As COVID restrictions are eased statewide, the wall comes down at Riverhead Town Hall

The wall erected last year at the entrance to Riverhead Town Hall has been removed. All restrictions on accessing town buildings and facilities will be lifted on Thursday, Supervisor Yvette Aguiar announced this morning in a press release.

Asked this morning if the removal of the wall means members of the public can attend town board and other meetings in Riverhead Town Hall, Aguiar said the public has not been prohibited from attending town board meetings in person.

The press release sent out this morning made the same statement: “…the public has the continued ability to attend board meetings,” the release said.

That comes as a surprise to members of the public who have been attending meetings via Zoom and have been asking the supervisor to allow in-person attendance at town board meetings.

Riverhead resident John McAuliff is one such resident. Via Zoom during the public comment portion of town board meetings, McAuliff has asked the town board to allow members of the public to attend meetings and address the board in person.

“Will you allow people who have been vaccinated to be physically present at board meetings,” McAuliff asked. He got no response.

McAuliff wrote to the town board asking the same and said he got no response — until last night, he said in a phone interview today.

“John, Board meetings have always been opened with social distancing practices,” Aguiar wrote in an email to McAuliff last night.

“Thanks Yvette, but I suspect that will be news to most folks,” McAuliff replied. “The impression or misimpression has been that the only way to comment at board meetings is via Zoom.”

In fact, the supervisor’s state of emergency orders have consistently said in-person attendance was prohibited. The most recent emergency order distributed to the press, No. 2020SOE-86, which was signed by the supervisor on Tuesday, May 11, continues this restriction. It says “… all meetings remain cancelled through May 27, 2021, with exception of the following, which shall remain closed to the public.” Following this statement is a list of meetings scheduled to take place from May 12 through May 27, including three town board work sessions and the town board’s May 19 regular meeting. See below.

Riverhead Town State of Eme… by RiverheadLOCAL

The town board meeting notices during the pandemic, up to and including the most recent notice issued (for the May 4 meeting) also have all contained statements that the “meeting will be held without in-person attendance by the public.”

Members of the media have been allowed to attend meetings in town hall throughout the pandemic.

At other times, other members of the public — such as consultants, members of town hall committees and representatives of organizations — have been invited to attend town board meetings to address the board on specific topics. Members of the public have also been invited to attend the meetings for other purposes, such as the presentation of town board proclamations or to watch family members take the oath as police officers.

“The meetings have been open by invitation only,” Councilman Tim Hubbard said in a phone interview today. “They weren’t open to the public. That means two different things,” he said.

“It’s been a selective process as to who could come in,”Councilwoman Catherine Kent agreed.

Aguiar’s statement that the meeting have been open to the public during the pandemic is “completely untrue,” Kent said.

“She has done everything possible to keep the public out,” said Kent, who is running against Aguiar in the November election. Kent cited the wall as an example, calling it “offensive” and unnecessary.

Aguiar said in the press release the wall created a “temporary protective area… installed to maintain the safety of our residents and town employees during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to allow state-mandated COVID-19 screening and tracking.” It was removed “in anticipation of the long-awaited end to the State of Emergency invoked by New York State,” she said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo today announced New York State will implement the new CDC guidelines for fully vaccinated people on Wednesday. The CDC’s new COVID-19 guidance, released last week, says people who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear a mask or stay physically distant from others.

Aguiar said in an email this evening the town will follow the governor’s directives.

She said masks will not be required to enter town hall. “The town will leave it up to each individual should anyone elect to wear a mask,” she said

“The governor has not rescinded his executive order concerning social distancing,” Aguiar said. The town will continue to require social distancing in town facilities unless otherwise directed by the governor. “We are awaiting further guidance from the governor’s office,“ the supervisor said.

The town will not request proof of vaccinations for visitors to Town Hall unless mandated by the governor, Aguiar said. She said Cuomo is expected to provide further guidance on Wednesday.

“I am pleased to have the ability to begin reopening our entire town in both the public and private sectors,” Aguiar said.