Guilderland under state of emergency

Guilderland ambulance

There's been a "recent surge in transporting COVID-19 patients by Town ambulances" Guilderland's supervisor said in a release about the state of emergency.

GUILDERLAND — On Monday evening, Guilderland’s supervisor, Peter Barber, declared the town is under a state of emergency because of a COVID-19 surge.

“This decision was based on rapidly increasing local infection rates, recent surge in transporting COVID-19 patients by Town ambulances, and ‘community spread’ of the virus,” the town said in a release on Friday evening. “Town staff will continue to provide ‘contact-less’ services to residents and businesses while keeping employees safe to the maximum extent possible.”

The declaration went into effect at 5 p.m. on Friday and will last for 30 days unless extended or rescinded.

The declaration itself cites an earlier state of emergency Barber initiated on March 19, just a week after Albany County’s first two cases of COVID-19 were announced. He subsequently renewed the declaration through June13 with the reopening of town offices and facilities on Aug. 3 under Guilderland’s “Moving Forward Plan.”

The town’s medical director and director of emergency medical services “have determined that public interactions should be restricted to the maximum extent possible,” the declaration says.

The declaration states that town buildings and offices are now closed to the public and that town departments shall provide services to residents and businesses while keeping workers safe. Department heads may allow remote work and staggered work schedules.

Town parks and outdoor spaces may be used by the public “as approved and monitored” by the town’s emergency medical services department. The town court is to operate under guidelines from the state, the declaration says.

Senior Services can continue to transport residents for grocery visits and medical appointments and the transfer station can keep regular hours — both as monitored by emergency medical services.

Town committees and boards are to conduct meetings by video- or teleconference.

More Guilderland News

  • “I mean it’s crazy,” said Guilderland School Board President Seema Rivera. “We’re asking for things for our kids … nothing exorbitant. And then … we have to send money to Crossgates. I think it’s insane.”

  • “If the net cost is zero, why wouldn’t we purchase more?” asked school board member Rebecca Butterfield. “It comes down to being able to store them, charge them, and run them …,” responded Andrew Van Alstyne. “While free buses would be good … districts have seen them break down.” He said he hoped the technology will be more advanced before Guilderland turns over its fleet to electric.

  • Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber described the building as being “frozen in time” and said he’d also like to acquire from the district the “big pot-belly stove” and the original desks and chairs that had been in the school until recent years because he’d like to “recreate what a school looked like at that time.”

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