Saratoga County Extends Emergency Order
BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County officials renewed the County’s Local Emergency Order in response to the city of New York relocating people to areas across upstate.
The initial Emergency Order declared by county CEO and Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore Kusnierz on May 19 cites public health and safety perils due to a potential increase of asylum seekers entering Saratoga, which would “significantly increase the county’s homeless population.”
“The purpose of this Emergency Order is to prevent other municipalities from imposing their own policies, costs, and responsibilities onto Saratoga County and to protect the health and safety of those within Saratoga County,” Saratoga County Administrator Steve Bulger said in a prepared statement.
“It is not the responsibility of Saratoga County to inherit the failures of another municipality or the federal government,” Bulger said, adding that a “grossly mismanaged response to New York City’s homeless migrant crisis by the City of New York and their contractor” and its lack of communication with other counties in the state “has created utter chaos for local governments and the people they claim to be helping.”
More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since last year. Over 30 counties across New York State have since made moves to hamper plans of sending migrants to their hotels and shelters.
The current Order – which took effect Aug. 18 and was extended for 30 days – “creates a prohibition on illegal shelters and temporary housing” within Saratoga County.
The Order specifically prohibits municipalities outside of the county from establishing a shelter or temporary housing in Saratoga County without adhering to the requirements of all applicable federal, state, and local statutes, laws, regulations, and rules and prohibits the operation of such a facility without the written permission of the Board of Supervisors Chairman Kusnierz.
The Order also prohibits owners and operators of any location within the County of Saratoga from entering into an agreement with a municipality or entity that would violate the provisions of the Emergency Order or cause any other person to violate the Order.
The purpose of the Emergency Order is to ensure the life, liberty, and property of the people of Saratoga County, including those intended to reside in any facility described in the Order, are preserved, according to the county.
The penalty for violating the Order is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail as well as a potential fine.