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4.12 4.12 LABOR AND POLICY\Policy—COVID Policy—Emergency—RATIFY REVISED- 1 1-16-2020 RESOLUTION RATIFYING ADOPTION OF REVISED TOWN OF QUEENSBURY COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE PLAN RESOLUTION NO.: , 2020 INTRODUCED BY: WHO MOVED ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: WHEREAS, the United States is facing a pandemic related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and there was a need for the Town of Queensbury to adopt a COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan (Plan) to deal with this emergency situation, and WHEREAS, by Resolution No.: 123,2020, the Town Board authorized adoption of its Plan and authorized the Town Supervisor to make modifications as he determined necessary as further information became known, with the Town Board to later have the ability to approve or disapprove an updated, revised Plan, and WHEREAS, by Resolution Nos: 133, 147, 157, 178, 192, 204, 216 and 305 of 2020, the Town Board authorized and ratified adoption of the Plan as further revised, and WHEREAS, certain modifications have been made since the Plan was last adopted and revised and the Town Board wishes to consider the Plan as further revised as presented at this meeting, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Queensbury Town Board hereby authorizes and ratifies adoption of the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan (Plan) as revised and substantially in the form presented at this meeting, and BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED, that the Town Board further authorizes the Town Supervisor, if necessary, to continue making modifications to the Plan as he determines that in his discretion are necessary as the situation changes and further information becomes known, with the Town Board to later have the ability to approve or disapprove a further revised Plan, and BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED, that the Town Board further authorizes and directs the Town Supervisor to distribute copies of this Plan to all Town Departments and the Warren County Office of Emergency Services, and the Town Supervisor, Town Safety and Compliance Officer and/or Town Facilities Manager to take any and all actions necessary to effectuate the terms of this Resolution and the Plan, as it may be amended. Duly adopted this 16t1' day of November, 2020, by the following vote: AYES NOES ABSENT : Mow TOWN OF QUEENSBURY 742 Bay Road, Queensbury, New York 12804 PANDEMIC RESPONSE PLAN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 November 16, 2020 Adopted by the Town Board DEPARTMENT MANAGERS AND PUBLIC SAFTEY OFFICER, CSEA AND HUMAN RESOURCES REPRESENTATIVES Accounting: Barbara Tierney Assessment:Teri Ross Building&Codes: Dave Hatin Building &Grounds: Chuck Rice Cemetery: Connie Goedert Court: Mike Muller and Eric Schwenker CSEA: Susan Sheehan Highway: Dave Duell Historian:Joan Aldous Human Resources: Pinnacle/Marge Mulligan Legal: Pam Hunsinger Parks & Recreation: Steve Lovering Planning/Zoning: Craig Brown Public Safety Officer/Fire Marshall: Mike Palmer Town Clerk: Caroline Barber Supervisor Executive Assistant: Victoria LaMarque Transfer Stations/Solid Waste: Rich Paris Water/Wastewater: Chris Harrington TOWN BOARD Supervisor:John Strough Ward 1:Anthony Metivier Ward 2: Harrison Freer Ward 3: George Ferone Ward 4: Amanda Magee 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTENT& PURPOSE PAGE 3 BUILDING LIMITATIONS PAGE 3 PROTOCOLS TO PROTECT EMPLOYEE AND PUBLIC HEALTH PAGE 4-5 TOWN BOARD MEETINGS PAGE 6-7 EMPLOYEE HEALTH PAGE 7-8 PANDEMIC RESPONSE PLANE - DEPARTMENT DISCUSSIONS PAGE 6-9 TRAVEL POLICY PAGE 9-13 VACATION DAY POLICY PAGE 14 2 INTENT & PURPOSE In an effort to keep our workers, visitors and residents healthy, and mitigate the migration of COVID-19, Town Board and Town Managers have developed policy and protocol in regards to restricting building use and on-campus social gatherings. BUILDING LIMITATIONS/PROTOCOLS ACTIVITIES CENTER BUILDING • Queensbury Senior Citizens have developed a plan to allow for some limited activities and programs. The plan, activities and programs will undergo continuous overview for safety. • Town business meetings will be held here and open to the public; COVID-19 rules apply. • Remote meetings/conferences are encouraged. • Security will have screen visitors attending Town Board, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings, TOWN OFFICE BUILDING • Building hours are 8 AM to 4 PM —building still restricted as per below. • Security will remain until 4:15 PM. • Residents are encouraged to do town business via phone, email or website. • Visitors are encouraged to make appointments with the department they seek to have business. See website for contact information. • Visitor attendance will be guided to north entry doors—to insure traffic management and security review. Security will maintain a list of non-employees attendance and time in the building. • Committee meetings or more than six attendees in the Supervisor's Conference Room will be prohibited. • Remote meetings/conferences are encouraged. HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT BUILDINGS • Will remain closed to the general public. • Residents are encouraged to do town business via phone, email or website. WATER BUILDINGS • Water Department is closed to all outside visitors unless by appointment. Doors will be locked after 8:30AM. • Public Water Samples will be dropped off in the Vestibule. Private Water Sample will not be accepted. • Contractors replacing the clarifier building roof will abide by CDC COVID standards/protocols. Must use portable bathroom facilities, not the towns. 3 PROTOCOLS TO PROTECT EMPLOYEE AND PUBLIC HEALTH: • Every effort will be made to maintain the recommended six foot social distancing; if not possible, then the wearing of masks is mandatory. o Any town functions that could violate the social distancing standard are prohibited, that includes cookouts, department meetings, etc. • Employee gatherings that violate recommended social distancing are prohibited. • In accord with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come into work until they are free of fever (100.4 F or greater using an oral thermometer), sign of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick. • Department Managers will work with the Town's Building & Grounds Department to assure that all door knobs and handles that are used by employees/visitors/etc. are periodically sterilized. • Avoid sharing pens and pencils. • When cash money or documents transfer occur, sterilize hands immediately after and before next transaction. • Gloves required for all situations in which material/money/documents have to be regularly exchanged. • Employees who have fever, cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath or bluish lips or face should stay home and avoid public places. Employees are being instructed to not report to work if they are sick. If ill, stay home and report such to your Department Manager. • Employees will avoid touching others, sharing dishes, glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels and pets. • Consideration should be given to using mailboxes rather than direct human contact when transferring documents, etc. • Employees will regularly wash hands with use soap and water and hand sanitizer: Especially before and after eating;after sneezing, coughing or nose blowing; after using the restroom; before handling food; after touching or cleaning surfaces that may be contaminated; after using shared equipment and supplies. • Employees will be accommodated if COVID-19 related school closings require home care of their young children and/or they or other family members need care because of their COVID-19 sickness or accommodation. • We now have available for employee and visitor use a digital no-touch thermometer. If you would wish to have an employee temperature check, please stop by the Town Office building atrium where you will notice a table, on that table is the thermometer, and some sanitizing wipes; aside the table is a trash basket. Please sanitize the thermometer before and after using and dispose of the wipes. The average human temperature is 98.6 +/- degrees Fahrenheit. If your temperature is 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, you have a fever. Please be safe! 4 • Employees who are at risk because of pre-existing illness, family illnesses that need attending to, and those employees who may have been in contact with an infected person will be asked to remain home and will not be on call in list. • Town Managers will make their department's employees informed as to the following: o Town employees are encouraged to take advantage of virtual doctor visits, available through their health plan if they require medical services for common health conditions. o The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) issued a directive requiring private health insurers in New York to make COVID-19 testing free for patients by waiving any out-of-pocket costs. This includes any fees associated with testing for novel coronavirus including emergency room, urgent care and office visits to an in-network health care provider for the purpose of being tested for COVID-19. On March 11, 2020 the IRS issued Notice 2020-15 advising that High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP's) can pay for COVID-19 testing and treatment before plan deductibles have been met. o All copays related to COVID-19 testing and treatment will be reimbursed, if not waived by the provider. o Employees who suspect they may have COVID-19 should begin by contacting their doctor or going to www.livehealthonlinne.com and complete the registration. Once registered,the employee will be able to video visit a doctor online all within the privacy and safety of your home. Please call all toll free at 1-888-Live Health (548-3432) or email help@ livehealthonline.com if you have any problems registering. o Note: Employees and Management should abide by Centers for Disease Control's, "Steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 if you are sick" (see APPENDIX A) and NYS Department of Health's, "Guidance on the Contacts of a Close or Proximate Contact of a Confirmed or Suspected Case of COVID-19" (see APPENDIX B). • Plexiglass barriers have been installed where the public interacts with our employees, like Parks& Recreation desk, Assessment Office desk, Security desk, Planning/Zoning/Codes desks and Greeting Desk Activities Center. • All counters and desk tops accessible and used by the public must be wiped and sterilized periodically. • Employees and visitors must abide by signage of our social distancing standard of six feet; use 6-foot distance markers. • PPE supply inventory will be well maintained and made available for employee use. • When traveling the building,outside your departmental areas, please wear masks. • Recommended one person per vehicle. However, if more than one in a vehicle, all must wear masks. 5 PANDEMIC RESPONSE PLAN - DEPARTMENT DISCUSSIONS ACCOUNTING: Barbara Tierney • Regular staffing and hours are anticipated • Please use the mail box to drop off items for Accounting • Please call ahead for in-person appointments • Use the phone, email and scanning systems to communicate as much as possible ASSESSOR'S OFFICE: Teri Ross • Staff schedules and regular hours are normal. • Closed to the public except for pre-scheduled appointments. • The staff will continue to do as much business as possible by phone or email. BUILDING & CODES: Dave Hatin • Staff schedules and regular hours are normal. • We are attaching this form to every building permit that is issued and we have posted this form on our Building and Codes page (https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYS_BusinessRe open ingSafetyPlanTem plate.pdf) BUILDING & GROUNDS: Chuck Rice • Building & Grounds have returned to full staffing, fulfilled a vacant cleaner position. • Continue with sanitation Plan: Common areas: All common area surfaces as well as wall switches will be sanitized as part of daily cleaning routine. All exterior door handles and touch points will be sanitized as part of the daily cleaning routine. Carpet cleaning will take place monthly or as dictated by the types and amounts of soils encountered. CEMETERY: Connie Goedert • Superintendent all other employees will have returned to full time. Crematory back to one shift. COURT: Eric Schwenker and Mike Muller • At least two staff members will remain home and placed "on call," or will otherwise "work from home." • Town Court is postponing all non-essential court functions. • All in-person court events for civil and criminal dockets are adjourned and will be rescheduled EXCEPT: Arraignments or matters involving Order of Protection, Hearings, or other proceedings granted on motion in consultation with the Administrative Judge. If you are scheduled for any matters including. • Notices of Adjournment, Appearance, or re-scheduled Court dates will be sent to attorneys of record or via US mail and, where possible, in accordance with form UCS- 517. If your mailing address needs to be updated with the court, please call the number: 518-745-5571 6 • The Town Judges continue working with the NYS Court System/Office of Court Administration (OCA) and the Governor's Office in an effort to address the abatement of the migration of COVID-19. CSEA: Susan Sheehan HIGHWAY: Dave Duell • All employees back to full time. • Breakroom meetings and other potential group gatherings/occasions must meet social distancing requirements or masks are required. • Administration and all other Highway Department Buildings are closed to the public. • The Town is participating in the Warren County's mutual highway aid program. HISTORIAN: Joan Aldous • Appointments required. • Use of mail, email and phone calls recommended. • Masks required when social distancing cannot be maintained. HUMAN RESOURCES: Pinnacle/Marge Mulligan • Handout to Department managers: COVID-19 Return to Work Checklist—4 pages: Planning and Communication; Policy Updates; Health and Safety; Employee Well-being and Morale; leaves of Absence and Accommodations; Posters; benefits; Best Practices and Other Considerations. LEGAL: Pam Hunsinger • Wearing mask when social distancing can't be met. • Town counsel team (MMHS) will work remotely as much as possible and practicable. PARKS & RECREATION: Steve Lovering • All staff have returned to normal business operations. • Public is allowed to access the registration counter, website registration and appointments are encouraged. • Signage offering COVID-19 safe behaviors and requiring compliance have been erected at all parks and recreation site. • Public use of athletic fields, playgrounds and picnic areas remains regulated and restricted. PLANNING/ZONING: Craig Brown • All staff have returned to normal business operations. • Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings have resumed with full schedules with appropriate COVID precautions observed in accord with town's safe COVID-19 practices. • Security will also be present at Town Board, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings to screen visitors. 7 QUEENSBURY SENIORS CITIZENS • Queensbury Senior Citizens have developed a plan to allow for some limited activities and programs. The plan, activities and programs will undergo continuous overview for safety. • Senior Citizens capture the name and phone number of each member or guest who visits or attends a senior activity. SECURITY • Security hours will match the Office Building hours: 8 AM to 4:15 PM. • The public intending to use the Town Office building will be restricted to using the northern front entry, the entry monitored by security. • Town Security will account for the visiting public; in that each person attending will be documented, this includes the following: name, destination, and time entering and leaving. All visitors are encouraged to make appointments prior to their visit to the announced limited access buildings. • All departments who have appointments will share those with security; please supply security with the following information: who, what time, etc. • Will visually observe persons entering the building; Fever, cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath or bluish lips or face may be symptoms of COVID-19. At a distance of 6 feet, security will interview the suspect. If,through observation and interview, it is determined that the visitor may be ill, they will be asked to leave the premises. • Security will also be present at Town Board, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings to screen visitors. • Screening questions: o Do you have a fever and/or respiratory symptoms, like a cough or difficulty breathing? o Did you travel outside the US in the last 14 days? o Did you have contact with someone with possible COVID-19 in the past 14 days? • A table is present for the purposes of offering visitors safety checks and PPE materials. o Non-touch thermometer included. TOWN CLERK: Caroline Barber • Staff schedules and regular hours have returned to normal. • Open to the public by appointment and walk-ins during school tax collection on Monday Wednesday and Friday for cash payments. • Whenever possible, we ask that the residents use the online option for payments or the depository box located outside of the town office building. The depository box can be used for tax payments, water/sewer payments, dog licensing/renewals and communications. • We will work with the Town's Security Department to assure COVID-19 safety protocols are followed. TOWN SUPERVISOR: John Strough • Updating the Town's Pandemic Response Plan. 8 • Town Board Meetings are as open as COVID-19 permits. • Extra efforts have been made to make Town Board meetings accessible to the public: Town Board meetings TRANSFER STATIONS/SOLID WASTE: Rich Paris • All employee schedules have returned to normal. • All visitors required to be masked. • Employees will use masks and gloves and replace at least daily. • Normal operating hours in effect. WATER/WASTEWATER: Chris Harrington • Water/wastewater has returned to full staff and normal scheduling. • Water Department will continue to take water samples as it has been.Walk-ins dropping samples off,will not be permitted. • Tap Applications and Sewer Permits will continue to be processed through mail. OTHER • The Town updates its Pandemic Response Plan continuously to be in accord with Federal and State and County requirements and protocols. • See attached policies on travel and vacation day carry over allowance. TRAVEL POLICY NEW YORK STATE/TOWN OF QUEENSBURY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC At all times,Town employees must be in accord with federal and state policies, Executive Orders, and laws. https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory Overview Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced new guidelines allowing travelers to New York to "test out" of the mandatory 14-day quarantine. Travelers from states that are contiguous with New York are exempt from the travel advisory; however covered travelers must continue to fill out the Traveler Health Form. Essential workers will continue to be exempt as well. The guidance also applies to international travelers coming from any CDC Level 2 or Level 3 Health Notice country. The new protocol is effective Wednesday, November 4. 9 For any traveler to New York State from a noncontiguous state, US territory or CDC level 2 or level 3 country, the new guidelines for travelers to test-out of the mandatory 14-day quarantine are below: • For travelers who were out-of-state for more than 24 hours: o Travelers must obtain a test within three days of departure, prior to arrival in New York. o The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days. o On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. If both tests comes back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test. • For travelers who were out-of-state for less than 24 hours: o The traveler does not need a test prior to their departure from the other state, and does not need to quarantine upon arrival in New York State. o However, the traveler must fill out our traveler form upon entry into New York State, and take a COVID diagnostic test 4 days after their arrival in New York. Local health departments will validate tests, if necessary, and if a test comes back positive, will issue isolation orders and initiate contact tracing.The local health department must make contact with the state the traveler came from, to ensure contact tracing proceeds there as well. All travelers must continue to fill out our traveler form upon arrival into New York State to contribute to New York State's robust contact tracing program. The travel guidelines require all New Yorkers, as well as those visiting from out-of-state,to take personal responsibility for compliance in the best interest of public health and safety. For general inquires contact the call the Hotline: 1-888-364-3065 or Ask a Question. To file a report of an individual failing to adhere to the quarantine pursuant to the travel guidelines click here or call 1-833-789-0470. Individuals may also contact their local department of health. From Warren County Administrator Ryan Moore. November 5, 2020. NYS has released the attached documents in reference to the new travel testing rules. PLEASE REVIEW THESE DOCUMENTS, PARTICULARLY THE TRAVEL FORM,AND KNOW THAT YOU/YOUR EMPLOYEES/YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS/YOUR ASSOCIATES WILL BE REQUIRED TO UTILIZE THIS FORM IN THE EVENT THAT YOU TRAVEL OUTSIDE NEW YORK AND THE CONTIGUOUS STATES. FINAL APPROVED FINAL APPROVED Travel Advisory 11.4.COVID-19 Travel For 10 There are still many unanswered questions surrounding how this will work, and staff on the Control Room are hoping to track down answers for me to the questions below. I highlighted answers next to the ones that have been answered, and will send you all more data as I receive it. - How must travelers' initial test results be reported and verified? What format do these test result reports have to be in? Who do they have to be reported to, and what will be that party's verification and reporting responsibilities? IT APPEARS TRAVELERS MUST INTERFACE WITH NYSDOH IN PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION, AND THE TRAVEL FORM WILL INITIATE THE INFORMATION EXCHANGE. IT IS UNCLEAR AT THIS TIME WHETHER LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO PLAY A ROLE. - Who is responsible for determining how much time travelers have spent in these states and consequently, which set of rules applies to their pre-return test (i.e. greater or less than 24 hours)? TRAVELERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SELF-REPORTING THIS INFORMATION AND KNOWING THEIR REQUIREMENTS, AS DETAILED ON THE TRAVELER FORM. THERE WILL BE "SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES" FOR NONCOMPLIANCE. If they have been in multiple states for longer than 24 hours cumulatively but no one state for 24 hours (for instance a cross country road trip) is it the cumulative length of the trip that counts? YES, CUMULATIVE TIME OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK AND CONTIGUOUS STATES - Who is responsible for scheduling, paying for, tracking and reporting a traveler's second test? - Who is responsible for verifying that the required timelines between the two tests are met? - NYSACHO has informed us that travelers are responsible for paying for their own tests. Will NYS be publicizing this and suggesting testing sites? We are being inundated with requests from travelers as well as hotels/businesses/employers on behalf of their customers/employees as to why they cannot use our free County testing resources. We also believe it might discourage irresponsible travel if people know up front they are going to have to pay for their own test. - How are travelers to areas like ours, where free testing supplies are unavailable unless they meet a higher risk strata, going to be tested in a manner that's affordable? (note: We would be happy to host a state testing site if that's in the cards...we have a central location on 1-87 that's already serving multiple counties, staffed every day, traffic patterns worked out, etc.) - Because the rapid testing is most useful for symptomatic individuals, we believe rapid testing resources would be better deployed for things other than returning travelers. Does NYS have a different view of this? If PCR testing is preferable, where 11 can people go to get those? Our site is grateful to have Wadsworth's help, and as such we have agreed to limit daily tests to the sick and exposed. Local health departments are being told by NYS that we must initiate contact tracing discussions with health officials in other states when travelers test positive. Is this confirmed? This function is currently being performed by NYSDOH and they do it effectively...we do not believe it would be improved by transferring it to us. Do these rules apply to college students returning home from non-contiguous states? YES - Do these rules apply to international travelers as well? YES NOTE: If a Town employee's travels require a quarantine, that particular employee will be expected to use their leave time (vacation, sick days, personal days or floating holidays) for the required quarantine time. If the Town employee has no leave days to be used for their required quarantine time, that employee will not be paid for those days. *Requests from employees to allow at-home work, in lieu of using leave time, must be approved by the Town Board. Precautionary Quarantine Requirements Shelter Requirements Precautionary Quarantine • The individual must not be in public or otherwise leave the quarters that they have identified as suitable. • Separate quarters with separate bathroom facilities for each individual or family group. Access to a sink with soap and water, and paper towels is needed. • The contact must have a way to self-quarantine from household members as soon as fever or other symptoms develop, in a separate room. There must be a door that separates it from the rest of the living area and has its own bathroom.Given that an exposed individual might become ill while sleeping, the exposed individual must sleep in a separate bedroom from household members. • Cleaning supplies, e.g. household cleaning wipes, must be provided in any shared bathroom. • If an individual sharing a bathroom becomes symptomatic, all others sharing the bathroom will be considered exposed persons until the symptomatic individual is appropriately evaluated and cleared. 12 • Food must be delivered to the individual's quarters. • Quarters must have a supply of face masks for individuals to put on if they become symptomatic. • Garbage must be bagged and left outside by the door of each of the quarters for routine pick up. Special handling is not required. • Individuals should self-monitor for fever and other symptoms of COVID-19 daily throughout the duration of the quarantine period. 13 TOWN BOARD APPROVED (AUGUST 17, 2020) MODIFICATION OF POLICY RELATED TO CARRY OVER OF EARNED VACATION DAYS TO 2021 DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC WHEREAS,as a result of requirements placed on the Town due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, CSEA and Town employees may not be able to use their earned vacation days in 2020 by December 31,2020,and therefore the Town Board wishes to adopt a policy to provide all Town employees with additional flexibility regarding the use of earned,but unused vacation days, NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that as a result of requirements placed on the Town due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Queensbury Town Board hereby authorizes a modification to the Town's vacation policy to provide all Town employees with additional flexibility regarding the use of earned vacation days as follows: VACATION DAYS. For calendar year 2020 only, employees may carry over earned, but unused vacation days to 2021 for use in 2021 in accordance with the following: 1. By August 31, 2020, each Department Manager must either approve or disapprove this accommodation for employees within his/her Department to carry over earned, but unused vacation days that may exist on December 31, 2020 to be used in 2021. 2. If this accommodation is approved by the Department Manager, all employees in his/her Department may carry over up to 5 earned, but unused vacation days to 2021 for use in 2021 in addition to any provision in an existing policy for non-bargaining unit employees or the provisions in the Collective Bargaining Agreement with CSEA for bargaining unit employees. 3. This 2020 vacation carryover policy is a one-time accommodation and shall not serve as any precedent in the future for any reason. 14