Town of Babylon Releases Plan For Business Reopening

TOWN OF BABYLON, NY — With Gov. Andrew Cuomo announcing that Long Island can begin the process of reopening on Wednesday, Town of Babylon developed a plan to help local businesses get back to work. Supervisor Rich Schaffer held a press conference to release the guidance officials put in place to help businesses prepare for phase one of two of the reopening plan.

Under the statewide plan, once a region of New York meets the seven reopening metrics, they can restart phase one businesses which include construction manufacturing, and retail and wholesale trade. Under phase two, industries that can return are professional services, retail, administrative support and real estate. Then restaurants and food services can reopen under phase three, and phase four lists arts, entertainment, recreation and education.

In order to prepare for the first phase, Town of Babylon developed a model reopening plan that will help businesses get back to work as quickly as possible, while also protecting both employees and customers.

"This must-read guidance is vitally important to businesses of all sizes and industries. It will ensure that they are better equipped to handle the new normal," Schaffer said. "We want businesses ready at the starting line so they can reopen in the safest and most efficient way when Babylon is finally back to business."

In preparation, Town of Babylon Industrial Development Agency conducted a remote canvass of all of Babylon’s businesses to make sure they were ready for day one of the reopening. The Villages of Amityville, Babylon and Lindenhurst have joined in the effort and also made sure the guidance available to the villages’ downtown businesses.

"I commend the Town for its efforts and thank them for working quickly and diligently in making these resources available," Babylon Village Mayor Ralph Scordino said. "This is the smartest approach to reopening our lovely downtown. By working together, we are prepared for this reopening."

The guide includes the following recommendations:

• Develop a testing plan for employees and implement strict rules for sick or at-risk individuals, including enforcing quarantines when necessary.
• Require mandatory self-reporting and self-isolation upon known virus exposure.
• Emphasize social distancing, including no in-person meetings in the office for at least a specified time.
• Encourage the use of technology for remote meditations, hearings, arguments and depositions.
• Wear masks – both at work and when traveling to and from the office.
• Discourage the use of mass transit.
• Decide which employees will return to the workplace and encourage those who can continue to work effectively from home to do so until the governor announces that the threat has sufficiently passed to allow for a more general return.
• If scientific data supports immunity, persons who were diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19 may be exempt from the general work-from-home recommendation.
• Limit the number of people coming into the office at the same time, limit unnecessary employee movement within the office and develop one-way foot traffic patterns if possible.
• Stagger workstations, limit touchpoints and install barriers for employees at locations with heavy foot traffic.
• Develop sanitizing and cleaning protocols in accordance with recommended CDC and OSHA guidance.
• Develop strict customer and visitor policies, including restricting visitors from branch offices. Lawyers and staff should bring their own food.
• Establish reasonable restrictions on use of restrooms and restrict the use of office common areas including joint refrigerators and office printers and copiers.

"We are all looking forward to getting to a point where we can get our businesses back open, with the safety and health of our residents the main concern," Amityville Village Mayor Dennis Siry said. "The Village is willing to help however we can and be creative to help our businesses get back on their feet and get our downtown and Village back into the great momentum we had going towards our overall revitalization."

These guidelines can be changed as new challenges arise and strategies develop, according to town officials.