VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Hall Hours Although City Hall recently reopened to the public, a fire on the first floor, and subsequent water damage from the fire suppression system, resulted in a temporary closure for the safety of staff and the public. Many staff continue to work remotely, with procedures implemented in response to COVID-19. City Hall will reopen on Monday, June 8, with the hours of 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday. For the safety of yourself and others, a face-covering is required at all times while inside City Hall. A face covering can be anything from a mask to a scarf or a bandana, as long as your mouth and nose are covered. Updates on the City’s response to COVID-19, including resources, continue to be available at cityofvallejo.net/NCOV. We appreciate your thoughtfulness to protect yourself and others while conducting your business at City Hall. Thank you!
DEPARTMENTS IN ACTION
Vallejo Fire Department Assists with Solano County Vegetation Fire On Wednesday, temperatures across the region were pushing 100 degrees Fahrenheit. During the hottest point of the afternoon, a makeshift BBQ sparked a fire near Suisun City that quickly grew to over 300 acres in size. Vallejo Fire Department was requested to assist with controlling the blaze. Vallejo Fire Engines 25 and 27 responded and remained committed to the incident until night fall. By the time Vallejo FD resources arrived to the fire scene, four separate homes had caught fire. Fortunately, due to a team effort from numerous mutual aid agencies, the fire’s progression through inhabited areas was stopped, preventing damage to any further homes. Sadly, the fire heavily affected the Suisun Wildlife Center and knocked out power to many residences in the area. Vallejo residents can do their part in preventing damaging wildfires locally by heading the tips on the Vallejo Fire Department’s prevention page by clicking here.
Sign Up for Alert Solano
COMMUNITY
In order to receive important messages during emergencies, the City of Vallejo urges local residents who live, work, play, or travel through Solano County to sign up for its emergency alert system. Alert Solano efficiently delivers messages and information during incidents and emergencies as they occur via email, cell phone, and/or text messaging. Subscribers will be able to provide customized information to allow the most efficient delivery of emergency information and are also able to register multiple devices including cell phones, smartphones and tablets. To register for Alert Solano through the self-registration portal, click here.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9
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Curfew Order In response to information regarding planned looting, and to keep our community safe, the City of Vallejo imposed a City-wide curfew on June 1, 2020, from 8:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. The curfew will remain in effect until further notice.
COMMUNITY
Exceptions include emergency travel and those traveling to and from work, school, or business. Loitering in public places during the curfew period is prohibited. The curfew is set in an effort to protect public safety, reduce property damage, and personal injury during a civil disturbance. In addition to the city-wide curfew, the County of Solano also imposed a county-wide curfew, which expired June 4, 2020. Additional information regarding the City’s curfew order is available at cityofvallejo.net/2020curfew. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.
Face Masks Required In a unanimous vote, City Council passed an Emergency Order requiring the use of face masks in public spaces. The City’s number one priority is to protect the health and safety of our community members and staff during this pandemic. The City has received multiple emails, phone calls, and social media post responses from concerned community members and business owners regarding an order requiring the wearing of masks. The decision to enact this emergency order was not taken lightly by the City Council. It was a bold and necessary action to set this precedent for our community in addressing its concerns. The beginning of the Emergency Order states “Each person over the age of five years old shall wear a mask or cloth face covering which covers both mouth and nose (“Face Mask”) at all times when in an enclosed space open to members of the public…”
To read the full Order, which contains five parts, click here. Page 3
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9
COVID-19 Business Recovery Plan The City of Vallejo recognizes the real need for our community to re-open for business. The City recognizes the need for physical and economic health and wants to support its residents and businesses with these recommendations to keep us safe and healthy. City of Vallejo staff will continue to provide on-site and online support to businesses and residents until we resume to full time in-person, regular business hours.
COMMUNITY
This document contains recommendations which are not necessarily regulatory, unless specifically required by a local, County, State or Federal agency. The City of Vallejo is closely monitoring government policy changes, Center of Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, government mandates, and Public Health directives. The City will continue to adjust as necessary or appropriate to these recommended procedures and work to support businesses and residents during this difficult time. Click here to view the Recovery Plan.
Outdoor Dining Permits As the State allows counties to move deeper into Phase 2 of reopening, the City of Vallejo realizes that some restaurants and cafes may not be able to meet the social distancing requirements for indoor dining, which could hinder their operations and reopening efforts. Outdoor seating could provide a solution. To assist our restaurants and cafes, we have streamlined the permitting process to allow outdoor dining, with specific requirements, at no cost to restaurants, for the first six months. Outdoor seating areas may be located:
On public or private sidewalks in front of a restaurant or cafe (with a 4-foot clearance for pedestrians)
Within a parklet (utilizing 1-4 parking spaces onstreet)
Within a public or private parking lot in front of the restaurant or café
To learn more, or to apply for an outdoor dining permit, click here. Questions may be directed to Annette Taylor, Senior Community Development Analyst via email at annette.taylor@cityofvallejo.net or by phone at (707) 649-3510. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9
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Throughout California, wildfires will continue to be fueled by a build-up of seasonal dry vegetation driven by extreme dry conditions and local strong winds, making brush fuels extremely dangerous and challenging for firefighters. The Vallejo Fire Department stands ready to quickly respond and contain wildfires, but we can't do this without your cooperation. The "Ready! Set! Go!" brochure is intended to provide valuable information on being prepared in the event of an immediate evacuation order due to an emergency like a brush fire. The "Defensible Space" brochure provides critical information on proper protecting your family and property associated with the threat of wildland fires.Both brochures (below) can be downloaded and referred to for preplanning and preparation. Please take the time to learn how to create and maintain a defensible space around your property and how to harden your home against flying embers. You play the most important role in protecting your family and home in the event of wildland fires evacuations and other significant emergencies. Prepare yourself by taking the necessary steps to give you, your family, and property the best chance of surviving a devastating wildfire.
COVID-19 Testing Get free testing for COVID-19, even if you have no symptoms.
The OptumServe community testing sites are available to anyone, including agricultural workers, undocumented individuals, residents, and homeless individuals. Testing is free, and you will receive test results within 2-5 days. Schedule your appointment today at lhi.care/covidtesting. For those without internet access, call (888) 634-1123. Questions? For more information Visit solanocounty.com/COVID19 Call the COVID-19 Warmline at (707) 784-8988 Page 5
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9
COMMUNITY
Wildland Safety
Applications for Boards and Commissions The City of Vallejo is requesting applications to serve on the City’s Boards and Commissions. Vallejo residents who are interested in serving on an advisory body are invited to submit an application and supplemental questionnaire for consideration. There are currently openings on the following Boards and Commissions: • Beautification Commission (2) • Design Review Board (2) • Housing & Community Development Commission (1) • Human Relations Commission (1) • McCune Collection Commission (2) • Planning Commission (2) • Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee (PBSC) (1)
COMMUNITY
*Vallejo Housing Authority Board – Tenant Commissioner (1)
*Applicants for the Vallejo Housing Authority Board of Commissioners must be a participant in the HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program at the time of application. In accordance with Health & Safety Code Section 34272(a), tenant commissions shall be appointed for a term of two years. In most instances, to be eligible for appointment, applicants must be residents of the City of Vallejo. Information regarding the duties of each board and commission, and specific criteria for appointment may be found within each application. With some exceptions, appointments are typically for a term of four years. Applications must be received no later than close of business on Friday, June 12. City Council interviews have tentatively been scheduled for Monday, June 15 and, Monday, June 22, if needed. Interviews will start as early as 5 p.m. Applicants must attend the interview in order to be considered for appointment. Application forms and supplemental questionnaires are accessible in several ways:
The City’s website, located on the City Clerk’s page under Boards and Commissions.
At City Hall, Office of the City Clerk, 555 Santa Clara Street, 3rd Floor, Vallejo, CA
By e-mail at dawn.abrahamson@cityofvallejo.net, or by phone at (707) 648-4527
By Mail: City of Vallejo C/O City Clerk PO Box 3068 Vallejo, CA 94590
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Fighting Back Partnership Annual Calendar Contest 2020-2021 Vallejo Fighting Back Partnership, along with the Vallejo Peace Project and the Eric Reyes Foundation, has extended their annual calendar contest for 2020-2021 to June 30. Children between the ages 4 to 18 that live in Vallejo, or go to a Vallejo school, are eligible to enter in their artwork for the contest. The theme for this contest is “The Come Back: Promoting Change and Transformation for a Healthy Community.” The artwork must be one’s original work by hand, and no larger than 8 ½ by 11 paper. If anyone is in need of art supplies, call First 5 Solano at (707) 784-1232 to reserve art supplies, while supplies lasts. There will be 12 winners, four from each group: elementary, middle school, and high school. Each winner will receive a gift card, certificate, and a placement on the 2020-2021 calendar. When submitting your original artwork, scan or take a picture and email it to dnelson@fight-back.org. Include the following information for the submission: Your full name
Age
Grade
Home address
Phone number
School and teacher’s name
For more information, call (707) 648-5230 or email dhoffman@fight-back.org.
Robby Poblete Foundation Create Kits for Essential Workers The Robby Poblete Foundation is known for their “Gun Buy-Back” Program with the Vallejo Police Department. Due to COVID-19, fundraising and assistance has been short on their end, until they came up with the idea to create personal protection equipment (PPE) kits for healthcare and essential workers. Included in these kits is more than 1,000 masks, pairs of gloves, and hand sanitizers. The hand sanitizer was a donation from Savage and Cooke Distillery on Mare Island. The foundation has delivered these kits to FoodMaXX, Windsor Vallejo Care Center, Legacy at Sonoma, Hazel’s Tranquility House, and many more. To read the full article from Vallejo Times Herald, click here.
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CITY MANAGER’S REPORT | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9
VALLEJO NEWS
SolTrans Receives Federal Transportation Efforts
Grant
to
Boost
COVID-19
Representative Mike Thompson and Solano County Transit (SolTrans) announced a $2.6 million Federal Transit Administration grant to help with operations, recovery, and expanded cleaning efforts on SolTrans routes during the Coronavirus crisis. The grant was awarded through the CARES Act, legislation passed by Congress to help provide relief for families and communities hit hard by the pandemic. The CARES Act made federal funding available to reimburse public transit agencies for operating costs to maintain services and lost revenue due to the Coronavirus public health emergency, and resulting reduction in service.
VALLEJO NEWS
“Right now, public transportation is providing an invaluable service for many essential workers who still have to get to and from work, all at a great risk to those operating our busses and transit lines. We must do everything we can to keep our essential workers safe, which is why I am proud to announce more than $2 million for SolTrans to conduct cleaning and safety operations on our local public transportation vehicles,” said Thompson. “SolTrans is grateful for Congressman Thompson’s support in helping obtaining the much-needed CARES Act funding during these crucial times. SolTrans continues to provide a reduced level of service for our essential workers and our community who depend on our buses for lifeline services. Our operators and riders remain our highest priority and with enhanced cleaning, facial covers and social distancing on the bus, we can keep everyone safe while moving forward.” said SolTrans Executive Director Beth Kranda.
To read the full press release, click here.
2020 Summer Reading Challenge Representative Mike Thompson announced the beginning of the 2020 Summer Reading Challenge, which is open to students attending Pre-K through eighth grade, who live in the Fifth Congressional District. Each year, Thompson’s Summer Reading Challenge encourages local young people to read throughout the summer months. Reading lists are developed by the Association for Library Service to Children and are broken down by gradelevel, so all recommendations are age appropriate. That list can be found by clicking here. Students are eligible to participate if they read any books outside of these lists as well. If the local library is closed, families are encouraged to find ebooks and audiobooks from their library’s website. Thompson will recognize all students who participate at the end of the summer. Students, parents, and teachers can sign up by clicking here.
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