After the virus, what now?

Sullivan faces the reopening challenge

By Edward Lundquist, Emily Ball, Demi Budd and Hunter Krause | Manor Ink

Sullivan County, NY – New York State and Sullivan County officials continue to inform constituents and work to keep residents safe. As the coronavirus crisis has evolved, however, the focus is beginning to shift. Quarantine has been effective in slowing the transmission of the Coronavirus. But reopening New York will be a collaborative effort, and planning is underway.

To learn more about what life will be like in Sullivan County after COVID-19, Manor Ink interviewed a number of state and county officials to get their thoughts about what comes next. NY Sen. Jen Metzger, Congressman Anthony Delgado, Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff and the county’s Director of Communications Dan Hust all shared their observations about the way ahead. While none could say for certain what we can expect, each offered insight into state and local plans for coping with a post-pandemic world.

A daunting task

Elected in 2018 to represent the New York’s 42nd district, Jen Metzger has been working tirelessly to keep citizens informed during the coronavirus contagion. She readily acknowledges that managing a disease that has killed nearly 100,000 Americans nationwide is a daunting task.

“One of the defining features of this pandemic is uncertainty,” she said. “It makes it challenging to plan far in advance.” It is difficult to know exactly how local schools and local institutions will be affected.

“The Education Department is setting up a statewide task force that includes principals, superintendents, board members, teachers and parents to provide guidance on the reopening of schools,” Metzger said, “Different schools, and even different regions, have different plans and challenges. I don’t think it will be a ‘one size fits all’ solution.

“One of the biggest lessons to come out of the pandemic early on was the need to have stockpiles of personal protective equipment or PPE,” Metzger said. She noted that Gov. Cuomo has recommended that hospitals have a 90-day supply of PPE on hand in case the virus makes a comeback in the fall. States like Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York have joined together to develop a regional supply chain of medical equipment and testing.

Metzger also said that testing is very important in controlling the transmission of the virus. There are ongoing efforts to expand the availability of testing and increase their capacity. “A lot of people are struggling right now with the slowdown of the economy, but it’s very important that as we reopen the schools and businesses, we be careful,” said Metzger. “With Gov. Cuomo’s announced criteria for regional reopening, it is up to all of us to understand our personal responsibility – that’s how this worked from day one and that’s how we will continue to slow the spread of the virus and start our new normal.”

Aiding local governments

Congressman Antonio Delgado is also making steps toward supporting communities in New York once the state begins to reopen. He is currently working on legislation called Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions, or HEROES, a three trillion dollar act designed to support businesses. The CARES act, which was implemented in March, only serviced state governmental units with populations of over 500,000. Because Delgado has very few units of this size in his district, he proposed a revised version of the act with a much larger budget and the ability to service smaller units.

On May 21, the House of Representatives passed Delgado’s amended version by a bipartisan vote, thus ensuring that every single county, town and municipality will be able to qualify for federal coronavirus funding. Before becoming law, though, the act must pass in the Senate and be signed by the president, which, in its current form, is unlikely.

Keeping everyone safe

Closer to home, Sullivan County officials are working to prepare for the seasonal arrival of tourists, campers and second-home owners. One of those responsible for the safety of the county’s residents as well as its visitors is Sheriff Michael Schiff.

Elected in 2005, Schiff is currently on his fourth term. His experience over the course of his career in law enforcement includes the 1979 prison strike, the 1980 Winter Olympics, the World Trade Center attack on 9/11 and the Republican National Convention in New York City. Those events posed challenges for the sheriff, but the COVID-19 pandemic is an entirely new problem.

Sheriff Schiff’s position right now is a tough one. He continues to enforce the law on the county’s streets while simultaneously protecting people from the coronavirus. That responsibility applies to 77,547 full-time residents and 997 square miles of roads that include 15 towns and 6 villages. The Sheriff’s Office also has officers on the road and in the county jail, as well as nurses, security people, and many others that have to be protected.

“It’s a heavy burden to keep them safe,” Schiff said. “There’s no 100-percent guarantee of safety.”

The road ahead seems unclear as well. Because the outbreak is something entirely new, how Gov. Cuomo’s reopening phases will work is something no one can truly predict. With many divided opinions about the course of action to take going forward, the Sheriff felt a consensus may be difficult to come to.

When the state finally does reopen and life returns to some semblance of normalcy, a “new normal” will be set in place. For law enforcement, how prisoners and inmates are dealt with will come with a greater degree of difficulty.

“No one really knows how we will be affected in the long run,” said Schiff.

Of course, the Sheriff has worries outside of his work. He worries about his kids, friends, and family. Beyond this, though, he has the people who have been out of work in mind.

“I worry about the people at home. They seem to be overlooked,” the Sheriff said. “They have to pay bills, make car payments, purchase groceries. They have to find ways to keep their families afloat with lost jobs. It’s difficult to watch.”

The unemployment rate in Sullivan County in March was 5 percent, and is likely much higher now. While this may not seem like a lot, it accounts for nearly 1,800 people who are jobless and need to find ways to provide for their families.

With an uncertain future ahead, Sheriff Schiff continues his work protecting others and enforcing the law. He also tries to educate people about personal protection and contamination. Despite uncertainties, though, he remains realistic and positive.

“We will get through this.”

Keeping everyone informed

Dan Hust has been the Director of Communications since 2017 and is now the official Public Health Information Officer for Sullivan County, and his job has never been more time-consuming or difficult.

“My blood pressure has never been higher!” he said with a laugh.

When asked when the county will begin reopening, Hust noted that we aren’t even in phase one of a four-phase plan by Gov. Cuomo. That phase cannot begin in just one county but must include the entire Mid-Hudson region. This means that until the state deems the whole region ready to begin reopening, no individual area can. Hust believes that phase one could begin this month and that phase four might now be reached in late summer or early fall, or even later, depending on whether there is a second outbreak.

He also says a plan is being developed to fight a possible second outbreak. Preparation has been made easier because of a plan that was developed last year to deal with the measles outbreak.

The virus’s impact on Sullivan has been severe, with the county furloughing about 75 staff members. “I’m afraid we will be facing even more bleak news in the weeks ahead,” Dan said. “The real estate, sales and room taxes we collect have been devastated.” There is a projected loss of $10 to $20 million in tax revenues to the county budget of $200 million. The county treasurer has reported that $23 million in real estate taxes is already in arrears, as many property owners are out of work or their businesses are closed.

“The only hope is that the federal government steps in to help states and localities, because there is no way for the county to raise taxes or generate more income with so many people suffering,” said Hust. “The crisis will continue to impact Sullivan next year, if not for years to come.”

To deal with the problem, the county has established a Recovery Working Group composed of county officials, Chamber of Commerce members, the Visitors Association and others to help local businesses. The Group has been meeting twice a week with the goal of helping our businesses get back on track as they reopen. The county has also opened a revolving loan program to provide low-interest loans to local businesses, and is also developing a guide booklet of COVID-19-related regulations.

Hust opined that there’s a 50-50 chance that area schools will not open in the fall, but said that decision will be up to the state, not the county. He noted that the need for distance learning has highlighted the lack of broadband availability to many households in the county, and suggested a possible solution.

“We’ll soon be testing a broadband service using the county’s communications towers,” he said. “This will start in Monticello, but the county’s tower near Tennanah Lake could serve Livingston Manor.” However, Hust added, the service is not likely to be available by the fall.