ANSONIA — Elected leaders in Ansonia, Derby and Oxford declared emergencies in their respective communities Tuesday, as the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 continues.
The moves come after similar emergency declarations were issued on the federal and state levels. The text of Ansonia’s declaration is posted at the bottom of this post.
Shortly after the declaration was circulated, The Valley Indy interviewed Sheila O’Malley, Ansonia’s economic development director, and John Marini, the city’s corporation counsel (and a former Alderman) about the document, and about how Ansonia city government is coping in these uncertain times.
Below is an edited Q&A of that interview.
Valley Independent Sentinel: The Naugatuck Valley Health District released a statement Tuesday saying that at least one person in the Valley has tested positive for COVID-19, and that there is also one presumed positive case in the Valley. Has the City of Ansonia been told you have a positive case?
Marini: “No, we have not been told.”
VIS: What does this emergency declaration do for the city?
Marini: “We’re hoping to open up lines of funding. We need to be at the table if federal or state money is being dispersed. This is a true disaster situation. We want to make sure we avail ourselves of every dollar that may become available. The resolution opens a path to that.”
VIS: And what else?
Marini: “We want to make sure we don’t run into problems with the efficient and effective operation of city government. This is obviously uncharted territory.”
VIS: The state released information this week saying small business loans are available from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
O’Malley: “Yes, we’re reached out to the U.S. Small Business Administration so that we can familiarize ourselves with the process for potentially tapping into some money to help with our small businesses, such as our restaurants. We want our small businesses and restaurants to know that we can help them in some way, whether it’s with application prep or other assistance.”
Marini: “Regarding our restaurants, Mayor Cassetti has been reaching out individually to each restaurant owner. We want them to understand that the city will help in anyway possible, such spreading information about the business and share their takeout offers. Obviously restaurants have played a crucial part in our downtown comeback. We want them to know the city is there for them during what is a very difficult time under unusual circumstances.”
VIS: I saw the city has been sharing restaurant info on Facebook.
O’Malley: “Yes, there was an updated list compiled and we will be sharing it.”
VIS: Ansonia City Hall has been closed to the public this week, correct?
Marini: “Yes, all city departments have been closed to the general public. We are now taking a look at possibly temporarily shuttering some non-critical departments, such as the library, senior center, and nature center, and possibly repurposing the employees working in those departments to work in other departments with the goal of putting them to the best use possible for the city. We’ve even been talking with the Ansonia Board of Education about opportunities there as well.”
VIS: Do you mean to possibly redirect the work force if needed to deal with COVID-19? I know the school district is using its transportation company to get meals to families. Are you talking about repurposing employees in that manner?
Marini: “Right. Some employees might be doing something different for the city, but at the same time they’re being put to productive use. We’ve been talking one-on-one with departments. We might have work from home scenarios, where people scan volumes of paper data for the city. The top priority, of course, is to keep people safe by avoiding unnecessary contact.”
VIS: In terms of municipal meetings, the Derby WPCA is scheduled to hold a meeting online through the “Zoom” teleconferencing service. One of Gov. Lamont’s executive orders makes it easier for local boards and commissions to do that. Is Ansonia exploring similar online options?
Marini: “Right now meetings are off, but you’re likely to see the first electronic meeting scheduled soon. It might be a Board of Aldermen meeting or a Board of Aldermen subcommittee meeting. We’re still exploring what the most appropriate platform will be.”
VIS: What have the days been like in City Hall in terms of planning, logistics, and everything you have to think about in the midst of ever-changing information regarding a public health threat? Is there a task force? How do you make these decisions? Are you reaching out to the state for guidance?
Marini: “We’re trying to keep it centralized in terms of management. The mayor has constant contact with the chief of police and with our emergency services first and foremost. We’ve had some great dialogue with the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG). We’re talking with our department heads one-by-one in a methodical manner as assess the situation. We’re trying to think about what to do should this become a long-term situation. And of course we’re concentrating on keeping the public informed. We’re relying even more on social media to get the word out, and we’ll ramp up our effort to talk to local media.”
O’Malley: “NVCOG is very important because we want best practices. This is uncharted territory, but we still want to know what our neighbors are doing because we can help each other through this. Somebody might have a better idea about how to do something. CCM (Connecticut Conference of Municipalities) has been a great resource, too.”
VIS: What about in terms of the public health threat itself and how COVID-19 is spreading through our communities and the state? Do you have briefings with the Naugatuck Valley Health District? Are you in contact with Griffin Hospital? How to you stay informed about what’s happening?
O’Malley: “We talk to anybody we can. Everyone is trying to figure out the best path for everyone.”
Marini: “The mayor’s philosophy here is our residents are worth the precautions. We’re taking it seriously and if we want to prevent unnecessary risk.”
VIS: What about the Ansonia Housing Authority, and places where Ansonia seniors live? Is there any kind of formal outreach plan regarding seniors?
Marini: “We just had a meeting with the Ansonia Housing Authority’s executive director to discuss just that. They’ve been reaching out to residents. It’s not so much the health concern at this point, and hopefully that won’t come to pass, it’s the concerns over the uncertainty. Everyone wants to know how things are changing and what to expect. There’s just a great deal of uncertainty. Obviously everyone is still looking for clear answers as to how long this is going to last.”
For updates from city hall, visit the Ansonia city website and visit the city’s Facebook page.
The actual emergency declaration is posted below:
Ansonia Emergency Declaration by The Valley Indy on Scribd
