There's three other members of City Council or certainly with us in spirit.

Let me begin with what we know, and then I will be pleased to answer questions.

As I think you are aware the state has established a one mile containment zone.

This is surrounding the epicenter of the outbreak in New Rochelle.

Within that zone, there will be a prohibition on large gatherings.

Now this, of course, effects schools, both public and private effects houses of worship, potentially other large institutions.

We are in the process right now of consulting with state authorities in order to make sure we have a comprehensive list of the facilities that might be impacted.

And to make sure that all our contacted so that we can provide them with guys.

It is very important to clarify that this is not an exclusion or quarantine zone.

No one is prohibited from entering or leaving the area.

This does not affect individual homeowners or families or businesses.

It is purely a prohibition on large gatherings in order to make sure that the spread of the virus is mitigated to the greatest degree possible.

From the beginning of this process, The city of New Rochelle has made clear that we would work hand in glove with and take direction from state and county public health authorities, recognizing their greater expertise in this area.

This particular measure is no exception.

We supported.

We will collaborate and implementing it, and we will make sure that it occurs in the smoothest fashion possible.

A second, the National Guard, we are told, will be arriving in New Rochelle in order to assist with logistical and operational challenges that our associate ID with this matter.

We expect that that will be principally assisting with cleaning as well as with the delivery of meals to students who may need school lunches in school breakfasts and therefore would be affected by the school closings.

The guard will not have a military or policing function, as I indicated.

They will be here to assist with the logistics of the city itself, has activated its emergency operation center so that we are ready to coordinate with the Guard and with other state authorities whatever degree they recommend and whatever debris degree would be constructed hand sanitizer, a CZ you know, the state has created its own brand of an sanitizer, and a significant shipment of that sand sanitizer has been brought to New Rochelle.

The city is now coordinating with state in order to deliver that sanitizer to a large institutions in New Rochelle, principally those but not exclusively those that serve senior citizens.

However, the sanitizer is not as yet available to the general public.

If and when that changes, we will certainly make an effort to get the word out.

A xeno.

Several days ago, it was announced that nursing homes and assisted living facilities within New Rochelle would no longer be able to accept visitors.

We recognize this is, ah, hardship for many people in our community.

In fact, that affects my own family.

My mother is presently at one of the nursing rehabilitation facilities in New Rochelle.

My brothers and I are not able to visit her.

It's painful for us, painful her, but we all recognize it is in the service of critical public health goals.

We know that seniors, those with compromised immune systems, compromised respiratory systems are at the greatest risk as a result of this virus.

We want to do everything possible to make sure that the virus does not spread to these vulnerable populations.

Our senior center that you, Doyle Senior Center, will be closed until further notice.

For the same reason, however, we will be delivering cold meals, too vulnerable seniors beginning on Thursday.

That is one example of the fashion, which city hopes toe Think comprehensively about how we can assist.

Neighbors need very important to reiterate the same reminder that we hear from the governor every single day.

The vast majority of those who contract Corona virus will recover without difficulty and will recover without hospitalization.

It is a relatively small fraction of individuals again, principally seniors and those with compromised health who will face more difficult challenges.

It is important always to keep that in perspective.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and the thanks of all people in New Rochelle for the exceptional leadership that has been provided by a Governor Cuomo by county executive Latimer and by their respective public health officials.

We have been collaborating with them consistently since the beginning of this process on we feel as though their attention and focus not only on the hot spot here in her shell, but on the larger county wide and statewide challenges has been exceptional.

I also want to express special thanks to the young Israel of New Rochelle congregation.

As many of you know, although this effects everyone in New Rochelle, the heaviest burdens have fallen upon the members of young Israel on.

They have confronted this challenge in the fashion that is not only responsible, but I would characterize as inspiring.

They are concerned, of course, about their own health, health of neighbors and friends to help families.

Many are quarantine, which is enormously disruptive to their daily lives.

And yet there has been a sense off commitments of the common good.

Ah, a wise and calm acceptance of the need for all of us to observe the dictates of public health.

And we are very fortunate that the leadership both the lay and spiritually young Israel, have been sucked responsible partners in confronting this issue.

The last thing I will say is the following.

Just to state the obvious, this is a major challenge for all of your shell.

No community would welcome a challenge of this kind.

However, I am enormously proud of the fashion in which the people of New Rochelle had risen to the occasion.

They have demonstrated focus and concern that is proportionate to the issue before us, but has not straight into panic or hysteria of a kind that is unjustified and self defeating.

And although we know that the days ahead will impose all sorts of challenges on many of us, I have no doubt whatsoever that we will meet the challenge in a fashion that is calm, that is serious and that is supportive of our neighbors.

We are strong, we are resilient and we intend to prove it in the days and weeks ahead.

Thank you very much.

And at this time I'll be pleased to accept any questions.

Maybe you want to save your constituents or seeing something in the containment zone we haven't seen in their lifetime forced closure of schools and houses of worship, National Guard on the street.

This is all for many.

I'm sure gonna be very disconcerting.

Well, as I said a moment ago, this is naturally a matter of concern for everyone in New Rochelle and clearly a significant disruption of daily life layered on top of concern for health.

So I don't for a moment minimize this, but As I said a moment ago, the people of New Rochelle have proven that they are equal to the challenge.

They have been listening to the guidance of public health professionals sharing information with each other.

The city has attempted to do its part to make sure that our community is as well informed as possible.

And I've been enormously moved by the fashion in which neighbors have come together with neighbors just to give you one small example.

But it's illustrative.

Our local girls crap troop took it upon themselves to put purple ribbons all around the neighborhood that is most heavily impacted as a sign of solidarity with their neighbors.

And in response, many neighbors are now raising money for that Girl Scout troop.

It's an illustration of how goodness begets goodness.

I don't kid myself.

The gestures of that kind are sufficient to confront a global pandemic.

That's not my point.

My point, however, is that we are able as citizens.

If we look at this rationally, calmly and if we stay informed about the options that we have to protect ourselves and our families, we could meet this challenge and overcome.

Did you tell us the National Guard alive where we're staying, how many of them are there?

And then about the hand sanitizer when it arrived.

Where is it?

How much So my understanding is that the hand sanitizer is being distributed now, so the facilities that are scheduled to receive it should get it by the end of the day if they haven't received it already.

With respect for the National Guard, we are still waiting for details.

My expectation is that their primary consultation will be with the school district because they will be assisting in the distribution of meals.

But the city, as I indicated earlier, will support their efforts in whatever fashion we can.

We're waiting for direction from them, and by the way, I should say parenthetically, that I've shared with you what I know.

There are many questions that I may not be able to answer yet this is a fast, evolving situation, and we've opted to come before us quickly is possibly as quickly as possible and in as transparent fashion as possible.

But that also means there's some questions were simply not in the position to answer yet, and we hope we won't be able to going forward.

I should also add.

And maybe I should have said this in my opening comments.

For those who don't know in Westchester County, municipal governments and school districts tend to be independent.

And so even though we know a substantial share of the burden and concern in the days ahead will concern school matters.

It is not my place to speak on behalf of the school district.

I expect that they will be having their own briefing at five o'clock today.

And so if there are questions that are specifically about the public schools, I would suggest you that their best posed that.

Can you describe the area, the effective zone, how big it is in terms of dimension?

And what exactly is within that zone under school rules that attempt residence?

What exactly is within that?

So the geography I describe will probably be familiar to most New Rochelle residents, but maybe not so much for those outside of New Rochelle.

It's centered around what is called the Wykagyl neighborhood in the north end of New Rochelle.

The area has a one mile radius has established by the state.

I believe we'll actually have maps of the area that will be available for those who want it does contain three public schools Award Elementary school, Albert Leonard Middle School and New Rochelle High School, A CZ well as a number of private and parochial schools.

There are several houses of worship within the area.

There are two country clubs within the area.

I should also point out that it extends beyond the borders of New Rochelle and also incorporates a portion of the unincorporated town of East Chester.

So there are effects on that side of the border as well.

I do expect that in the hours ahead will be able to provide a more precise listing of the specific institutions that are affected, but that gives you a general sense of what we're talking about.

I shall say it is mixed use and its character primarily in its land area in his residential, but it also has some commercial businesses, including the Wykagyl Business district.

Mary will live and work.

That's an interesting question.

I don't think we've tallied up by population.

It is several 1000 certainly, although I don't know the exact number.

But let me stress again because there's so much misunderstanding about this, that in some way.

That's kind of a misleading fashion in which to look at it, because individuals living within this zone are not gonna be affected anymore than someone living in another part of New Rochelle or living in a different community entirely.

Three restrictions deal with large gatherings.

It's essentially an institutional restriction, not one that applies to individual homeowners or families, except those who are subject to the quarantine that was already implemented, which is a separate families outside zone inside.

How was that?

So again is a general matter.

I will defer to the school district, but I can tell you that for the three schools, three public schools that will have to be closed all students who attend those schools will be affected whether or not they live within the containment.

Well, private school, Yes, American.

You get some sense to whatever extent you know what, this is likely, right?

Yeah, really, like some.

So I have some reluctance to make too many predictions, because again, this is fast moving and no one has experienced an episode like this before.

But as I said before, I expect that the National Guard will be here in a very helpful logistical and organizational support capacity.

It's not as though no shells were gonna become a militarized community.

We're not gonna have checkpoints at the border of the containment cell and so forth, so that really should be emphasized because I know just anecdotally hearing from many folks in the community.

There's been considerable misunderstanding about that.

People are hearing what's going on in Italy, heard what's going on in China and may have assumed that what's being put in place in New Rochelle is analogous.

It is quite different.

This is really again a geographically defined restriction on large gathering.

It does not impact the way individuals are able to move from place to place or in other respects, go about their lives and participate in the commerce of our community.

But, uh, why one miles is especial wild?

So the governor, in his press conference today and in his conversations with us one on one, made it clear that he was taking direction from Commissioner Howard Zucker, the state commissioner of health.

That was his determination.

He, in turn, of course, has been consulting with public health officials, both the state and national level to ensure that his judgments are informed by the best possible expertise we don't have in New Rochelle, our own public health apparatus.

We don't have our own public health responsibilities.

And so the best thing we can do is take direction from and support those who are in the best position to make sound judgments.

And so we trust Commissioner Zucker, informing the governor to give us direction.

And now we're gonna assist in the implementation of the mayor got.

Since the majority of the students with schools here are Spanish speaking, the platforms are available for communicating where they can seek help.

Quite morning, what can be expected in places where families can call and seek help in Spanish?

So that's a very important point.

As was noted, a substantial portion of your shells population is Spanish speaking.

This is obviously a matter that is of vital importance, not just the containment zone, but all of New Rochelle.

Most of the bulletins and informational sources that have been distributed thus far have been bilingual.

I'm told that the hot lines that are staffed by the state have Spanish speakers as well on dhe.

Certainly we want to make sure that we honor the inclusive and diverse spirit of New Rochelle as we go forward, especially facing a challenge of this kind.

If if that standard is not being met, then we're going to continue working and collaborating with our county and state partners in order to do as well as possible.

Yes, what So are you are involved.

Show you want it part of how this care?

Well, so there are some things New Rochelle can do on its own.

For example, we expect that we will be able to deliver the cold meals to the seniors who will no longer, at least for a limited period, time be able to attend that you Doyle Senior Center.