Yorktown Expands Coronavirus Closures

Yorktown officials have expanded restrictions on public gatherings to protect public health.

“After careful deliberation the Town believes the best course of action is limiting the opportunity for people to assemble in large groups,” said Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater. “We are clearly dealing with an unprecedented situation, but I have full confidence in our operation.”

Yorktown’s public-health safety measures include:

• The Nutrition Center will be closed until April 1st. Staff will be enhancing the meals on wheels program to deliver to seniors who rely on town services.
• All extracurricular activity at the Albert A. Cappellini Community and Cultural Center will be suspended until April 1st.
• Staff who enter occupied homes for inspections or repairs will only do so for emergencies until April 1st.
• The John C. Hart Memorial Library will limit its capacity during operating hours and it will close on Sundays until April 1st.
• Governmental meetings will continue, but public hearings will be postponed until April.
• Yorktown Stage will close through April 1 and their production of The Sound of Music scheduled for the end of April is canceled.
• SOAC Basketball’s season finale scheduled for next week is postponed to an undetermined date in April.
• Maple Weekends at Hilltop Hanover Farm and White Oak Farm on March 21, 22, 28 and 29 are canceled.
• Hilltop Hanover Farm’s Pancake Breakfasts are canceled.
• The housing voucher program (Section 8) at the Cappellini center will only accept mailed applications.

Already in place: Building Maintenance staff have been cleaning twice a day as well as wiping doorknobs, handrails and light fixtures four times a day.

Both the Lakeland Central School District and Yorktown Central School District are closed today and will be closed tomorrow for a previously scheduled staff development day. Superintendents George Stone and Ronald Hattar said that besides disinfecting buildings, communication will be key in overcoming the outbreak as they consider whether schools can reopen next week.

“The best thing we can do is to communicate to our community why we make the decisions we make with as much information as we can give,” said Dr. Stone at a Town Hall press conference earlier today.

A Cortlandt parent of a Lakeland district student has tested positive for coronavirus and the district is awaiting test results on the student, said Dr. Stone.

Dr. Hattar said that his district had begun an aggressive, weekly disinfecting program in January to combat seasonal influenza.

“As COVID-19 came to the forefront after our February recess, on Feb. 24, we actually started a daily disinfection schedule of all spaces in our schools. That is the most aggressive step a school district can take,” said Dr. Hattar.

“This situation is very fluid, and frankly, unprecedented. Information has changed several times making it that much harder to provide accurate material for dissemination. The Town will remain proactive in communication with the public and transmit accurate and appropriate information to our staff,” said Supervisor Slater. “Should anyone have specific questions please never hesitate to contact me directly.”

A video of the press conference can be viewed by clicking the links below.