In keeping with Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order, the Upper Nyack Village Election will be postponed until April 28.

This week in the villages: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Village of Nyack and Upper Nyack are changing the way village business is conducted to keep both residents and staff safe. Residents are asked to contact staff by phone or email, and justice and traffic court have been postponed. The Upper Nyack Village Election has been postponed until April 28. There will be electronic and systems installation and testing on the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge this week necessitating overnight lane closures.

Rockland County

As of Mar 16, there were 18 positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Rockland County. The county executive’s press conference will be live streamed at Facebook.com/rocklandgov.

Village of Nyack

COVID-19 Village Hall Changes

In the interest of both public safety and the reduction of any potential impact of the COVID-19 on staff, Nyack Village Hall will be closing it’s doors to the general public from Mon, Mar 16 to Mon, Mar 30, 2020.

All village departments will be reachable by phone or email and all calls will be returned the same business day. Village staff will continue to perform necessary village operations but residents that have village business should contact Village Hall via telephone or email. The Staff Directory can be found on nyack-ny.gov. This closing is a precautionary measure, designed to ensure that Village Hall staff remain healthy and can continue to provide necessary services to the Nyack residents and general public.

• Nyack Department of Public Works will continue with regularly scheduled trash and recycling pickups.
• Land Use Board meetings and Public Hearings will be postponed until a time when public safety concerns have been satisfied.
• Nyack Justice Court scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays is hereby postponed through Apr 9.

Individuals with an appearance for traffic court between now and Apr 9 will receive written notice of a court adjournment to a new future date. Criminal court arraignments will proceed as needed. Civil Actions for the month of March are postponed and adjourned to new future dates. Notifications will be mailed to all parties. Emergency applications should contact the court office at 845-358-4464.

All village departments will endeavor to provide the best possible service to the public under these very difficult circumstances. It is incumbent on each member of our community to do their part to reduce the impact of this virus, and the village feels strongly that this is a necessary measure for both residents and staff.

Please check nyack-ny.gov regularly or sign up for email blasts at nyack-ny.gov to stay informed about changes to village operations, updated information about community closures, and cancellations along with key updates from federal, state and local authorities, and for other information related to minimizing the impact of the COVID-19 virus.

Nyack Public Schools

All Nyack Public Schools will be closed Mon, Mar 16 through Wed, Mar 18. On Mon, Mar 16 from 9-11a, all students are invited to log-in to their class pages on nyackschools.org. All teachers will be available for an “online check-in” to ensure that students can connect, as outlined in the Education Continuity Plan, which was been sent to all families via Infinite Campus on Fri, Mar 13. On Wed, Mar 18, Nyack Public Schools will send an update via robo-call to all district staff and families regarding any announcements or the potential extended closure of schools.

Nyack Library

The Board of Trustees of the Nyack Library determined that out of concern for public health and the health of its staff, the library will remain closed until Mar 31 in response to the COVID-19 emergency. The Board voted to adopt the Nyack Library Pandemic Policy, which you can access at nyacklibrary.org. The library will continue to provide digital services and reference services by email. If you have questions, please email info@nyacklibrary.org.

Library materials do not need to be returned until the library re-opens for public service. No fines or late fees will be charged during this period. All holds and material requests are suspended until the library can return to normal services. Please monitor nyacklibrary.org or the library’s social media accounts for status updates.

The Village of Upper Nyack

Impact of COVID-19 on Village Business

The Village of Upper Nyack Clerk’s Office will be open regular hours M-F 9a-12p for URGENT matters only which cannot be handled via the internet, mail, or telephone. If you have documents to deliver to Village Hall there will be a drop box available on the porch during regular hours. Please utilize this drop box if possible. The mailing address is: Village of Upper Nyack, 328 N Broadway, Upper Nyack, NY 10960. The village website is uppernyack- ny.us, the phone number is 845-358-0084, and the fax number is 845-358-0741.

Village Elections Postponed until April 28

In keeping with Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order, the Upper Nyack Village Elections will be postponed until April 28.

Two trustees will be elected for two year terms. The two candidates from the Bell Tower Party are Jeffrey Epstein and Kennon Rothchild III.

Comprehensive Plan Update Available for Public Review

Recently, the Village Board of Trustees accepted the draft of the comprehensive plan update. It is now available for public review on uppernyack-ny.us or at the Nyack Public Library and Valley Cottage Public Library. A public hearing is planned for Mar 26 at 7p at the Upper Nyack Elementary School.

Town of Clarkstown

Due to concern of the spread of COVID-19, the Town of Clarkstown has suspended or postponed a number of activities and permit requests. And in accordance with the Emergency Declaration and Executive Order of Governor Cuomo, the town is taking additional measures to reduce gatherings at town facilities and the justice court while maintaining the essential functions of town government. A list of affected events and facilities may be found on town.clarkstown.ny.us.

The public is encouraged to use the town’s website as a resource but also as a way to interact with town town offices from a distance. If you have any specific questions about coronavirus, there is a 24 hour New York State hotline at 1-888-364-3065

Community Centers

Effective Mon, Mar 16 all Clarkstown Community Centers will be closed to the public through Apr 13. Due to closures, town staff plan to implement a wide array of online activities for residents. The activities are to be broadcast on Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/TownofClarkstown/) and the town’s two public access channels (Channel 78 Cablevision; Channel 35 Verizon). A list of some of the online offerings may be found on town.clarkstown.ny.us.

New Monitoring Program for Seniors and Persons at Risk

A new monitoring program will be implemented for seniors and at risk persons living within the Town of Clarkstown. Residents are asked to notify the Supervisor’s office of any seniors and persons with medical conditions living in Clarkstown who would want a regular phone call to check in on the person of concern. This is a voluntary program in which town staff and volunteers will call seniors multiple times per week to check if the person needs household supplies, food or just to provide a friendly voice. If you are interested in adding anyone to the call list please call the Supervisor’s office at 845-639-2050.

Currently, over 1,200 seniors are enrolled in the Town senior citizen clubs which were suspended last week. The town is also aware of an additional 200 medically compromised adults. All of these individuals will be automatically added to the list.

In addition, Clarkstown is partnering with Meals on Wheels, which delivers over 450 meals daily to seniors and persons with disabilities, most within the town. During the COVID-19 crisis Meals on Wheels will be delivering more meals per day but reducing daily contact and thus the Meals on Wheels recipients will also be added to the call list.

Rockland County

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

Rockland County currently has fiveteen residents with confirmed cases of  Coronavirus (COVID-19. Three of the cases are students from the East Ramapo Central School District who attended Hempstead Elementary, Pomona Middle School, and Ramapo High School. Anyone who visited the following locations in Rockland County may have been exposed to COVID-19 and must go through precautionary quarantine:

• Ramapo High School – Wed, Mar 4 – Precautionary quarantine must continue until Mar 19
• Hempstead Elementary – Fri, Mar 6 – Precautionary quarantine must continue until Mar 21
• Pomona Middle School – Fri, Mar 6 – Precautionary quarantine must continue until Mar 21
• Prince and Princess Children’s Clothing Store, 421 Route 59 Suite 5, Monsey – Tue, Mar 10 through Thurs, Mar 12 from 10a-6p – Precautionary quarantine must continue until Mar 26

Information on what to do if you suspect that you are infected with the virus is online at RocklandGov.com. The Rockland County Department of Health is asking all health care providers to immediately report all possible cases of Coronavirus to the county at 845-364-2997 during normal business hours, or 845-364-8600 during after hours/weekends. An up-to-date list of meeting and event cancellations may be found at rocklandgov.com/cancellations.

SUEZ Scholarships

SUEZ and the National Association of Water Companies are offering seven $3,000 scholarships to New York high school seniors who plan to pursue a degree in a water industry related field. Completed applications must be submitted by March 31. Please visit mysuezwater.com for more information.

ML by Maria Luisa Scholarship

The application for the 2020 ML by Maria Luisa Scholarship program is now available to graduating female students in Rockland County. The ML by Maria Luisa Scholarship recognizes Rockland County high school female seniors who, through their actions or beliefs, embrace the principals of ML by Maria Luisa: civic and community involvement, commitment to social justice, social equality, and environment/eco-friendly lifestyles.

Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded: one to a promising woman who is a senior attending a private or public Rockland County high school (must be a Rockland County resident) and one to a promising woman who is a senior attending Nyack High School. The scholarship will assist with costs in attending a college of the students’ choice. The application deadline is March 31, 2020.

In addition to the ML by Maria Luisa Scholarship, there are other scholarships available through The Rockland Community Foundation.

Mario M. Cuomo Bridge News

Electronic Systems Installation and Testing

TZC is scheduled to install and test overhead electronic systems near the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge this week, requiring overnight lane closures of northbound and southbound Thruway traffic lanes.

At least one lane will remain open in both directions except when State Police stop and temporarily hold traffic for approximately 20 minutes during the early morning hours of Tue, Mar 17. Two additional 20-minute traffic holds are scheduled for the early morning hours of Wed, Mar 18.

Specific lane closure times are listed in the chart below.

Lane Closures Near the Bridge

Bicycle/Pedestrian Path

On the bridge, TZC will continue to work on the northern side of the westbound span for the path’s overlooks. At the Rockland landing, path construction continues west of the South Broadway bridge. Operations include construction of the Welcome Center and parking lot.

Merchants Wanted for Bike/Walk Path Landings

The New York State Thruway Authority has issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for merchant opportunities at the Westchester and Rockland landings of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge’s dedicated 3.6-mile bike/walking path. Scheduled to open this year, the shared use path features six scenic overlooks across the length of the three-mile crossing. Amenities at either end of the path in Tarrytown and South Nyack include public art, interactive displays, restrooms, and parking.

The Thruway Authority invites qualified merchants to provide input on products and services that can be offered at designated spaces at the path’s landings starting this summer. They should also include information about operational and logistical components. Preference will be given to local merchants and Taste NY Farm Market participants.

The Rockland landing, located within Interchange 10 of the New York State Thruway in South Nyack, features a truck stall with access to electric outlets. The landing also includes space for two pop-up tents adjacent to the bicycle/walking path. Responses to the RFEI are due by Mar 31, 2020.