‘Taking the lead’

Tioga County’s Legislative Chair, Martha Sauerbrey, is taking the lead and working daily to stay ahead of the curve. In an interview on Wednesday, Sauerbrey emphasized that Tioga County is prepared, and ready.

On March 13, the county began warning residents to be prepared for the coronavirus, or COVID-19. This warning was followed on March 14 with an Emergency Declaration for Tioga County and several Orders. 

This came upon news that Tioga County had its first positive case of coronavirus. Ordered, as well, was the closure of Tioga County schools; an order that is in place until April 15 and could be extended further.

And working hard behind all of this are local leaders, such as Sauerbrey, who now has an office set up at home for work.

“Other than when I’m sleeping, I’m working,” said Sauerbrey during the interview, adding, “I’m in contact with the state, and the New York State Counties are on a conference call every night talking about preparedness.”

This conference call, according to Sauerbrey, lasts about an hour and a half. And while Public Heath and Emergency Management have engaged to handle the pandemic in Tioga County, the leaders of the counties are now talking revenue loss and budgets.

According to Sauerbrey, things aren’t looking good; and not just Tioga County, the economic impact will be felt everywhere.

“We knew we were in trouble with the Medicaid situation already; because New York City is such a generator, things will be tough,” she added.

Sauerbrey stated that she is having a videoconference next week with the state, and hopes to have a better look at where things are headed. She is anticipating a tough year, but with optimism stated, “Things will bounce back.”

In a press release received in late March, New York State Thomas DiNapoli cautioned that New York State could be facing some tough times.

In the release, DiNapoli stated, “My office presented to the Governor, as he requested, an estimate of how the coronavirus is impacting tax revenues. We estimate that revenues could be $4 billion below the projections of the Executive Budget. We cannot rule out a more severe recession, however, or additional stock market declines, which could lower the outlook for tax revenues significantly more.”

He added, “We have entered a new economic reality. No one knows how long the situation will last, but we must prepare to meet the financial challenges it poses for New York right now and in the future. We will need to maintain our vigilance over the state’s fiscal health just as we do over public health.”

In the meantime, county officials are working hard to stay ahead of things in Tioga County. 

“The Department of Health knows how pandemics work, and our emergency management team works hand in hand with them,” Sauerbrey added. 

She also noted that emergency management has been able to get some supplies sent in, like N95 masks for the healthcare workers. So far, she continued, they have been distributed to nursing homes and emergency personnel.

As for social distancing, Sauerbrey is urging residents to stay home unless it is necessary to go out, or if they provide an essential function, outlined by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

To keep up to date on the current COVID-19 situation in Tioga County, visit https://www.tiogacountyny.com.

The county is also releasing daily reports regarding coronavirus, COVID-19 numbers, as well as any changes to county services or other important information. We are posting these daily updates online for our readers at www.owegopennysaver.com as well.

As for the county, most are working remotely, with only a dozen or so arriving for work at 56 Main St. in Owego, the County’s office building.

On a lighter side of the situation, Sauerbrey stated that going into the office for a few hours is keeping her sane; a feeling that many dealing with this pandemic can relate to.

But for now, Sauerbrey has two priorities, to keep the county running, and to address the community.

“We are resilient, and we are in this together,” Sauerbrey concluded on Wednesday as she headed back to her computer for another conference call, at home.