SARATOGA SPRINGS — In an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, Shelters of Saratoga will be using a new location as an emergency shelter for the homeless currently housed at the Code Blue Shelter on Adelphi Street. The Senior Center at 5 William St. is being converted for this purpose.

“People experiencing homelessness not only are challenged to do what we are asking like, washing hands, staying indoors, talking to their medical providers when they are not feeling well – but many are already impacted with health issues, thus putting them at-high risk of contracting the virus,” said Karen Gregory, executive director of Shelters of Saratoga, which oversees the Code Blue program. 

Individuals experiencing homelessness include many older adults, often with compounding disabilities.  In Saratoga Springs, these adults often reside in small, congregate shelters or in unsheltered locations with poor access to sanitation. Their age, poor health, disability, and living conditions make them highly vulnerable to illness. Once COVID-19 is introduced to this high-risk population, further transmission will be very difficult to contain, hence inspiring Shelters of Saratoga to initiate a rapid response plan during the crisis. 

SOS’s Case Managed Emergency Shelters house up to 32 individuals a night in a congregate-style setting. They also sponsor the Emergency Winter Shelter – Code Blue which houses up to 61 individuals each night between Oct. 15 and April 15. Quarantining someone inside the building is not an option.

“Across all of our programs, we will be working unconventional hours to secure coverage. Until this passes, we will not be doing business as usual – the safety of the team and all of the guests are of utmost importance to me. This is a difficult time and we do not have the luxury of working remotely.  We are here, present and in the trenches – side by side the individuals we are serving,” Gregory said. 

Shelter staff are monitoring guests for symptoms and encouraging people to self-report if they’re not feeling well. But in the event of an outbreak, Gregory said she would need support from the Department of Health, the Local Department of Social Services and area hospitals to treat and house the sick, as well as to make sure that they are connected with food and other services they depend on the shelter for.

“In this new location, we will have three rooms which will easily allow for separation. I am proud and grateful to work in a city that cares so deeply for its most vulnerable.”

S.O.S. also operates an outreach program for the many individuals living in motels scattered throughout the county, parking garages and those who do not come indoors. The SOS outreach team is working to get critical information about the virus to people, who are in many cases unaware of the dangers posed by this virus. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The City Council announced on Friday, March 13 that the City of Saratoga Springs has declared a State of Emergency. City Hall offices were closed to the public beginning Monday, March 16 and remain so until rescinded by a further order.

The City Police Department, Fire/EMS Department, and vital Public Works staff will continue to operate as normal. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. Call your health care provider FIRST if you have any concerns over your health and possible exposure to COVID-19.

Public attendance will not be allowed at City Council meetings, which will instead be live streamed through the city’s website and our Facebook page. The public is encouraged to email Mayor Kelly’s office at Meg.Kelly@Saratoga-Springs.org with any questions or comments they would like to have entered into the record, regarding City Council meetings. 

The City Land Use Boards are cancelled for at least the next two weeks, including the March 27 meeting.

CITY DEPARTMENT CONTACTS:

Accounts Department: 518-210-3243 (Marilyn Rivers, Director of Risk and Safety).

Mayor’s Department: 518-414-2118 (Lisa Shields, Deputy Mayor).

Public Safety Department:
911 (Emergency)
518-584-1800 (Police Department Non-Emergency)
518-587-3599 (Fire Department Non-Emergency)
518-265-6485 (Eileen Finneran, Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety)

Public Works Department: 518-584-3356 (Department Dispatch).

Finance Department: Finance will be communicating regarding City payments (taxes, utility bills, etc.). Please check the City website for updates.

INFORMATION LINKS:

Health Care: www.saratogacountyny.gov/departments/publichealth
Courts: www.nycourts.gov
Schools: www.SaratogaSchools.org

The Saratoga Springs School District is closed effective immediately through Sunday April 19.

Residents are encouraged to visit the City’s website at www.Saratoga-Springs.org to receive updates on City operations. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Police Departments has enacted new measures and adjustments to protocol to ensure the safety of personnel and the public. 

Police will continue to respond to all emergency calls for service. Certain measures will be enacted to prevent unnecessary contact with those who may be ill, which will affect certain nonemergency calls for service, according to a statement issued by the department. 

Members of the public are asked to not visit the police department to file a report, and to instead call the department nonemergency number at: 518-584-1800, option 2. 

To request copies of an accident report, go to: buycrash.com. 

To download a police report request form, go to: www.saratoga-springs.org/290/Obtaining-Police-Reports. Wait times may be longer than normal. 

Station tours, internships, non-essential programs have been postponed, and all civilian fingerprinting services suspended.

Parking violation tickets may be paid online at: www.saratoga-springs.org/212/Parking-Tickets, or call 1-800-966-0285 to pay by phone. There will be a $3.50 charge per ticket. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS ­— What began a career in fashion turned into something above and beyond what Virginia Fretto, owner of Razimus Jewelry, ever thought she would do. 

Fretto designs and creates custom pieces of jewelry made from keepsake fabrics. Memorable garments such as wedding gowns, baby quilts and a grandfather’s tie can now be worn and remembered forever.

“So talk about fulfilling, I get to be creative and help people,” Fretto said. “The best part is this feeling and sense that I’m doing something bigger than just design.”

However, Fretto never imagined herself designing with such keepsake items and said it was something that happened naturally. 

“It was just something that happened organically. I started having clients ask me if I could make them something out of an important garment and the more I said yes to it, the more fulfilling that felt,” Fretto said.

Fretto started Razimus Jewelry after she and her husband moved to New York for a job opportunity. In Boston, Fretto said she handled the corporate social responsibility at Hearts on Fire, a diamond dealership. After experiencing the corporate side of business, Fretto searched for a creative outlet and thus her business was born.

Fretto began her store with design collections of eco-friendly fabric jewelry, which she sold through a number of boutiques in the capital region. She said her store combines two passions: fashion and jewelry design. 

Starting three years ago, Fretto noticed requests for custom keepsake jewelry more often. After placing a small listing on her website about such items, Fretto started to shift the business focus in Feb. 2019.

“This is a big transition for my business,” Fretto said. “The beginning of last year it started to become more of a request and something I started to realize was a service and a gift that I can provide to my clients.”

The store now holds the focus of custom designing. Fretto said they work with clients to transform fabric pieces such as a great grandmother’s apron and design it into jewelry that can either be a special gift for someone, or can even serve as memorial gifts.

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“It’s really such a beautiful way to honor a loved one or preserve a memory, and there aren’t many options out there to preserve loved ones clothing after loss or to transform your wedding dress after the big day is over. I have found a really unique niche, and it is touching so many lives. I am just so thrilled that I can use my creative skills to touch so many families & people through fabric jewelry design,” Fretto said. 

Fretto uses a variety of different materials to create these custom pieces. They use everything from sterling silver to precious stones and a majority of their pieces are made with solid copper, brass, stainless steel or pewter. Fretto wanted to offer enough materials in case a client had an allergy to one of the metals. 

Once a request in sent in via mail or online, Fretto and her team get to work. She has two women who work at home as contract employees. They do the sewing and beading of the designs as they come in. 

“We really like that [work] dynamic. It’s conducive to moms who stay at home or people that have multiple jobs or different issues of flexibility in their schedules,” Fretto said. “It’s something that we can continue to grow and add more artisans in the area and it’s really lovely because I get to kind of work and feed off of all these other very creative women.”

Working with memorable garments creates a sense of honor in Fretto and said every story she hears holds a place in her heart. She even had the privilege of watching people open the box with their new bracelet or necklace and the tears that are shed don’t come from sadness. 

“There’s a certain comfort and happiness that I know I’m providing and it’s a beautiful thing. I feel like I’m actually offering a service that was not planned but has become a really beautiful part of this journey,” Fretto said. 

Operating largely through her website, Fretto said she also occupies a small portion of the Palette Cafe on Broadway. Requests for the custom pieces can be made online, in store, or through the mail. 

“I’m able to use the talents that I’ve had and kind of keep developing them and keep innovating,” Fretto said. “And not just in a way that’s serving me as a creative outlet, but that I know is actually providing something so meaningful as the end product to the client.”

COPING WITH COVID-19

Paying it forward is a great way to help businesses around the community after being shut down during this outbreak. In response to this outbreak, and as a small business owner herself, Fretto created an idea to help pay it forward.

Fretto dedicated a portion to her website to help other small businesses. A portion of sales from any purchase on their website will be used to make another purchase from a small business in the local community. She wants to encourage other small businesses, in any way they are able, to use a portion of that sale to continue the cycle and make a purchase from another small business. 

For example, once a bracelet is sold, Fretto will use those funds to purchase a delivery meal, local farm produce, toiletry, clothing, cleaning or other handmade products produced by a small business owners. She will then donate said product to Wellspring, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help survivors of relationship abuse and sexual assault.

The idea is to help generate some needed revenue and support in the community. While upholding social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, anything ordered will be mailed directly. Bracelets can range in price from $40 to $90. 

You Don’t Need to be a homesteader to be prepared in times of an emergency. In our area a snow storm or high winds can disrupt power for days. Preparing an emergency food supply will allow you to feed your family for a few days, even if you have no electricity. When preparing your emergency food supply keep in mind your family’s food preferences, and include some comfort foods which will help to elevate spirits in a stressful situation. Avoid salty foods that will make you thirsty because water may need to be conserved. The general recommendation for water is one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation. The following items are suggested when selecting emergency food supplies. You may already have many of these on hand. By gathering them and storing them in one location it can help your household through the worst days of an emergency. If you put them in a Grab-N-Go tote, you can take them with you in the event that you can’t remain at home. This list includes shelf stable foods that mostly require little to no cooking or added water.

• Canned meats, including soups (reduced sodium) 
• Canned fruits and juices
• Canned vegetables, including soups (reduced sodium)
• Protein or fruit bars
• Dry cereal 
• Ultra-pasteurized milk (only needs refrigeration after opening)
• Dry powdered milk
• Dehydrated potatoes & canned gravy
• Instant rice
• Peanut butter & jelly
• Crackers
• High energy foods, like nuts and dried fruit
• Comfort foods such as cookies, hard candies, instant coffee and tea bags
• Food for infants and for special dietary needs
• Staples, such as sugar, salt, pepper
• Water – 1 gallon per person per day

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Make sure you have a can opener and knife for opening products, and disposable cups, plate, bowls and utensils.

Store your emergency food supply in a cool, dry place that is rodent proof. Some foods can be stored indefinitely, while others have a six month or one year shelf life, so check your supply every six months, and replenish as needed.

Cooking – A grill or camp stove that heats with propane can be used outdoors. If you want to be able to cook indoors, consider purchasing a butane burner and canisters.  You may reheat canned foods in the can if you remove the label first to avoid a fire hazard. 

Emergency Preparedness resources can be found at the Cornell Cooperative Extension website, www.ccesaratoga.org, under the Food & Nutrition tab. You can also find the following suggested resources for preparing a 3-Day emergency food supply at other government websites. 

Make An Emergency Food Supply Kit:www.ready.gov/food• Determining Water Needs:www.ready.gov/water

Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies: Power Outages, Floods & Fires, www.fsis.usda.gov/ (search for title)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced the state will institute limits on mass gatherings, directing events with 500 or more individuals in attendance to be cancelled or postponed.

Events, gatherings, or places of business with less than 500 individuals in attendance will be required to cut capacity by 50 percent, with exceptions being made for spaces where individuals do not make sustained close contact, such as schools, hospitals, public buildings, mass transit, grocery stores and retail stores. These new regulations will go into effect 5 p.m. Friday, March 13.

– Nursing homes: only medically necessary visits will be allowed at nursing homes. This policy will also be effective Friday at 5 p.m. The state is asking nursing homes to set up skyping and other online communication capacity so families can tele-visit their loved ones. Additionally, the state will require health screenings for all nursing home workers each day when they enter a facility and require them to wear surgical masks to guard against any potential asymptomatic spread.

In order to increase testing capacity, the State is contracting with BioReference Laboratories to run an additional 5,000 tests per day on top of what the state is already doing. These additional 5,000 tests per day will come online next week. This additional testing capacity is on top of that of the 28 private labs the governor announced are partnering with the state in the coming days and weeks.

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Additionally, the Governor announced the first public drive-through testing facility on the east coast will start testing people (today) in New Rochelle.

– For all schools in communities with the highest rates of positive cases, the state will be taking proactive steps to implement protocols that limit mass contact. The Governor announced SUNY Albany will cancel in person classes for the rest of the semester after a positive case was confirmed. 

Finally, the Governor confirmed 109 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 325 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 325 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:

• Albany County: 1 (1 new)
• Broome County: 1 (1 new)
• Delaware County: 1 (1 new)
• Dutchess County: 1 (1 new)
• Herkimer County: 1 (1 new)
• Monroe County: 1 (1 new)
• Nassau County: 41 (13 new)
• New York City: 95 (43 new)
• Orange County: 1 (1 new)
• Rockland County: 7 (1 new)
• Saratoga County: 3 (1 new)
• Suffolk County: 20 (14 new)
• Ulster County: 4 (3 new)
• Westchester County: 148 (27 new)

Additionally, any business that cannot accommodate rigorous cleaning standards should contact Empire State Development at (212) 803-3100 for a close order.

Read Gov. Cuomo’s statement in its entirety HERE.

A Statement From the Owners

Dear Friends of Saratoga Polo:

It has been our privilege to host and present Saratoga Polo for the past 15 years and 16 seasons.

Throughout this time, we have enjoyed great support from our community – from our national, regional and local sponsors, our audience and fans, the leadership of the Town of Greenfield and City of Saratoga Springs and the many players and participants in the sport of polo who contributed to maintaining the tradition of Saratoga Polo at Whitney Field.  You all helped to keep the legend of Saratoga Polo alive.

That is why it is with great sadness that we have to confront the fact that our future is uncertain and we are not in a position to present the 2020 Polo season.

We are truly humbled and grateful to all who have shared this journey with us and want to express our deepest appreciation to all who have shown us great kindness and generosity.

We have no further comments at this time as we are reviewing our options but will communicate more with you should our situation change.

BALLSTON SPA — Town officials heard from two-dozen local residents regarding entering a building moratorium at their meeting Tuesday evening.

Proposed Local Law 2 of 2020 would establish a moratorium on certain developments in the town. A moratorium is a delay or suspension of an activity or a law.

“This proposal is temporary and allows us to take a good look and get a grasp on what we have and where we want to go and how we want to get there,” Eric Connolly, town supervisor, said.

According to the proposed law, the town board expressed concerns regarding potential impacts on certain developments. 

“We understand that some developers or applicants object to the proposed moratorium but we believe that this is the direction that a majority of the constituents wants us to pursue,” Connolly said.

The moratorium would allow officials to update the Comprehensive Plan, which was last updated in 2005. They also plan to revise the zoning and subdivision regulations to be consistent with the soon-to-be-updated comprehensive plan. 

Over 24 residents spoke during the public hearing while others sent letters in. Most agreed with passing the moratorium, saying large apartment and condo developments should be included as well. 

Ballston Lake resident Kathy Wilcox said she agrees with the moratorium and feels that since she moved to the area 26 years ago, vast amounts of farmland has been filled with high density buildings such as apartment complexes.

“I would like to express my agreement with the moratorium being imposed. This is long overdue and sorely needed. We must control the growth our town has experienced…” Wilcox said.

Resident Don Dudley spoke against the moratorium during the public hearing, expressing concerns over an indoor tennis facility he planned to build. Dudley said this project has been in the works for the past seven years. The 2.8-acre lot on route 50 in the Town of Ballston is where he planned to put the indoor tennis facility, but is worried he cant move forward with the project if the moratorium is passed.

“Unfortunately my son was killed in a car accident in August of 2011 and after that I founded the tennis foundation in his honor,” Dudley said. “My concerns are it would be heartbreaking to not be able to move forward and continue with our project.”

Prior to the public hearing, Connolly announced that written comments will be accepted until March 31. If adopted, the law will take effect within 30 days after the public hearing and operate until Jan. 2, 2021. 

“The board will carefully consider all of the written and verbal public comments received,” Connolly said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – What once was an eyesore and is currently a vacant lot will soon boast a grass landscape with elderberry and perennials, a pair of picnic tables, Black Cherry and Japanese Dogwood, if Jason Letts gets his way.

The owner of the .31-acre site that stands opposite the Saratoga Springs Public Library has submitted to the city Planning Board a proposal for a pocket park on Putnam Street.

“We want to make it a place people can go to and have lunch or hangout, where they can walk straight out of the library and have a place to read,” Letts said.

The location had sited a commercial use concrete block building on-site the past several years. It was eventually revealed to be contaminated from its earlier use as a dry cleaning facility, as well as sustaining oil contamination from an offsite source.  That contamination determined the existing structure could not be salvaged for re-use and the building ultimately demolished.  

The land has been a focus for a variety of suggested uses, dating back several years. Proposals have ranged from a six-level robotic parking garage and banquet facility with 189 vehicle spaces and street-level retail in 2004, to a performance venue with a food service component in 2013. In late 2018, plans were on the table for the development of a six-story, 40-unit condominium complex called “Five-Three” – named for its location at 53 Putnam St. – to feature one-bedroom and two-bedroom units at a price range of $400,00 to $800,000, and a rooftop green space with a lounge area for residents. That mixed-use building proposal carried a price tag of approximately $30 million.

Currently, the 13,500 square foot site depicts a fenced-in lot marred by post-demolition sand and gravel. Ultimately, Letts says, he realized any large-scale development would require a long-term project, and decided a better current use for the lands would be something the entire community could use.

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“We got into this – ‘we’ being my sons and my family – to find a way to make this site useable as soon as possible. The idea of having to wait however-many-years to finally get a building, and to have it just sit there wasn’t appealing to us,” Letts says. “Right now, we’re looking to get the site into a useable position, something that looks nice. An aesthetic transformation.”

The proposed pocket park – titled the Rory & Blake Park – is named after Letts’ sons. “Although it is an expense, this is an opportunity to get more involved in the community where we live. And especially because we use the library so much, we decided we had to do something about it – so we hope this is something everybody will be able to enjoy.”

Letts said there are partnerships being formed with local places like Caffe Lena in the hope of staging organized activities in the park. A general timeline points to implementation by late summer. 

“It’s been a long road with the DEC clean-up, which will be taking place this year,” Letts said.

The lot is currently regulated by DEC as a Brownfield Site. A Brownfield site is a property where a contaminant is present at levels exceeding the soil cleanup objectives, or other health-based or environmental standards. The goal of the Brownfield Cleanup Program is to encourage private-sector cleanups of brownfields and to promote their redevelopment.

The location may in the future site a housing or mixed-use complex, but that prospect appears to be several years away. 

“Getting the resources together for a building (in the future) is going to take some time and will be long-term. We’re not so sure it will be condos – in fact that’s probably the least possible thing at this point given things like the market. But, whether it will be straightforward apartments, or some sort of affordable housing – that’s more what we’re looking at for that space,” Letts said. “That’ll be some time away. We just didn’t want to have it sit as it is.” 

The following statement may be attributed to The Wesley Community Chief Executive Officer Brian Nealon:

“The Wesley Community has taken immediate proactive measures as a result of the health threat posed by coronavirus (COVID-19) to our older adult population. We want to emphasize that we do not have any cases of coronavirus at Wesley Health Care Center and have not quarantined any individuals, including staff, at this time.

“Based on the most recent recommendations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Wesley Community has made the prudent decision to discontinue all non-essential visits to the Wesley Health Care Center, effective immediately until further notice. We have decided to take this necessary measure to preclude the spread of coronavirus to our highly vulnerable residents and the dedicated staff who care for them.

“This new policy will include visits by family members. Visitors will only be allowed into the facility if deemed essential or for end-of-life situations. Since family interaction is an important component to the well-being of our residents, alternative means of communicating with loved ones are being implemented, including the use of video conferencing.

“Staff and visitors granted access will be required to go through a mandatory screening process by a trained employee for potential exposure or symptoms.

“We do not take these decisions lightly and we understand the importance of family and friends visiting. These new policies are based on the guidance we have received from the leading national health agencies.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and following recommended guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York State Department of Health and Saratoga County Public Health Services. We will continue to work closely with these health agencies as matters continue to evolve.”