He said that equates to $1.15 million saved, which, “goes directly to the county and the taxpayers, under that program.” However, he said taxpayers will actually save $2,309,000, calling it a “fairly significant opportunity” for Freeholders to approve taxpayer relief and debt services. Freeholder Deputy Director Dawn Fantasia thanked Cantalupo for his presentation and for the consistent communications with his office on the topic, stating, “As you know, the current Freeholder Board came in and inherited some of these decisions, and some of this debt, and all of our residents have had to carry this burden.”
“The fact that we are able to save over $2 million, by amending this, is definitely excellent news for us as a board and us as a county,” Fantasia added. In other business: Each of the Freeholders offered their condolences for those who knew Hamburg Police Patrolman Jason Franco, who died accidently on Tuesday while deer hunting. At the start of the meeting, Petillo led the group in a moment of silence in his memory.
“Patrolman Franco was sworn into the Hamburg Police Department on April 16, 2018,” Petillo stated before their moment of silence. “He also served as a volunteer firefighter in Montague. The passing of Patrolman Jason Franco is a terrible tragedy for his family and our entire county. Tonight, our thoughts and our prayers are with his family.” “I want to echo the statements made at the beginning of the meeting and offer my prayers and deepest sympathy to the family of Patrolman Jason Franco,” said Freeholder Anthony Fasano.
“That is just an incredibly sad situation and my heart goes out to his family and to his friends, during this difficult time.” Page 4 December 11, 2020 Freeholder Joshua Hertzberg offered similar sentiments about Franco, saying, “When I first heard what had happened yesterday evening, I couldn’t help but feel that sense of just a terrible feeling what his family must be going through right now. I just want to extend my thoughts and prayers to them and his colleagues. I know he’ll be greatly missed - I’ve heard nothing but good things about him.”
“My heart goes out to Jason Franco’s family,” said Freeholder Herbert Yardley. “It’s a tragedy and there’s not much you can say other than God bless him and his family; and my heart goes out to them.” “In speaking to the tragic loss of Jason Franco, not only was he a police officer, but he was a firefighter,” Fantasia said. “He’s a true gentleman that exemplified public service here in the county and he was loved by so many. Our prayers go to him and his family.” Fantasia recapped figures in the county’s battle against COVID-19, reporting from Dec. 9, 66,415 of the 140,000 residents “have received and reported a test for COVID-19.” Fantasia broke that down, explaining over 47% of the county’s residents have been tested, with only 3,618 or 5.45% positive. Of those cases, 2,481 or 68.6% “recovered.” She defined “recovered” as one “not currently hospitalized with COVID, nor have they passed from COVID.”
She clarified the recovery rate is in process, due to the number of cases still under investigation; and is anticipated to be much higher. There were 937 or close to 26% still under investigation, she added. With the 200 or 5.5% death rate overall – one in October and two in November - the majority occurred at nursing homes, with 115 of the 200 county’s total, or 57.5%. Hospitalizations, updated each Friday on the county’s website, tallied 14 in October, 19 in November and seven to date in December – with all of December’s at Newton Medical Center.