Town’s response to Covid-19 crisis

[mark blazejewski]

What is the Lancaster’s position on this? Supervisor Ruffino declared he and his police chief were going to enforce state regulations. Have they? Silence on the part of the town and town media. What’s going on in my town?

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JUST MY OPINION:

I am still perplexed as to what regulations are being enforced in Lancaster.

Is the Lancaster Town Police Department strictly enforcing NY State guidelines and designations?

Is the LTPD enforcing what some can interpret as Ruffino's off-the-reservation personal whims, orders, and edicts, which in part, appear to contradict NYS guidelines?

Or, is the LTPD enforcing some sort of harmonized version of both NYS and local Ruffino-decreed Lancaster regulations?

I do not presume to speak for former Councilman Walter, but he seemingly raised similar concerns on post #48...

Like many of you, I'm sure, a lot of thoughts and questions have been swirling through my head while in "Quarantine".

The biggest is the role of local municipalities in the social distancing rules. I understand that a local town or village couldn't "open up" and usurp the state's orders in place but could they go further?

For example, New York State has designated grocery stores as essential businesses, but in the past, the Supervisor has said "Going to get a loaf of bread at the grocery store to me is no longer essential.”

More troubling, the Supervisor does not appear to speak to the exclusive issue of "enforcement," but on seemingly focuses on the imposition of unspecified "punishment(s)" and "fines."

To me, it would certainly have been preferable, and far more appropriate, had the Supervisor crafted his comments to reflect the specifics of all such guidelines and designations, state and/or local; the executive's commitment to enforce the same; and properly leave the issues of sanctions and other unspecified punishments to the courts.

Ergo, my one problem does not reside with following and respecting clear guidelines and essential designations. Rather, my problem concerns confused and perhaps inappropriate messaging.