BATH – The work by Steuben County employees in the ongoing battle against the pandemic COVID-19 virus was formally recognized by county legislators Monday. According to a resolution adopted by the county Legislature, the team of county administrators, emergency services officials and nurses, public health professionals and the sheriff’s department has “worked tirelessly to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on our communities and businesses; facilitating testing through the NYS Department of Health, monitoring and tracking individuals under quarantine, and fielding innumerable questions from the public and municipal leaders.”
The resolution noted the county’s Emergency Operations Center was activated at the beginning of the pandemic and staffed with the director and deputy director of the Emergency Management Office, the public health director, public health emergency coordinator and public health education coordinator, in addition to the county manager. As a direct result of the pandemic, department heads had to rethink how they operated in order to continue to provide the needed services to the citizens of the county while also protecting their employees from contracting the virus, the lawmakers noted.
County employees from all walks of service helped – and continued to help -- in ways outside of their normal job duties and continue to overcome the many challenges of the ongoing crisis, the board noted. “When I talked to a county employee the other day, and learned just how much everyone is doing, the long hours, just everything they’re doing,” said county Legislature Chairman Scott VanEtten, R-Caton. “Well, this recognition is just long overdue.”
In other action, Steuben legislators:
· Adopted the police reform plan, which sets out a broad range of uniform best practices for law enforcement officers. The plan includes policies already in place and set in motion others to go into effect in 2021. Developed in coordination with local police department, municipalities and other stakeholders along with Corning Inc., the finished document drew the praise of state and county leaders. Steuben legislators stressed their support for the efforts already in place in the county.
