***UPCOMING WEBINAR***
Tomorrow at 8AM: The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce invites members and non-members to attend a presentation given by City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison on Zoom. The mayor will discuss the impact of the COVID crisis on the city and his vision for moving forward. There will be opportunity to ask questions. Thank you to Rondout Savings Bank for sponsoring. Register HERE .

Friday, May 22, at 10:30AM: The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce will host a Business Town Hall with Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, with the latest information from the County about re-opening businesses. Questions will be taken via Zoom and Facebook Live, as well as the County's Town Hall phone line. Thank you to M&T Bank, Marshall and Sterling Insurance, and Nuvance Health for sponsoring this event. Register HERE .
Update for Tuesday, May 19, 2020
  • Horse and car racing tracks will be allowed to reopen without fans beginning June 1. The state will give out additional guidance in the coming week.

  • Additionally, Governor Cuomo has stated his support of reopening of major league sports but without fans. He has not yet commented on the status of minor league sports, including the Hudson Valley Renegades.

  • The New York State Senate will reconvene for session starting next Tuesday. They will be focusing on COVID-19 related issues, including housing regulations, but have not released an agenda yet. Any legislation impacting the business community will be shared as it is made available.

  • An updated FAQ document concerning the reopening of industries through NY FORWARD has been released by the state. It can be found HERE.

  • In today’s (Tuesday) press conference Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state would begin a pilot program to allow visitations to hospitals. No hospital in Dutchess County is included in this pilot but if it is successful, the pilot program will be expanded throughout the state.

  • The governor said once the downstate regions begin to reopen, the MTA will have policies in place to have the capacity to provide safe commuting services.

  • Sector specific reopening requirements have been posted by the state, including:
  1. Be in a designated industry and approved region.
  2. Adopt a written reopening plan consistent with state guidance and standards – including applicable Executive Orders. Written plans must be maintained and posted on site, but do not need to be submitted to the state.
  3. Fully implement its reopening plan, including required employee outreach and training.
  4. Affirm to the state that the employer has read and understands its obligation to operate in accordance with state guidance.
  5. Stay current. Consult the NY Forward website on a periodic basis or whenever notified of the availability of new guidance. That site can be found HERE.
To get updates as they come in and are verified, be sure to join our Facebook Group by searching "Dutchess Business Notification Network", or by clicking HERE .

To view our website and see previous emails, important documents, and other resources available, click HERE .
If you have any questions regarding the information in this notification or any other business related concerns and suggestions, please email [email protected]. Please do NOT contact elected officials regarding information in this email as they are currently inundated with handling the government response to this crisis. This network was created to help coordinate responses and share the burden, and we ask that you please contact us with any questions or concerns so our elected officials can focus on their task at hand. Thank you for your continued support through this time.
Resources With Links
United States Small Business Administration
EIDL For Agriculture Application: https://covid19relief.sba.gov/#/
Federal Representatives
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney: (845) 561-1259
Congressman Antonio Delgado: (845) 443-2930
Centers For Disease Control

Novel Coronavirus Hotline (24/7): 1-888-364-3065
New York State Government


NY Forward Reopening Information: https://forward.ny.gov/
State Representatives
Senator Pete Harckham: (914) 241-4600
Senator Sue Serino: (845) 229-0106
Assembly Member Didi Barrett: (845) 454-1703
Assembly Member Kevin Cahill: (845) 338-9601
Assembly Member Jonathan Jacobson: (845) 562-0888
Assembly Member Kieran Lalor: (845) 221-2202
New York State Department of Labor
Dutchess County Government


Dutchess County Mental Health Hotline (24/7): (877) 485-9700
Dutchess Tourism
For updates on major attractions, lodging, and restaurants (including a list of restaurants and farms open for takeout, curbside & delivery) click  here , for important information and updates (including a resource guide for County tourism-related businesses) click  here .
Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Business News Portal: https://www.dcrcoc.org/news
Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board
Dutchess Business Notification Network
If you were forwarded this email but would like to be added to the email list, please let us know by clicking HERE.
Dutchess Business Notification Network | [email protected]