One of the big challenges faced by various villages and towns throughout New York state once the COVID-19 pandemic starts to ebb is how to handle court sessions while maintaining social distance.
Baldwinsville will need to address this with its Village Court, too, which proved a primary topic when the Village Board of Trustees held its regular meeting Thursday night.
Typically, the Village Court convenes on the second, third, and fourth Wednesdays of each month. But all village and town courtrooms in the state were closed in mid-March.
Mayor Richard Clarke said that the court could open as part of the second phase of Onondaga County’s reopening plan, but that it could also get pushed back to August.
Whenever it does open, it would likely require limits on how many people can be in the courtroom and maintaining of distance between participants, along with the use of masks by participants.
Clarke said than an average court session could include as many as 50 people in that courtroom, counting the judge, attorneys, clerks, bailiffs, various defendants and family members.
All of these normal set-ups might change once the courts are open for business again, but that as of this moment, there’s no official rules from the county or state on
“We’re waiting for some guidance on this,” he said.
One issue that the Village Board continues to wrestle with is revisions in the village’s employee handbook. Completed last month, these revisions have not yet been officially approved.
Deputy Mayor Bruce Stebbins and Trustee Megan O’Donnell expressed concerns over issues that the new handbook either did not address, or added on to previous editions, including passages on sexual harassment policies that were new.
To make sure that those issues were resolved, the board approved tabling the approval of the new handbook at least until its next meeting on May 21.
As is the case everywhere, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Baldwinsville’s businesses. In his remarks, Clarke said that, even without table service, restaurants are finding success with their take-out services and enhanced online orders.
“It’s comforting and rewarding to hear that some businesses are doing well,” said Clarke. “All of them are connected to the community, and (in times like this) the best of people comes out. It’s a strange time, but you’re seeing some good stuff.”
With the board’s approval, the Baldwinsville School District will hang a banner on Oswego Street in May and June to honor C.W. Baker High School’s Class of 2020.
