MID-HUDSON REGION ENTERS PHASE 1 OF REOPENING BUSINESSES
JUNE 2, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce,
Business owners gave a sigh of relief last week when Governor Cuomo approved phase 1 of reopening in the mid-Hudson region. Pickups and deliveries of retail merchandise are now permitted. To help stores remain safe environments, the governor has signed an executive order that “permits store owners to deny entry to people who refuse to wear masks.”
If all goes well, phase 2 could begin as soon as June 9. The following areas of business will reopen in phase 2:
Offices
Real estate
In-store retail
Vehicle sales, leases, and rentals
Retail rental, repair, and cleaning
Commercial building management
Hair salons and barber shops
Business owners should visit forward.ny.gov and study the state’s safety requirements applying to each phase.
The Village of Cold Spring will hold a board of trustees meeting tonight, Tuesday, June 2, at 7:00 p.m. On the agenda are the following topics pertaining to Main Street merchants:
Resolution 12-2020, restricting signage and merchandise on village sidewalks
A discussion on resuming village business
Continuation of a discussion on the reopening of businesses and cancellation of large events
With the endorsement of local officials, Teresa Lagerman, the Chamber’s membership coordinator, has designed a poster on the theme “Let’s stop the spread together” and a yard sign that reminds people to wear masks. (Thank you, Teresa!) The Chamber is offering the posters free and selling the yard signs at cost. See below for info on distribution. The poster and sign do not replace the interior and exterior signage that businesses must display under the state’s requirements at forward.ny.gov.
A silver lining of this crisis may be that many of us learned how much we depend on local small businesses for our essential needs. To further encourage local shopping, the Chamber is working on a new directory, the Local’s Guide on Where to Get Everything You Need in the Cold Spring Area. If you want your business to be included, please email the Chamber at info@coldspringnychamber.com with a list of the everyday items or services that you consistently have available seasonally (please specify the seasons) or year-round.
We are also working on a new edition of the tourist map of the Cold Spring area. We do not encourage tourism while public health is still at risk, but eventually it will be safe for visitors to return to Cold Spring, and we want to be prepared with an informative map that directs them to local attractions and businesses. Since businesses are under financial strain now, the Chamber has reduced the rates for an ad on the map from $200 to $150 for members and from $250 to $200 for nonmembers (who also receive a Chamber membership). Ad spots are limited and will be given on a first-come basis. If you are interested in purchasing a map ad, please email us at info@coldspringnychamber.com.
The governor stated, “New York is one family, and we all have to look out for each other.” The Chamber stands in solidarity with Governor Cuomo and local officials in reminding everyone to protect each other and follow the safety laws.
Wishing everyone good health and a safe, smooth reopening.
MAY 25, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce,
his weekend we finally saw a break in the clouds. Governor Cuomo announced that the mid-Hudson region had nearly met the health metrics required to start reopening. Reopening of a region occurs in four phases under the governor’s plan. We can begin phase 1 as soon as Tuesday, May 26, provided that enough contact tracers have been trained. Putnam County needs to submit to the state a list of 89 trained tracers. Do you want to help get us there? If you can serve as a contact tracer for Putnam County, call the county’s Personnel Department (845-808-1650, ext. 46105) and speak with Jan Miller, or email putnampersonnel@putnamcountyny.gov.
Besides the essential businesses that have remained open, businesses in the following industries will be allowed to reopen during phase 1, as long as they comply with the state’s safety guidelines:
Construction
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
Retail (limited to curbside or in-store pickup and deliveries)
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
If you are not sure whether your business can reopen in this phase, use the state’s lookup tool to check. Before reopening, business owners in the categories above must read and affirm the guidelines relevant to their industry and create a safety plan based on a template. These documents are available at the New York Forward site. Keep printed copies of your affirmation and your safety plan on your business premises.
Nancy Montgomery, Philipstown’s representative in the county legislature, is working with the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services to provide free masks to local businesses that need them to meet the reopening requirements. The Chamber has received a limited number of these masks for distribution. If you need some, please contact me at info@coldspringnychamber.com or stop by Flowercup Wine, 82 Main Street, Cold Spring.
The Putnam County Business Council’s Reopen Putnam County Safely Task Force maintains a list of local sources for personal protective equipment and other supplies businesses need to reopen. If your business sells such supplies and you want to be added to the list, write to Rose Aglieco, of the Brewster Chamber of Commerce (info@brewsterchamber.com).
We cannot return to normal immediately. The state will continue to monitor each region’s health metrics. If we let down our guard after reopening, we might see new outbreaks of the virus. The Chamber has designed posters and yard signs that remind everyone to proceed with caution and to follow the safety guidelines. We’ll distribute them to businesses and others in the community shortly.
Please stay vigilant, tuned in, and healthy. We will all get through this together!
MAY 13, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce,
On Monday Governor Cuomo announced that the state had reached “the other side of the mountain” in reducing COVID-19 infections and deaths. He said that some regions of the state could begin reopening this week because they had met the state’s seven criteria for measuring progress against the virus.
The mid-Hudson region, which includes Putnam County, meets five of the seven criteria. Therefore, we do not yet qualify for reopening. Putnam remains under the current NYS on PAUSE restrictions at least until May 15. On or before that date, the governor will announce how the restrictions will be applied after May 15.
Once a region meets all seven criteria, the nonessential businesses in the region will be allowed to reopen in four phases. Each phase will last at least two weeks, during which officials will monitor health data in the region. Following are the industries that may reopen during phase 1:
Construction
Manufacturing
Retail (curbside pickup)
Wholesale trade
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
APRIL 16, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce,
Circumstances have changed quickly this month, as we weather the crisis separately, by hunkering down at home, and together as a community. Governor Cuomo announced this week that NY PAUSE is extended to May 15 and that New Yorkers must wear face masks when they cannot safely practice social distancing (for example, while at Foodtown). Although testing in Putnam County has been limited, the relatively low number of deaths and reported cases of illness due to Covid-19 in our area gives hope that social distancing and sheltering at home have been effective here. Wearing a mask in public is a kindness you can extend to all your neighbors. Thank you for doing so, and please keep it up for the safety of everyone.
Federal, state, and local governments have enacted programs to provide financial and health care assistance to the individuals and small businesses most affected by the economic shutdown. Congress is providing stimulus payments to middle- and low-income Americans. The SBA PPP loan program began accepting applications from businesses of fewer than 500 employees on April 3 and the self-employed on April 10. While funds may not land quickly, local banks have been working nonstop to process the applications. The New York State of Health website reopened for enrollment in health care plans and Medicaid, and the application period has been extended to May 15. If you have no health insurance or if your income has dropped and you cannot afford your current plan, you may be able to get coverage or reenroll for a lower-cost or free option. There is no reason anyone in this state should lack health care. Please be sure to contact your doctor if you feel sick, not only with breathing problems or fever but also with broken bones, depression, heart pains, or anything else. Although the coronavirus gets all the attention now, medical professionals do not want anyone to neglect any aspect of health.
Thanks to the generosity of a donor, funds are available to Philipstown residents who need help paying for essential goods: groceries, pharmacy items, and so on. Residents should have received a postcard in the mail from the Philipstown Town Hall outlining the program and contact information. You can also call Tara Percacciolo, the town clerk, at 845-265-3329 to ask for assistance. The community is supporting first responders and critical town and village employees by providing them with gift cards for buying essentials. If you wish to contribute to this effort, please purchase gift cards from Foodtown and Drug World and call Tara to schedule a drop-off at the town offices. In addition, local delis and Juanita’s have generously been furnishing meals to those on the front lines. Philipstown seeks volunteers to safely deliver essentials to home-bound residents. If you want to volunteer, please sign up here. On the Web, the Chamber regularly updates its page on Covid-19 info and relief resources and its local Covid-19 business directory, which suggests ways to help local businesses get through these difficult times. If you have information to add to either of these lists, please email us at info@coldspringnychamber.com.
The Chamber Awards Dinner has been postponed until Governor Cuomo announces that it is safe for large groups to convene again. This event is an annual community gathering to honor entrepreneurial excellence and service in Philipstown. When this crisis is over, we will have so much to be grateful for. We look forward to a day when we can again gather to celebrate with you!
In the meantime, we hope you will join us this Tuesday for the Chamber’s April Virtual Breakfast Meeting. We want to hear how you are doing and your thoughts about the future. And we want to see your faces! Until then, stay safe and stay well.
Sincerely,
Eliza Starbuck
President
Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce
APRIL 1, 2020
Dear members and friends of the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce,
This week the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was approved to provide relief to American businesses that are being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 shutdowns.
PPP authorizes up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. All loan terms will be the same for everyone. The loan amounts will be forgiven as long as:
The loan proceeds are used to cover payroll costs, and most mortgage interest, rent, and utility costs over the 8 week period after the loan is made; and
Employee and compensation levels are maintained.
Starting April 3, 2020, small businesses and sole proprietorships can apply for loans through approved SBA lenders. Applications from independent contractors and self-employed individuals will be accepted starting April 10, 2020.
We strongly recommend that eligible businesses ready all of the required application documents in time for the appropriate submission date.
The following link will take you to a detailed description of the loan program's purposes and requirements. Please read it carefully. Obviously, participating lenders will be swamped with applications. Make yours early and in good form to shorten your waiting time.
Sincerely,
Eliza Starbuck
President
Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce
MARCH 27, 2020
Dear members of the Cold Spring–area business community,
Governments at all levels have approved or are working out financial relief programs to help businesses and individuals recover from the COVID-19 shutdown. Please check below and in subsequent newsletters for the latest information. If you know of a program we’ve missed, please write us at info@coldspringny.com, and we will share it.
It has been heartwarming to hear the community ask, “Gift cards? Mail orders? Curbside pickups? How can we support local businesses during this challenging time?” In response, the Chamber has compiled a guide on how to best help businesses and what services are still being offered to the community. You can find it here. If a local business isn’t listed and should be, please write us at info@coldspringny.com, and we will add it.
We hope that you, your family, and your friends are well. Thank you for the cooperation, courage, and commitment to the future you have shown in the fight against the pandemic. Your spirit is remarkable.
With best wishes,
Eliza Starbuck
President
Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce
MARCH 17, 2020
Dear Members and Friends,
During these uncertain times, I’d like to thank you all for keeping a level head and taking precautions to protect the health of your friends, neighbors, and patrons. I encourage everyone to keep abreast of news releases from the New York State Department of Health and other medical authorities. Foremost, I’d like to thank our village, town, and county officials for their preventative efforts. By working together, we can all help contain the coronavirus.
Chamber members are taking various actions to stay in business safely. Businesses and organizations whose employees can work from home are allowing them to do so. Retailers who supply necessary goods are staying open (provided they are not at high risk) while keeping their public spaces sanitized. Many are closing their storefronts to the public but offering curb side pick-up and delivery. Following the governor’s order, restaurants have closed their dining rooms and offer take-out or delivery service. Organizations, including religious services, have canceled or postponed group events for the rest of the month. And the schools in the area are closed. Overall, the community has come together wonderfully to prevent panic and stay in touch with one another. It is heartening to see residents supporting small businesses.
Local businesses and organizations have informed us of the following changes:
Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill has suspended dining-room service. Starting Tuesday, March 17, they offer curbside pickup until 8:00 p.m.
Cold Spring Cheese has closed the indoor space to the public but will sell goods at the front door and will deliver any order over $25 within Philipstown at the end of the day.
Cold Spring Depot Restaurant has suspended dining-room service and will offer take-out from 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Drug World Pharmacy encourages customers with coughing, fever, shortness of breath, or flu-like symptoms to use Drug World’s curb-side pickup or delivery and not enter the pharmacy. Call 845-265-6352, and an employee will meet you at your car.
Flowercup Wine remains open for now but has suspended its Friday-night tastings until further notice. The shop will put together custom cases of 12 or more bottles and deliver them locally without a delivery charge during the crisis. Delivery of smaller orders is available for a fee.
Grey Printing has reduced its hours to 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. for the duration of active virus transmission. The store interior is closed to the public, but production will continue. Customers may email jobs, and completed projects will be shipped or brought out to the parking lot.
Hudson Hil’s has suspended dining-room service. Starting Wednesday, March 18, they offer pickup at the front porch and delivery from Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Menus and specials will be posted on social media.
The galleries of Magazzino Italian Art are closed from March 12 through at least March 26. The museum will expand its digital programming during this period, including live streaming of a lecture on March 21 on Facebook and Instagram Live.
Pink Olive is closed until the end of March or until further notice.
Riverview Restaurant has suspended dining-room service. They offer take-out and delivery service on their regular menu and specials Tuesday-Sunday, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Split Rock Books is open by appointment only. You can schedule an appointment by going to picktime.com/splitrockbks. The shop also offers curbside pickup, as well as free shipping for orders over $50.
Swing is closed until the end of March.
The Chamber’s Annual Awards Dinner is scheduled for April 30 at St. Mary in-the-Highlands Parish Hall. We are maintaining that plan for now. However, should health officials continue to recommend against public gatherings in April, we will postpone the event until the coast is clear. Similarly, the Haldane Foundation’s “Hunt for the Blue Devil” on Main Street, planned for March 20, will be postponed until officials give the green light for social gatherings.
We will see this emergency through together by staying positive. May you and your loved ones enjoy good health.
Sincerely,
Eliza Starbuck
President
Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce