Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates: Con Edison, Croton Free Library, Local Businesses, Unemployment, Census
The Village of Croton-on-Hudson is continuing to monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency along with our partners in Westchester County government. Our top priority is maintaining the safety and well-being of Village residents. To that end, we remind all residents to continue to practice social distancing by maintaining at least six feet distance from others when outside and to avoid gatherings that are larger than 10 people.
The Village remains in a state of emergency and the following areas have been closed: Senasqua Park, as well as all playgrounds, basketball courts and ballfields. All walking trails and passive parks remain open for enjoyment! Click here for helpful tips from New York State about maintaining social distance while enjoying our parks.
Utility bills were mailed to all residents by March 17th. If you have not yet received your bill, it should be arriving shortly. Bills are due April 15th. As a reminder, all bills must be paid online or via the U.S. Mail. No payments will be accepted in-person, and no cash will be accepted. For more information on how to pay online, please click here.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has closed all restaurants and bars for dine-in services. However, many of these establishments remain open for takeout/delivery and all residents are encouraged to support our local businesses during these difficult times!
Below are some other helpful updates from various state and local agencies:
Sign Up for Coronavirus Updates from New York State
Governor Andrew Cuomo's office has created a new database to receive dedicated coronavirus updates. To get email updates on the evolving COVID-19 situation from New York State, click here to sign up.
Con Edison Provides Help to Customers
Con Edison would like to inform all customers that you will not lose your power now because you’re having trouble making payments. There are a number of measures being taken to help customers currently having difficulties, including: waiving new late-payment fees, suspending no-access fees if your meter cannot be read, no fees for making payments with credit cards or debit cards and suspending fees for refusing smart meter installations. For current updates from Con Edison, please click here.
Resources from the Croton Free Library and the Westchester Library System
While our local Croton Free Library is closed, the library staff encourages residents to take advantage of their electronic resources, which include: free movies, e-books, e-audiobooks, free music, free research tools, free things to learn and more! There are great things to see and to do for readers, listeners and learners of all ages! Click here to see them.
Impact on Local Businesses & Non-Profits
There are a number of resources that have been made available to small business owners. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is making available disaster assistance to those businesses affected by the coronavirus. Click here to view these resources. Empire State Development has also compiled a list of resources for small businesses, which can be accessed here. Finally, the United Way of Westchester and Putnam is offering grants totaling up to $50,000 to affected non-profits in the county. Click here for the grant process and application.
Unemployment Insurance Information
New York State has waived the seven-day waiting period for individuals to file for unemployment insurance. However, due to an unprecedented increase in calls and web traffic, a filing system based on the first letter of your last name has been instituted. Filing later in the week will not delay payments or affect the date of your claim. Claims are effective on the Monday of the week of filing. Those with last names beginning with the letters A-F should file on Monday, those beginning with letters G-N should file on Tuesday and those beginning with letters O-Z should file on Wednesday. Anyone is allowed to file on Thursday and Friday. The hours for filing a claim are as follows: Monday through Thursday: 8 AM to 7:30 PM, Friday: 8 AM to 6 PM and Saturday: 7:30 AM to 8 PM. For a step-by-step guide on how to file a claim, please click here.
The 2020 Census is Here!
The 2020 Census is happening now. You can respond online, by phone or by mail. And your response matters. Health clinics. Fire departments. Schools. Even roads and highways. The census can shape many different aspects of our Croton-on-Hudson community. So please, take the time now (while you are home) to complete the questionnaire you received in the mail. You may receive multiple mailings from the Census Bureau in March and April, including an invitation to respond to the 2020 Census and follow-up postcards and letters. When responding online to the 2020 Census, you will be prompted to enter your unique Census ID. This ID number acts like a PIN and can be found on the Census Bureau invitation to respond. All Census IDs have 12 characters (letters and numbers). Want to know what to look for in the mail? Click here.
The Village of Croton-on-Hudson has put together a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) webpage with information for residents that brings together resources from our partners in the community as well as from the County, State, and Federal levels of government. Click here to access it.
On behalf of the Village administration and staff, we want to thank all residents for their cooperation. We know these are difficult times and we appreciate your assistance in helping to keep everyone safe.