Dear Valued Residents and Community Members:
We are in the midst of unprecedented times and are once again reminded of what is most important—family, health, and community. Rest assured that the Town of Monroe is doing its part to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees and community members. Every decision is made with this goal in mind. As previously communicated, Town offices are closed this week for additional disinfection measures. All employees are telecommuting and are available via telephone or email to serve our residents. We were able to hold our March 16th Town Board meeting with public participation via the web and telephone dial-in without having the public physically present, in support of the social distancing recommendation. Please know that the Town is in regular contact with local and county officials so that we remain up to date on critical information related to the COVID-19 situation. The Orange County Executive’s office, as well as the Department of Health and Emergency Services have been exceptional in keeping the municipalities informed of the latest developments through daily conference calls.
Please Support Our Local Businesses
In accordance with the Governor’s orders, all restaurants and bars are closed to the public as of 8 p.m. on March 16th. However, takeout and delivery is still allowed and available at our local establishments. These are challenging times for our Town and Village business owners, and they need our support now more than ever. They have shown us their generosity time and time again by supporting our community, athletic teams, and school-based functions. Let’s do what we can to help them out! In addition, many of our local non-food stores are making special accommodations by offering curb side pick-up of orders. Please consider patronizing them as well. It takes a Village
and a Town
to get through times like this and I have complete faith that our residents and community members will rise to the occasion, just as you always have.
Do Your Part to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
We can all do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. As per the CDC recommendations, please limit social gatherings to 10 or less people. Social distancing is key right now. Continue to practice good hygiene including thorough hand washing, coughing or sneezing into your elbow and disinfecting surfaces on a regular basis. Life as we know it will return to normal much faster if we do our part to flatten the curve. Take this time to stay home as much as possible and enjoy the company of your family.
Help Someone in Need
As we have witnessed, the current situation has ensued panic amongst our population, particularly in the grocery stores. While it is necessary to be prepared, please remember your neighbors in need as well, particularly our senior citizen community who are one of the greatest at-risk groups with this virus. Whether it is a phone call to check in on someone or sharing a supply you may have stocked up on, we are in this together and can only get through this together. Stop & Shop and Shoprite have announced special shopping hours for individuals 60 years of age and older beginning this Thursday, March 19th. Stop & Shop will accommodate seniors from 6 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. and Shoprite from 6 a.m. – 7 a.m. daily. In addition, we have many local and county resources available for those in need. Please contact my office if you or anyone you know needs assistance so that we may guide you in the right direction.
Lastly, there are countless workers in the medicine, emergency services, and retail field who are working around the clock to ensure we have what we need. Let us show them our appreciation and patience! We look forward to better days ahead and know that together, we will get there. Thank you for doing your part.
Cordially,
Tony Cardone
Supervisor, Town of Monroe
