Yates helps get personal protective equipment

YATES COUNTY--The Yates County Legislature met Monday, Aug. 10 where county officials discussed planning for future COVID outbreaks, the local economic recovery and how the county is working with local school districts on their reopening plans. The County Emergency Management Department has already been in contact with Dundee and Penn Yan School districts and has supplied personal protection equipment or is in the process of arranging to do so.
"We also found out that Penn Yan Manor was lacking gloves, so we worked to supply them with some boxes," said Brian Winslow, director of Emergency Management.
Obtaining PPE has been something of a challenge, said Deborah Minor, director of the Yates County Health Department.
"We initially put in a request for PPE supplies with a vendor and was told that the order was too small," Minor said. "So we worked with Yates and Steuben Counties to put in an order together and that was accepted."
Minor also touched upon the need for out of state visitors to quarantine themselves for 14 days regardless of whether or not they have a negative COVID test.
"The thinking is that the person could be incubating the virus and not test positive until they return to New York," Minor said.
Despite the fact New York has been largely successful in suppressing COVID-19 since the initial outbreak, many local businesses are nervous about another outbreak.
"There is a fear of a second shutdown and what that would do to their business," said Mike Lipari of the Finger Lakes Development Center during a briefing to the legislature. "They are all going forward trying to dig out the hole from the first shutdown and if there is another one there is a fear they won't come back. Hopefully, we can avoid that."
Despite the fear of another shutdown, Lipari said signs of the regional recovery are here.
"Our region, our county is in (a good) position to get through all this," Lipari said. "We are seeing numerous families moving to our region."
With the rise in the prevalence of remote-based work, Yates County is attractive for homebuyers.
"With more remote work going on people are realizing they don't need to be in the big cities," Lipari added. "I have talked to four or five families in the last few weeks that are looking to come get established in Yates to do remote work. That's positive."
Beyond the local economy, Lipari said that his office is working hard to monitor federal negotiations on a new stimulus package.
"We will continue to keep an eye on congressional negotiations so when a new aid package is approved we will learn what that entails so that we can help make businesses across the county aware of what is available and help them apply for any stimulus that might be forthcoming," Lipari stated.
Legislators agreed a federal stimulus would be beneficial and hoped further financial assistance for states and local municipalities will be made available.