Standing on the steps of the County Office Building in White Plains, Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Monday afternoon signed papers declaring that a state of emergency exists in the county and, under the emergency, public schools are to be closed as part of the effort to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The state of emergency went into effect with the signing that took place shortly after 3 p.m. In a separate document, Latimer ordered that public schools be closed for a period of five days beginning on Wednesday, with authority for the closings to be extended for additional five-day periods while the emergency declaration is in effect.
The school closings are designed to help enforce the principle of social distancing, keeping people apart as much as possible and eliminating large gatherings to stanch the spread of COVID-19.
Among those with Latimer were Raymond Sanchez, superintendent of the Ossining schools and Joseph Ricca, superintendent of the White Plains schools.
Sanchez said, “These are difficult times but we are all committed to support the needs of our communities. School leaders understand the issues are complex and every day continue to evolve. But, we know that working together with our county exec we’ll be prepared to respond to the unique challenges.”
Ricca later posted a message on his school district”™s website that indicated the closing could last “most likely longer” than the expected two weeks.
Westchester County Commissioner of Health Sherlita Amler was on hand and said, “When the schools close that doesn”™t mean that kids should be out congregating with each other. It means that we”™re asking people not to congregate. It”™s up to parents to ensure that their children are safe.”
Amler said the numbers of cases of the virus could dramatically rise if the containment steps are not taken.
When asked about the effect of school closings on vendors who do business with the schools, coupled with the mandated closing of restaurants, bars, movie theaters and casinos, Latimer said, “Until the contagion is contained and reversed, we are in a freefall situation within the society economically. It”™s foolish to talk about how we would stabilize our economic structure when we haven”™t figured out how deeply this is going to cut. And so the closing of business today that the governor”™s made, and I supported that decision, was not made a week ago as we tried to resist it. We even made efforts ”“ Ken (Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins) and I went out to show people and have lunch and try to boost a little of that (local business) but now the numbers make us past that point.”
Latimer said that the economics will not drive the decision-making right now.
“When this contagion is over, when it has run its course, when we see just how successful we are or are not, we”™re going to have a large economic hole to dig out of and it”™s not just a Westchester hole. It”™s not just the businesses that I visit and patronize. It”™s going to be all over the United States of America,” Latimer said.
“And that would put us in a very tough economic situation and then it will be the federal government level to help us through this because no state, as powerful as New York is, has the power to pull us out of a recession, nor does the county government nor do the local governments nor does any one business. The largest corporation in America isn”™t going to be able to single-handedly pull us out. It will take a response from the federal government.”
Maybe they should think about suspending “prevailing wages” So that we don’t continue to overpay for work and services that we as citizens need to have provided.