundreds of workers in the nation’s largest healthcare union will hold vigils and demonstrations outside nursing home facilities to demand investment in people over profits.

New York ranks 45th in the nation in an important quality metric due to the large number of nursing homes with below-average hours of care per resident 

When:      Thursday, February 18 | 2:30p.m.- 4p.m.

Where:      The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at River Valley | 140 Main St, Poughkeepsie

1199SEIU nursing home workers in Poughkeepsie are among the hundreds of members of 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers East, the nation’s largest healthcare union, who will be holding demonstrations and vigils at more than 20 nursing homes across New York State, calling for greater transparency and investment in quality resident care. 

Actions will also be held at nursing homes in Schenectady, Erie, Jefferson, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Onondaga, Oneida, and Suffolk counties and New York City.  Many of these facilities have low average hours of care per resident, use a high number of related parties to hide profits, or otherwise rank poorly in care quality. 

“For far too long, nursing homes around New York State have made investment in resident care an afterthought,” said Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of the Nursing Home Division.

“We are calling on these for-profit nursing homes to prioritize and invest in people – the residents and the workers who care for them day in and day out.  Our members have been battling COVID-19 for the last year, but issues like low wages and a lack of adequate time to devote to individual patient care existed pre-COVID. Our goal is to enact real reforms to raise standards within the industry, and ensure that meaningful investment is made in residents and workers once and for all,” Silva continued.

The demonstrations are the latest actions led by the union to call attention to the need for systemic reform of the nursing home industry. Last week, 1199SEIU launched a multi-million dollar ad campaign, Invest in Quality Care, to press the legislature to ensure nursing homes focus on quality care to protect residents and the dedicated workers who care for them, rather than maximizing profits. On Valentine’s Day, members across New York engaged in a virtual “sticker” campaign, using social media to urge their State Assemblymembers and Senators to enact key reforms and ensure the most vulnerable in the state get the investment and care they need. 

Lourdes Torres is an LPN at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at River Valley.

Forty residents. Two aides. And me. How is it possible for me to meet the needs of my residents? Today, I tried to spend time with a very scared man who recently almost died from COVID and still has a lot of anxiety. He has no family other than those of us who take care of him at River Valley. But there were 39 other people who needed my attention, and I had to walk away. He was upset. And I was upset. So many co-workers have left or are planning to leave. That’s terrible for continuity of care. It’s terrible for those of us left. But I understand. It feels unbearable so often. The state needs to make changes in how nursing homes owners do business.”

1199SEIU’s Invest in Quality Care campaign points out that Instead of investing in enough staff to ensure quality care for residents, many nursing home owners are hiding their profits by sub-contracting services to companies they own, often at inflated prices.

1199SEIU and its members are calling on Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature to pass systemic reform for the nursing home industry to improve transparency, hold operators accountable for misconduct, and ensure they prioritize resident care over maximized profits.

As New York Attorney General Letitia James found in a shocking new report on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, “the current state reimbursement model for nursing homes gives a financial incentive to owners of for-profit nursing homes to transfer funds to related parties (ultimately increasing their own profit) instead of investing in higher levels of staffing and PPE.”

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We representover 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, D.C. andFlorida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

Dutchess County Exec Marcus Molinaro Stops Waiting For NYS Guidance To Vaccinate 60 People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) In Day Facilities

Guidance on who can be vaccinated when and where has been extremely precise globally, nationally, and locally in the rollout of the vaccine to protect people against COVID-19. During the initial NYS Phase 1a, a set of vulnerable people were close to being eligible, but were left out, according to Dutchess County Marcus Molinaro, who implored the need to vaccinate them in a letter sent to Governor Cuomo on January 22, 2021.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who attend “congregate care facilities” during the day, but do not stay overnight, were not included in the initial phase. Marcus Molinaro’s daughter lives on the autism spectrum, which led him to into advocacy for people with special abilities and compelled him to start ThinkDIFFERENTLY, a programmatic foundation of Dutchess County.

According to the letter sent by Molinaro to Governor Cuomo, and confirmed by Colleen Pillus, Communication Director for Dutchess County, people age 18+ who attend “congregate care facilities” by day, and do not sleep over as live-in residents, were not eligible for the vaccination, but the staff supporting them were eligible. Staff and residents at OPWDD, OMH and OASAS facilities were granted eligibility early on. Also at issue are that “these groups are eligible but they are not prioritized for supply. They are a population that cannot easily access the vaccinations the way the supply is being currently being distributed by New York State,” Colleen clarified to A Little Beacon Blog.

Said Dutchess County Executive Molinaro to Governor Cuomo in the letter, people with IDD have a hard time understanding social distancing or mask wearing. He stated: “Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially those who live in group homes or in congregate care settings, face an immense risk from COVID-19. These facilities continue to suffer from the ravages of this pandemic as the greatest protections we have are not always practical for many of these individuals, as some struggle to understand social distancing and have difficulty wearing masks. These are unique challenges that have contributed to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on individuals living with disabilities.”

Apparently not hearing a response from New York State (Molinaro ran against Cuomo for the Governor position in 2018 and was defeated), the County Executive took it upon himself to set aside 60 doses of the vaccine for the IDD community in congregate care facilities during the day in a “mobile pop-up POD” in New Horizons Resources in Pleasant Valley (video here).

“Without specific direction from New York State as to which providers are to prioritize vaccinating the countless residents across the state who live with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Dutchess County has taken it upon itself to inoculate such residents locally. Hospitals cannot simply be the ‘catch-all’ for eligible groups like this who fall through the state system’s cracks; it’s not practical for them to vaccinate healthcare workers and seemingly every other eligible group. Where the state has failed our special-needs community, Dutchess County has proudly stepped up to ThinkDIFFERENTLY and serve this constituency, which has been marginalized by Albany since the beginning of the pandemic.”

When asked if the Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro thought that priorities should not exist, his office answered: “Not at the moment, due to supply restrictions it remains important to prioritize those most at risk. Currently, the vaccine is first and foremost a tool to save as many lives as possible and the quicker we can vaccinate individuals the more lives we can save. Early on in the rollout, the State’s eligibility criteria were too narrow causing delays in getting shots into arms but as they opened the criteria to include, first, people over the age of 75 and, then, those over the age of 65, it became less of a problem. The issues now are supply – access to vaccine doses – and distribution – getting doses to entities that can most efficiently vaccinate eligible individuals. There is still rigidity in the State’s requirements as to which providers should be prioritizing or not prioritizing specific groups which meet the eligibility criteria. Dutchess County is focused on vaccinating as many eligible people as possible, but also focusing on our most vulnerable. That should be our shared goal -- to vaccinate as many people as quickly possible with priority given to those most at-risk. If we hold ourselves to that goal, it will be anything but divisive, it will be simple, understandable, and unifying.”

Vaccines doses continue in short supply throughout the country, and the world, While Dutchess County and other counties across the nation are set up to vaccinate many people, the doses are not there yet from the federal government and the manufacturers.

People can sign up for email updates about vaccinations from Dutchess County here.

Update 2/11/2021: In answers to reader questions on Instagram where this article was shared, Dutchess County Executive Molinaro confirmed: “Every individual secured approval from their guardian, is under the observation of their agency and the State approves of our actions.”

Monday's Forecasted Heavy Snow & Wind Closes Dutchess County Offices, Public Transit, Meal Delivery, and Beacon Schools

With sideways snowfall starting already in Pennsylvania, Washington, DC and parts of Virginia, which is part of a storm system headed to New York, Connecticut, and all the way up the east coast, Dutchess County is staying ahead of it by announcing emergency actions on Sunday evening, prior to the predicted time of snowfall.

The Beacon City School System has called a full school closure, which means that the Remote Learning plan will not be activated. Beacon Superintendent Landahl has made it clear at Board of Education Meetings and in community correspondences, that he - and his own young children who are in the district - want “good old fashioned snow days” during this new remote learning life.

The snow in Beacon is excepted to start on Monday morning at approximately 4am and continue into Tuesday. High accumulations and wind gusts are expected (see below for Dutchess County predictions). Wind gusts typically cause power outages in the Beacon area, so have everything charged, and turn your heat on overnight. Do not use propane heaters or leave them unattended, as those are a fire-hazard.

Cars must be off the street after 2” inches of snow, so that plows can come through. When shoveling, try to shovel the snow into your yard and not the street, as the snow plows will simply plow it back onto your sidewalk. Of course, if your neighbor kindly snow blows your sidewalk for you as a favor, and blows the snow into the street, #whatareyougoingtodo.

Have cash on hand to hire locals walking by to shovel you out if you need the help, or visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Business Directory for snow plow services.

According to a press release issued Sunday evening by Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, he has activated several steps to help keep the county safe:

Snow Warning + Weather Forecast From Dutchess County

According to the press release: “The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning effective now through Tuesday, February 2nd. Snowfall is expected to arrive very early Monday morning, continuing into Tuesday until approximately 10pm. Prediction models vary widely for this storm with heavy snow fall expected between 9”-18'“ inches, with 12”-15” inches likely, and wind gusts as high as 25mph during the day Monday, and 30mph Monday evening. Both morning and evening commutes on Monday are expected to be impacted significantly, and motorists are reminded to allow extra time and exercise caution on the roadways.”

County Executive Molinaro said, “Reports indicate this storm is going to give us significant snowfall and winds. We are monitoring the situation carefully and emergency responders are prepared. We want all residents to be safe and avoid travel if possible. If you must travel, recognize that you'll need to allocate extra time for safety purposes, as crews work to clear roadways.”

Dutchess County To Activate Emergency Operations Center, 7am Monday

Dutchess County Emergency Response will activate the Emergency Operations Center at 7am Monday with representatives from County Public Works, NYS DOT, New York State Police, County Sheriff, County Behavioral & Community Health, Central Hudson, NYSEG, and Red Cross for the duration of the storm.

Previously Scheduled Weekly Call With Mayors and Supervisors To Review Storm Conditions

County Executive Molinaro will host a previously scheduled weekly conference call with local Mayors and Supervisors on Monday afternoon to review storm conditions and coordinate resources as necessary.

Dutchess County Public Works highway crews have loaded trucks with materials, salt will be applied to County roadways as the storm begins, and crews will be out through the duration of the storm to clear roadways.

Dutchess County Public Transit Suspended Monday

Dutchess County Public Transit Service will be suspended Monday, February 1st. Bus passengers can check for updates at www.dutchessny.gov/publictransit, on the DCPT mobile app, or call 845-473-8424, TDD/TTY: 711.

Home Delivered Meals For Seniors Suspended Monday

Dutchess County Office for the Aging has suspended Home Delivered Meals delivery for Monday, February 1st. Recipients should utilize previously provided frozen or shelf stable meals.

Dutchess County Offices Closed Monday

Dutchess County Government offices will be closed Monday, February 1st. If Dutchess County residents had a DMV appointment for Monday, February 1st, it will be honored on Wednesday, February 3rd at the same time and location.

The City of Beacon’s offices will also be closed to the public on Monday, but the regular City Council Meeting will continue, as they have been remote since the pandemic.

Residents can stay up-to-date on the County’s storm response online at dutchessny.gov or on the County’s social media pages on Facebook or Twitter.

Childcare Grants Available For 75% Of Childcare Cost - But It's Complicated - Deadline February 16, 2021

Dutchess County has made available a Childcare Scholarship Grant to residents since 2020, and is promoting it again in 2021. There are requirements and limitations of the scholarships, which limit the application pool. According to the Beacon Recreation Director, Mark Price, who runs Beacon’s After School Program in Beacon’s 4 elementary schools, users of this scholarship have been slim. “I thought this would go like hot cakes, but it hasn’t.”

Beacon’s After School Program launched a few years ago, and has been a wild success. South Avenue Elementary has seen the most participation, and is also the school associated with the most families considered in a lower income bracket.

Last year, South Avenue’s After School Program had 25 kids. This year, it has 2. During the time of the mysterious sickness that had many people out sick in January - March 2020, before the pandemic was declared - South Avenue’s program easily had 7 of 25 kids out a day, with sick kids also in attendance. As a parent in the program, it was a rotating mess of sick kids and siblings.

This year, with school on a Hybrid schedule (2 days in school, 3 days at home), and with kids split between attending on Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday combos, the number of children in one room at the After School Program is significantly lower.

Is this reduction by family safety choice? Or is it for economic reasons? This answer is unknown. The Dutchess County scholarship is designed for families in the lower income bracket. However, families in (or formerly in) a higher income may also be squeezed financially, and cannot apply.

Additionally, the scholarship requires that the parents be working, or looking for work. This seems to exclude parents who are not working by choice or circumstance, but are overcome with children at home, which can contribute to mental health declines. Dual parent families at times make the choice early on to have one parent not work, as they don’t want to spend the childcare, which can contribute to a mental health decline for the parent staying at home.

Some Trips To Applying For The Childcare Scholarship, Or Childcare In General, During A Pandemic And Economic Squeeze

There is $180,000 allocated to all of Dutchess County, not including the City of Poughkeepsie. The City of Poughkeepsie has its own $90,000 to work with, according to the Dutchess County website.

Scholarship stipulations from Dutchess County include:

• 1. Parent(s) or guardian(s) must be working, looking for work or in school to be eligible, unless there are extenuating circumstances and a demonstrated COVID related need for childcare despite not meeting this criterion.

• 2. The child cannot be receiving any other childcare subsidy or scholarship (i.e., DCFS subsidy or Dyson Scholarship. If eligible for a subsidy from the DCFS, applicants must apply for funding from that program.

• 3. The child must be currently enrolled in a regulated childcare facility within Dutchess County.

This last bullet of #3 is in bold on the Dutchess County website. When people sign up for a childcare program, it is presumably because they can pay for it. For Beacon’s After School Program, people sign up online (this was at first a milestone, and now is a hurdle for if the website works, and becomes a race for who can operate the Internet and their registration system fast enough - I have bee known to simply drive to the building when the website opens). This year, however, for example, there are 2 kids (out of 25) in the South Avenue Program. So there is no race.

However, in signing up, the online message is very clear in the online sales process, that one must pay the tuition in full. For a family even in a higher income bracket during a pandemic, paying over $1,000 up front for 2 kids for one semester is difficult. It takes a personal phone call to ask the people at the Beacon Rec Center if a payment plan can be worked out. And the answer is: “Of course! We just want your kids in the program!”

People who are afraid or embarrassed to ask for a payment plan or payment deferral may not make this phone call. And thus not register for the program, and not apply. And then maybe not apply for this scholarship from Dutchess County. Dutchess County requires that kids are already enrolled in a daycare program. If the family can’t pay initially, they won’t be enrolled in the childcare program.

As for requirement #1: this seems to exclude families or single parent families where the main caregiver is not working. Unknown how this works for a single parent family who would then need to prove that the other parent is looking for work. At times, communication breakdowns can happen between parents, making this a daunting task.

Dutchess County is aggressive on creating mental health initiatives. Primary caregivers who are not working and not eligible for this program may be suffering at home, under the weight of their children suddenly at home all day with very little outside stimulation provided by programs such as childcare facilities who are required to follow strict safety guidelines, which parents trust.

How Dutchess County’s Scholarship Works

Beacon’s After School Program is promoting the scholarships. Their email to previously enrolled families was:

“Scholarships are being awarded for the balance of the academic calendar year by a random selection process to low and moderate-income families. The funds will cover 75% of the tuition for each child, paid directly to the childcare facility. Families will be responsible for 25% of the tuition. Low- and moderate-income Dutchess County families with children enrolled in a regulated childcare program are eligible to apply.”

Some of Dutchess County’s language on the application is as follows:

“Dutchess County and the City of Poughkeepsie received funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. These CDBG COVID (CV) funds are to be used to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

“With schools not opening in their traditional formats, families have been challenged with the unprecedented need for childcare for their school aged children to allow parents and guardians the ability to work, look for work or attend school. The intent of this scholarship fund is to fill the gap between the number of days students will be in school and those days where students are not in school. Families are encouraged to consider their natural resources and supports and to request the minimal number of days needed so this funding can be maximized”

Income requirements are listed here on the Dutchess County application. If you do not meet these requirements, consider reaching out with questions on if an amendment can be made.

In A Win For Strangled Restaurants, Molinaro Restricts 3rd Party Delivery Apps From High Delivery Charges

Dinner delivery.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Restaurants who are still open almost a year into the pandemic, after having been forced to shut down, and then open up with limited capacity, and now must close at 10pm, are relying on delivery and pickup in order to stay in business. Some restaurants have incorporated 3rd party apps like GrubHub and DoorDash, like Max’s on Main, Sukhothai, Isamu and Heritage. The apps can be a quick fix for a restaurant not needing to manage their own drivers or pay additional commercial auto insurance, but the quick fix can come with a price, to the tune of 30% of an upcharge as well as changing of the price on the app’s version of the menu, according to Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, a Republican, who just signed into emergency temporary law that that upcharge must be lowered.

Homespun, Meyers Olde Dutch (MOD) and Eat Church are using their own websites and POS systems (point of service) to publish their menus on, and avoided the 3rd delivery apps, partially based on avoiding the high take.

As Molinaro has been working to help struggling businesses throughout the pandemic, he took a highly targeted action today that regulates the business models of these technology companies by temporarily limiting how much money they can make off of the restaurant. A Little Beacon Blog is inquiring as to how this will be enforced, and if the change is showing up on the apps already.

The measure was encouraged by Beacon based Dutchess County Legislator, Nick Page (Democrat) . The press release issued by the County Executive’s office describing the action and reasoning behind this bipartisan move is in its entirety is below:

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Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro today signed Local Emergency Order No. 13, which supports local restaurants by temporarily capping service fees charged by third-party food delivery companies to no more than 15 percent of the cost of the food order.

Third-party food delivery companies, such as Grubhub and Door Dash, among others, provide customers with easy-to-use apps for ordering food online. These apps are vital for restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they are more reliant than ever on takeout and delivery orders. However, fee structures used by these companies, which can be as much as 30 percent for delivery orders, are cutting into local restaurants’ profits during this time of hardship for the entire food services and hospitality industry.

The Executive Order also prohibits third-party delivery services from publishing restaurants’ menus on the services’ apps and increasing the price of a food item to include an delivery fee – an additional concern that was brought to the County’s attention.

County Executive Molinaro said, “The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted many industries, but none more so than the foodservice and hospitality industry. By temporarily capping the fees to no more than 15 percent, the Emergency Order will provide much-needed relief to struggling local businesses and help ensure the survival of our local restaurants. I thank Legislator Nick Page for bringing this important issue to our attention.”

Between November 2019 and November 2020, employment in the leisure and hospitality industry dipped by more than 25 percent in the Dutchess-Putnam counties region; this was the largest drop in employment in the region among all of the tracked sectors. The struggles facing this region are indicative of a national crisis for the industry. A recent survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association found on average, sales were down nearly 30 percent, and 81 percent of respondents reporting staffing levels remain below normal levels. As of December 2020, 17 percent of restaurants nationwide – or over 110,000 establishments – had closed.

Gregg Pulver, Chair of the Dutchess County Legislature, said, “The misrepresentation of small businesses by third-party apps is a disruption of carefully curated business strategies. We support local entrepreneurs and will do everything we can to ensure a level playing field. I’m pleased the County Executive is exercising his authority to place local restaurants back in charge of their own products. As this is likely a statewide issue, Albany must act effectively and quickly to enact a permanent resolution.”

During the Local Emergency Order, the County will work with the restaurant industry and our local delivery drivers to manage any unintended consequences and ensure the best outcome for our community and our economy.

Assistant Minority Leader of the County Legislator Nick Page said, “I applaud the County Executive for enacting my caucus’ initiative to prioritize the survival of local restaurants in their time of crisis. Acting together, we can best weather the storm.”

In addition to the latest Emergency Order, Dutchess County Government has taken active steps to support local restaurants and other small businesses. In December, it was announced Dutchess County partnered with Community Capital New York (CCNY) to provide $430,000 to assist microenterprise businesses negatively affected by COVID-19. In June, the County Executive issued an order waiving local regulations and requirements to expedite the opening of outdoor dining. Throughout the last year, County staff has provided guidance on State requirements, advocated for support for small businesses from the Federal government, and worked with New York State officials to help provide foodservice establishments with flexibility and relief from onerous mandates.

County Executive Molinaro said, “Our local restaurants are part of the fabric of this community — they employ thousands, support local charities and organizations, and add to the character of our County — and we cannot sit by and do nothing as they struggle. We will continue to support small businesses in any way we can, whether it is working to find solutions on the local level, to provide flexibility to serve their customers in creative ways, provide direct support, or advocate for them at the State and Federal level.”

Beacon City School District Presents Plans On How It Will Stay Open After A Successful First Half

The Administration Building of the Beacon City School District.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Superintendent Matthew Landahl addressed families in the district Wednesday evening via webinar call about how the district would be moving forward in the second half of the 2020/2021 school year. Beacon has been one of the only districts in the region to begin and remain on a Hybrid model, which means that kids can chose to either be Hybrid (attending school 2 days per week on a Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday rotation), or be 100% Remote. Students with Special Needs are in school 4 days per week. All students are home on Wednesdays for Remote Learning.

The part-time in-person model for Hybrid was decided upon in order to comply with social distancing requirements set by the state. With the school’s population, as compared with other smaller, sometimes private schools, this needed to be done, Dr. Landahl has said consistently throughout the school year.

Dr. Landahl discussed the latest on staff vaccinations; Dutchess County guidance on changes in what is required to quarantine should a student or staff member test positive for COVID-19; decisions on when schools go remote temporarily; and the introduction of the voluntarily testing program intended to get a read on positivity rate in the district for asymptomatic students or staff.

Teacher & Staff Vaccinations

Dr. Landahl said that unlike another vaccination situation he worked through as the Principal of Greer Elementary School in Charlottesville, VA during the H1N1 period, vaccination are selective and not made possible through school roll-outs.

He told A Little Beacon Blog: “They did mass vaccinations by school at the time. The current vaccine is not set up for children. The vaccine right now is definitely being distributed on a very individual basis for 1B people, meaning every individual has to set up their own appointments. I dont have the ability to organize a vaccination event in the district for district staff and faculty. Vaccinations will be administered to staff in medical facilities when staff makes an appointment at such a facility.”

Governor Cuomo announced on Monday (1-11-2021) that teachers (along with other group types of people) are able to be vaccinated now, in accordance with Governor Cuomo’s prioritized roll-out he designed. However, according to the Governor, due to federal supply levels, New York State does not have that many vaccine doses, so the opportunity to get vaccinated may be slow. All people are instructed to call their health care provider to get their vaccine, or select pharmacies who offer it, like CVS, and appointments are required.

When A Required Quarantine Is Needed If Exposure To Student or Staff

When a student or staff tests positive, the district communicates directly with the person to find out if they were already isolating, or if they were in a school building. Dr. Landahl said that based on feedback from these contact tracing learnings, most students were already isolating at home, or were already 100% Remote. If the parents or caregivers were aware of someone else in the house who tested positive, families for a large part kept their children home.

Dr. Landahl indicated that based on feedback from families throughout the results of contact tracing the last half of the year, settings such as being in a gym class together, or other wide space, might be too broad and should not trigger a quarantine for people near the positive person. Dutchess County, it seems, has relaxed its guidance, which Dr. Landahl included during his presentation:

“Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH) will work with schools to determine the specific exposures within the classroom and school settings by identifying only those individuals who must be considered ‘close contacts’ as subject to the mandatory precautionary quarantine. The definition of close contact includes spending 10 minutes or more with a confirmed COVID-19 case while standing within 6 feet of the individual. Wearing cloth masks does not impact exposure.”

Dr. Landahl clarified that simply wearing a mask while standing within 6 feet of someone did not excuse a person from needing to quarantine if they were within 6 feet of the individual for 10 minutes or more.

Dutchess County guidance continued: “DBCH may consider other factors including virus strain, as part of the case investigation to determine the risk of exposure on the particular circumstances of the exposure. DBCH and/or New York State Department Of Health (NYSDOH) reserve right to issue and enforce mandatory quarantine orders for classroom-based exposure incidents when necessary.”

BSCD’s Goal Is To Stay Open - Uses These Factors To Decide On Going Temporarily Remote

Feedback from parents and caregivers during the meeting via the chat session in Zoom was mixed between wanting the district to close and go Remote only; fearing that the district would close and go Remote only; liking and approving of the current system; and wanting the district to open for more days during the week.

Dr. Landahl emphasized that in New York State, the decision to close temporarily or full is up to each district. There is no formula for closure. While Governor Cuomo had been using color codes before, Dr. Landahl said, the Governor had not been referring to them lately. Dr. Landahl said that the state and the county do look at hospitalization rates to indicate a direction, and that Dutchess County may have other information that may trigger guidance to a particular district. Otherwise, there is no formula or requirement for closure.

From the presentation, factors that impact the decision to go remote include:

• Time needed to conduct contact tracing. If the knowledge of a positive case happens late and night, and there is indication that exposed people are involved, a temporary closure could happen, simply to give time the next day to reach out to individuals, and reduce risk of further unknown/known exposure.

• Number of people quarantining. If a large number of staff is quarantining, for instance, it would be impossible to keep a building open to function.

• "Most of the confirmed cases we get now, the individual has been out of school for a number of days,” Dr. Landahl stated in his (these) bullet points.

• Department of Health. If the county issues guidance based on information they have.

• State guidance or regulations. If New York State issues guidance.

Voluntary Testing

The Beacon City School District has voluntarily signed up to participate in the ability for staff and students to get tested for free at a location at one of the buildings, the first may be at the Beacon High School. This is a voluntary offering and not required by students to undergo. Parents will be able to be with their children during the test. The first students to be offered it will be Hybrid students, who go into school buildings, and then depending on usage of the tests, may be expanded to Remote, Dr. Landahl said.

The purpose of the testing is to get a better picture of if there is an asymptomatic positive cases in the buildings. These tests will be the “rapid” tests, which have been talked about as not being as accurate as the PCR lab tests. Dr. Landahl said that from his reading, the rapid tests are more prone to give false negatives, and that if it delivers a positive response, he said, the result will be taken into consideration.

This may start the week of January 25, 2021, targeting the days of Mondays and Wednesdays as testing opportunities, which would be open to all ages from the Hybrid in-person group. A testing center may be set up at Beacon High School, either inside or outside. A Virtual Consent form will be sent out next week, and FAQs and a video as well, said Dr. Landahl, to help people understand the offering.

Dr. Landahl mentioned how long the line was at Pulse MD when he got tested one day, which has been consistent with A Little Beacon Blog’s findings as well, since before Thanksgiving, which is when lines at several urgent cares filled up with people who wanted to merge households over the holidays. The closet location to get a free test for Beaconites is Bear Mountain, despite the marketing that that Governor Cuomo does that indicates getting a free test is easy.

A Little Beacon Blog doesn’t usually make recommendations, but in our experience, PM Pediatrics continues to be the best choice for testing kids (adults who accompany them can also get tested; walk-ins accepted), Caremount for adult testing, and patients of Sun River Health System (previously HRH Health Care on Henry Street in Beacon) offers testing to their patients only (no walk-ins, and appointments are needed).

Local District Response To Closures - Up To Districts, Not To State Standardized

Chatter amoung some parents in social media has been that the school will be forced to close for some reason. Dr. Landahl answered that as of now, and as of the whole time during the pandemic after the schools opened for the new 2020/2021 year, the decision to close has been at each district level, which indicates that local communities can know how things are working, and make safe decisions. He stated that he appreciated that local decision ability.

Most Cases Are Coming From Home, Not School

A question from a participant on the call was if the students were safer doing 100% Remote Only. Dr. Landahl stated that he believes the opposite to be true, that children are safer in the schools where social distancing is enforced, from their classroom to the cafeteria to gym to recess. At home, parents and caregivers can get lax.

This writer can attest - as a person who got COVID-19 - it walked through my front door at home - not from the school, but from us not recognizing the symptoms of an achy back - where it could have been picked up from a number of places (office building, gas station, who knows).

Fortunately. My husband is tested regularly for free by his job, and that is how we knew we had positive cases in the house. When we learned of his positive result, I kept my children home and out of school, even before they got tested. Once they got tested and one positive result came back for 1 of my 3 children, they had already been isolating, and our case did not warrant a closure of the school. It did trigger a robo-call from Dr. Landahl, however :) (no one’s names are ever mentioned, but we knew it was us - we made the robo-call!).

The school nurse called to check on us regularly, and did the math on our quarantine release date, if our symptoms had stopped, which they did.

Beacon Awarded $25K From CARES Act Funding via Dutchess County Through Block Grant (CDBG) For Food Purchasing - Spending It Is Next Step

Federal money was made available through the CARES Act for communities to apply for and be awarded money to spend on food security and/or ensuring safety for seniors at local senior centers. Dutchess County manages this money, and in a press release sent 12/22/2020, announced that all of the municipalities who applied for the money were awarded money, which was “based on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) income guidelines, for efforts to promote food security and safety at local senior centers to enable them to be open for seniors.”

Beacon applied for and was awarded $25,000 “for assistance to a local food bank to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income households,” according to the press release. Beacon’s Director for Parks and Recreation, Mark Price, is the point person for the spending of this money, and says that spending the grant money is not so simple.

Because the money is federal, they require an “income survey” in order to prove the need a municipality says they have in their population. Says Mark: “The County was willing to fund a food purchase only, for moderate to low income families in Beacon. We have to give assurance to them that they are giving us money and we're using it for the population we say we are. Because we are using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, there is usually a map that identifies the low to moderate areas (Editor’s Note: like with the small business Microenterprise Stabilization Grants currently available). When you use Block Grant monies, you are to use those to those areas. That map is slowly shrinking in Beacon. However, COVID funding doesn't use a map.”

How Does A Municipality Find The People To Prove The Need?

For this article, we asked Mark how he is going to find the people for the survey that identifies low to moderate income households. “We are hopeful that our Wednesday 9am free food distribution at Memorial Park, which serves 150-200 cars per week, in addition to our Wednesday 9:30am Beacon Recreation Center distribution to 75 families, will be a one-shot way to survey the need.”

The number of organizations who are offering food security services to people in need in Beacon has increased since the pandemic started in March 2020. “Of the groups in Beacon who work in food security, everyone would need to give assurance. They would each need to do an income survey. At this point, we are thinking that this one distribution location could be the most efficient way of getting a good sampling for the income survey. Some independent food security groups may need to do sampling for a month to get a good sampling.”

How Other Municipalities Proposed To Spend Money

Other municipalities made proposals for federal CARES Act funding based on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money guidlines, and were awarded. Ideas differed, and are included below:

City of Beacon: $25,000 for assistance to a local food bank to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income households.

Town of Beekman: $20,000 for touchless bathroom fixtures for the Town’s senior program

Town of Dover: $17,200 award for substantive meals and home-keeping necessities for homebound seniors.

Town of East Fishkill: $20,000 award for HEPA sterilization units and UV air purifiers at the senior center.

Town of Hyde Park: $29,500 award for plexiglass partitions, air purifiers and UV-C lights, Wi-Fi network upgrades and 7 laptops at the senior center, as well as tent for outdoor programming.

Town of Poughkeepsie: $15,950 award for plexi-glass barriers, hand sanitizing stations, wall-mounted thermometers, HEPA filter, air purifiers, gloves/wipes/masks for the senior center.

Town of Pine Plains: $26,542 award for support to Willow Roots food pantry to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income families.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro Re "Mayhem" At U.S. Capitol: "Every leader, in every office, from every corner of this country must call for this to end and disperse immediately"

On Wednesday, January 6, while the Capitol Building of the United States of America was being stormed by supporters of President Trump, where 5 people died including one police officer, and other police officers were wounded, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, a Republican, issued a statement via press release at 4:48pm. It reads:

Statement from Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro
Following the events occurring in Washington, D.C.

“This mayhem must stop, and it must stop now. America doesn’t resort to chaos or violence, and we don’t encourage or invite it. Every leader, in every office, from every corner of this country must call for this to end and disperse immediately.

“The events unfolding at the U.S. Capitol this afternoon do not represent who we are as an American people. While we would never suppress vigorous debate and the right to protest – our country, after all, was founded on the right of its citizens to voice their opinions – the violence witnessed today is wrong and unacceptable, and it must come to an end.”

Dutchess County Amends Quarantine to 10 Days From 14 Days, Following NY State Guidance

Sent via press release this morning, Dutchess County has reduced its quarantine time for exposed individuals from 14 days to 10 days. While strictly isolating at home is extremely difficult, both emotionally and logistically, please note the concern that remains while in the quarantine to if you have symptoms:

From Dutchess County Press Release 12/30/2020:

“Though the quarantine period is now shorter, individuals exposed to COVID-19 should remain vigilant. Anyone who develops symptoms while under quarantine OR through day 14 from the last date of exposure, should assume they are infectious and immediately isolate themselves and seek a diagnostic test.”

— Dr. Anil Vaidian, DBCH Commissioner

Following a guidance change for COVID quarantine requirements from the New York State Department of Health, the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has amended the quarantine time period for individuals exposed to COVID-19 from 14 days to 10 days following the last exposure if no symptoms are reported during the quarantine. This change is effective immediately.

Quarantine for individuals exposed to COVID-19 ends after 10 days, without a test required, IF there are no symptoms reported during the quarantine period. Additionally, exposed individuals must:

• Continue daily symptom monitoring through Day 14

• Continue to strict adherence to prevention measures – use of face coverings, hand washing and physical distancing.

• If any symptoms develop, IMMEDIATELY self-isolate and should seek testing. A list of testing sites in Dutchess County is available at www.dutchessny.gov/coronavirustesting

An “exposed” individual, or “close contact” are individuals who were within six feet of a person who tested positive for COVID -19 for 10 minutes or more total in a 24-hour period when the person was contagious. Contagious is defined as 2 days before symptoms began (or 2 days before positive test if there are no symptoms).

“This is an important change that aligns New York State guidance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance and will help end confusion on quarantine timelines,” said Dr. Anil Vaidian, DBCH Commissioner.

“Though the quarantine period is now shorter, individuals exposed to COVID-19 should remain vigilant. Anyone who develops symptoms while under quarantine OR through day 14 from the last date of exposure, should assume they are infectious and immediately isolate themselves and seek a diagnostic test,” said Dr. Vaidian noted.

The New York State DOH’s updated guidance can be found here: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/12/covid19-health-advisory-updated-quarantine-guidance-12.26.20.pdf)

Quarantine documents and other information on the Dutchess County Government website will be updated this week. New York State and local contact tracers are also being advised of the guidance change

Community Fridge Added To Self-Serve/Fill Food Pantry At Binnacle Books By Fareground & Beacon4Black Lives

The tiny fridge, behind Binnacle Books and the Tiny Food Pantry found there. Organized by Fareground, Beacon4BlackLives, and Binnacle Books.
Photo Credit: Beacon4BlackLives

“Community fridges” have been established all over the country, as reported by the Today Show, with more and more appearing after this past spring. The holiday season has sprung upon us, and the pandemic is relentless, leaving plenty of families and individuals to still worry about food on their table.

Beacon’s first community fridge was unveiled in the last week of November 2020, as a fully functioning refrigerator sheltered by a wooden house built by Bryan Faubus with materials donated by Kevin Byrne. The community fridge is a collaboration project between Fareground, Beacon4BlackLives, and Binnacle Books; with advice and moral support provided by the Fridge Girls of NYC and the Kingston Community Fridges organization. You can easily find the self-stock refrigerator located behind Binnacle Books where a food pantry of nonperishable goods can also be easily accessed.

How The ‘Fridge At The Tiny Food Pantry Came To Be

Produce and fresh food is accepted into the fridge, maintained by Binnacle Books.
Photo Credit: Beacon4BlackLives

The first meeting about the fridge project occurred in late September 2020. By November 25th, 2020, the fridge was plugged in and fully stocked by several members of the Beacon community. A need for direct aid in the community was evident back in April 2020 amidst the beginning of the pandemic.

Since Binnacle Books was closed to the public during the shutdown, they decided to convert their outdoor “dollar bookshelf” into a Tiny Food Pantry in collaboration with Fareground. By July 2020, the makeshift food pantry was upgraded to a permanent food pantry with a design uniform to the others that Fareground has established across Wappingers Falls, Beacon, and Fishkill.

Binnacle Books had to restock the shelf several times a week using donated funds to buy groceries, food provided by Fareground and Keyfood’s Donation Bin. In addition to these accessible food sources, several members of the community stop by to leave food on the shelves, and just as many people stop by to collect what they need. The pantry is still constantly cycling from full to empty every day, a clear sign indicating the dire need for direct aid for the Beacon Community, especially during these tough times. Any person can stock the refrigerator at any time with new, fresh, unopened items. Produce is accepted.

Who Maintains The Fridge?

Binnacle Books, at 321 Main Street, Beacon, NY. The first home of the fridge.
Photo Credit: Beacon4BlackLives

Maintenance of the fridge has been tended by organizers from Beacon4BlackLives, Fareground, and Mark of Binnacle Books. A schedule of volunteers is being organized as the fridge will need cleaning and upkeep moving forward. Members of the community can get involved by simply swinging by to put food in the fridge or take what they need for themselves or to provide for others.

A Venmo is also set up to accept funds used to buy groceries, non-perishables, toiletries, tampons/pads, as well as cleaning supplies. Says Binnacle in their directions on Instagram: “the money will be used in one of a few ways: 1) to cover ~$20 / month to keep the fridge plugged in, 2) to keep the fridge stocked and clean, and 3) to keep the tiny food pantry out front stocked with non-perishables, toiletries, etc.”

The Venmo handle is @binnaclefoodjustice.

Future Growth For The Fridge At The Tiny Food Pantry

As for plans for future installations, there are no announcements yet, but there is definite interest in expanding the project. The City of Beacon has been discussing adding food security to their budget and discussions in 2021.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro announced via press release on December 22, 2020, that more than $150,000 has been allocated for local municipal projects promoting food security and safety for seniors.’ Beacon was a municipality that applied for and was awarded CARES funding, based on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) income guidelines, for efforts to promote food security and safety at local senior centers to enable them to be open for seniors.

Beacon was awarded $25,000 “for assistance to a local food bank to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income households.” A Little Beacon Blog is following up on the destination of that allocation.

For more information about Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens in Beacon, see A Little Beacon Blog’s Food Pantry and Soup Kitchens Guide.

Winter Storm Warning: Snow Impacts On Parking, Bus, Garbage, School, Meals, 911 Extra Staffing

Photo Credit: Dutchess County County Executive Office

According to a press release sent by the Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro’s Office, “the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning effective now through 1pm on Thursday, December 17th. Snowfall is expected to arrive late this afternoon (Wednesday) into the evening, continuing through Thursday morning, possibly into early afternoon.

“Prediction models vary widely for this nor'easter storm with heavy snow fall expected tonight through the overnight. Snowfall is predicted to be 1”-2” or more inches per hour with 12”-18” inches of accumulation expected, with some models showing projections up to 27” inches. The Thursday morning commute is expected to be impacted significantly and motorists are reminded to allow extra time and exercise caution on the roadways.”

Beacon Parking & Shoveling

The City of Beacon issued a city-wide robo-call, reminding residents to:

• Not park on city streets due to plowing operations Wednesday night, into tomorrow Thursday.

• Yes to park in public city parking lots. Parking lots will be plowed later, and the city will post a notice in the lots prior to plowing. See A Little Beacon Blog’s Guide to Free Parking Lots for pictures.

• Sidewalks should be cleared by residents no later than 24 hours after the snow stops falling.

• Do not throw snow into the road when shoveling the sidewalks and driveways. The snow plow will push it back onto your sidewalk because that is all that the truck can do. No matter how sharp a side-eye you give a plow truck. So give a wink and a smile as you throw that snow into your own yard.

Garbage Pickup In Beacon Delayed 1 Day

The City of Beacon also announced via robo-call that due to the pending snow storm, garbage pickup will be delayed by 1 day. Thursday pickup will occur on Friday and Friday pickup will occur on Saturday.

Beacon City School District Calls Snow Day

Important to Beacon’s Superintendent, Dr. Matt Landahl, and his own children in the district, were “good old fashioned snow days.” He has called his first one this evening in anticipation of the bad weather and possible power outages, impacting remote learning. The kids can go sledding, while staying safe. No Morning Meets.

Dutchess County Experiencing Staffing Shortages For Snow Management Due To COVID-19

Dutchess County Public Works highway crews have loaded trucks with materials, and salt will be applied to County roadways as the storm begins, according to the Dutchess County press release. Crews will be out through the duration of the storm to clear roadways. However, County Executive Marcus Molinaro urged patience “as this will be a significant storm and response efforts are complicated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused staffing shortages and continued safety concerns,” he said.

County Executive Molinaro said, “This first storm of the season looks to be a significant event. The forecast of rapid accumulation of snow, combined with ongoing concerns for the safety and shortage of staff because of the pandemic will make this storm very difficult. We urge all residents to be extremely cautious, avoid travel if possible. If you must travel, leave plenty of extra time for safety. Importantly, please be patient as it will take crews added time to clear roadways for safe travel.”

9-1-1- Center and Emergency Operations Center Increased Staffing

Dutchess County Emergency Response has increased staffing at the 9-1-1 Center and the Emergency Operations Center has been activated with representatives from County DPW, State DOT, New York State Police, County Sheriff, County Health, Central Hudson, NYSEG, and Red Cross for the duration of the storm, according to the Dutchess County press release.

Public Transit Bus Suspended Starting 7pm Wednesday

Dutchess County Public Transit will suspend service beginning at 7pm today, Wednesday. Bus passengers can check for delays or schedule changes at www.dutchessny.gov/publictransit, on the DCPT mobile app, or call 845.473.8424, TDD/TTY: 711.

Residents needing MTA service should follow the MTA on Twitter who posts updates.

Meals Delivered To Dutchess Seniors And Beacon Students

Dutchess County Office for the Aging staff and volunteers have delivered extra meals to Home Delivered Meals recipients.

Students in the City of Beacon School District who opted into Remote Delivery were given food today via the Beacon School Buses and runners who deliver the meals, which include hot meals, like pizza slices and chicken nuggets, as well as fruit and muffins.

Dutchess County Government Offices

Dutchess County Government offices will open at noon on Thursday. Individuals who have DMV appointments in Poughkeepsie and Wappinger from 9am to 12pm will be rescheduled for the same appointment time on Friday, December 18th

Residents can stay up to date on the County’s storm response online at dutchessny.gov or on the County’s social media pages on Facebook or Twitter.

Possible COVID-19 Exposure To Beacon's Highway Department - They Are In Quarantine

During the City of Beacon’s City Council Meeting, City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero announced that there had been possible exposure to COVID-19 to Beacon’s Highway Department. “Services will be affected,” he shared. “They will be getting done, but in a limited bases, as they come off of quarantine, which will be some this week, towards Wednesday or Thursday. Again, people really need to take this seriously. We need to follow the guidance, the masks, the distancing. The County conference calls have now started back up as weekly calls, and the Governor is doing his press briefings 3x/ a week now. The numbers are increasing. The hospitalization rates are increasing. This is not going to go any time soon. We still need to be mindful and take the persuasions. We are working with the health department as we always do.”