VOLUME 8, ISSUE 14 | JULY 9, 2020
THE VALLEJO WEEKLY
Mayor’s Message Dear Fellow Vallejoans, I want to start this week’s message off with a huge thanks to our dispatchers, fire, and police personnel who handled a massive amount of calls for service this weekend. On Saturday alone, Fire handled a whopping 267 calls while Police handled 250 calls for service. My hat goes off to them and our dedicated dispatchers who pulled this off seamlessly. Bravo team! Another topic I need to touch on today is the Public Safety Power Shutoff’s (PSPS). After everything that we have been through as a community in the past few months, it feels as though the PSPSs that affected Vallejo and the surrounding areas are a distant memory, but we must be prepared for it to happen again soon. According to our area representatives at PG&E, there are plans in the works to roll out more PSPSs in August. Now that we have been through these events, we know there are a few things we can do ahead of time to prepare. Here is a list of a few things you can do to prepare:
Sign up for the PG&E’s notification list, you can do that here: - Homeowners
MAYOR’S MESSAGE
- Renters
Create alternate plans for medicines that need refrigeration or power-dependent medical devices such as C-PAP machines for sleep apnea patients.
If you have the ability to do so, purchase a generator now, but please be sure to read all of the instructions on the proper use of your generator.
Stock up on foods that do not require refrigeration and prepare a plan for what you will do with foods in the fridge.
For more information on PSPS event preparedness, please visit PG&E’s Frequently Asked Questions and Information page. In closing, I want to remind you that COVID-19 is still with us, and the numbers are rising. As of today, the City of Vallejo is up to 620 positive cases and 27 people from around the County are currently hospitalized. The County has now tested 34,000 people and the highest rate of infection is among the age group of 16 - 36 years of age. The main source of transmission has been “close contact”, meaning that patients were involved in gatherings with others who were not in their immediate household. County Health Officer, Dr. Bela Matyas said today that after the 4th of July holiday, he expects to see a sharp increase of positive cases in the coming weeks. As I ask every week, please, do your best to social distance, wear your masks or face coverings when social distancing is difficult or impossible such as when you are in a grocery store, and wash your hands. We are all in this fight together.
DEPARTMENTS IN ACTION
Your Mayor, Bob Sampayan
Fire Department Responds to 4th of July Over the 4th of July weekend (July 3 July 5), the Fire Department responded to 24 fires - thirteen of which were brush or grass fires and two that were structure fires. Most of the fires are attributed to fireworks, including the fire that scorched nearly five acres near Lake Herman Road.
THE VALLEJO WEEKLY | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 14
Page 2
Department personnel who are part of regional Urban Search & Rescue teams practiced high-angle rescue on July 6. High-angle rope rescue is a term used for any rope rescue procedure of an angle or slope greater than 60 degrees. In these types of rescues, rescuers are completely dependent upon the ropes for accessing and exiting the rescue. The device being used in the pictures is called an "Arizona Vortex Tripod". It is a versatile, portable structure that allows rescuers to quickly deploy a high-angle rope rescue system.
Page 3
THE VALLEJO WEEKLY | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 14
DEPARTMENTS IN ACTION
Fire Urban Search and Rescue Team Training
Employment Opportunities The City of Vallejo is pleased to offer the following employment opportunities:
Associate Planner
Communications Operator II (Lateral)
Planning Manager
Police Cadet
Police Officer (Entry - Academy Graduate)
Police Officer (Lateral)
Police Officer (Recruit)
Utility Mechanic I/II (Water)
PERSONNEL
Visit governmentjobs.com/careers/Vallejo for more information and to apply.
Water Department Continues to Hire for Critical Positions COVID-19 precautions continue to be practiced by Water Department employees even when it comes to job interviews to hire new employees. The Department is still at work hiring critical specialized positions that are essential to providing drinking water that meets or exceeds all State and Federal water standards. Water Quality Manager, Danielle Bonham, recently conducted interviews for the critical role of Laboratory Analyst. Lab Analysts are responsible for collecting, testing, and helping analyze water samples to ensure Vallejo’s drinking water meets all State and Federal requirements. To comply with the Department’s COVID-prevention protocols, socially-distanced interviews were held outside in the parking lot of the Fleming Hill Treatment Plant. For safety, orange cones marked off the area. The interview panelists wore masks and disinfected all materials between candidates to minimize COVID transmission risk to candidates. To limit the number of people in the facility, candidates viewed photos of the laboratory rather than going indoors. Bonham reported that interviews went well and she welcomed a new Laboratory Analyst to her team this week! Be sure to keep an eye out for job opportunities within the department. View existing openings and subscribe for job alerts on the City’s employment site here. For more information about the Water Department, please visit VallejoWater.org. THE VALLEJO WEEKLY | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 14
Page 4
Sign Up for Alert Solano 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. To register, click here.
How To: Watch a Live, Virtual City Council Meeting Did you know there are now three ways to watch a live, virtual City Council Meeting? You can now watch via any of the following methods: Stream via the City’s website, at cityofvallejo.net/streaming
Watch Vallejo’s local Channel 28
Join the Zoom webinar, by clicking here
How To: Share Public Comment at a Virtual City Meeting Want to submit a public comment at a virtual public meeting? Check out this "how-to" video showing just how to share your comments at public City meetings. Please note that hyperlinks to submit public comment will close at the conclusion of public comment for each item. To access meeting video and agenda details, please click here.
Looking to Run for Office in the City of Vallejo? The nomination period opens on July 13, 2020. Prospective candidates must review the Candidate Information Guide on the Voting and Elections page of the City's website. You can also find other useful information on the Voting and Elections page regarding how to run for office, voting by mail, and polling locations. Please note that due to COVID-19, new protocols for potential candidates have been set. You can view those protocols here. Page 5
THE VALLEJO WEEKLY | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 14
COMMUNITY
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. Schedule your appointment today at lhi.care/covidtesting. For those without internet access, call (888) 634-1123. Testing is free, and you will receive test results within 2-5 days. Questions? For more information:
Visit: solanocounty.com/COVID19
Call: COVID-19 Warmline at (707) 784-8988
Email: COVID19@SolanoCounty.com
COMMUNITY
Vallejo Boater Outreach Program: Free Boater Kits Starting July 1, the Vallejo Boater Outreach Program will begin promoting environmentally sound boating and marina practices at two pilot sites in Vallejo. Boat owners who participate in a short survey will receive free boater kits provided by the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways and the California Coastal Commission’s Boating Clean and Green Program. The kits contain oil absorbent pillows (bilge pads), and helpful information about Solano County’s bilge pad exchange programs that focus on oil pollution prevention. This program is a collaborative effort sponsored by the City’s Water Department and Public Works Department, and the Vallejo Flood & Wastewater District along with professional water educational specialists from the Solano Resource Conservation District. Look for ongoing details about this new program at the Vallejo Marina Office, on Facebook, Nextdoor, and the City’s website at cityofvallejo.net. You can find the most up-to-date outreach dates on the Solano Resource Conservation District’s page, here. To view the flyer in a larger format, please click here.
THE VALLEJO WEEKLY | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 14
Page 6
City Hall Hours
“Love Is…” Receives COVID19 Emergency Response Grant Local non-profit, Love Is… has been graciously awarded $10,000 of the COVID-19 Emergency Response Grant from the Solano Community Impact Fund, a component fund of the Solano Community Foundation.
City Hall is currently open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many staff continue to work remotely, with procedures implemented in response to COVID-19. Updates and resources cityofvallejo.net/nCOV.
are
available
at
COVID-19 Emergency Response Grants will support non-profit partners who provide essential health care services and protect at-risk populations as "second responders" during a crisis such as the current COVID-19 Emergency.
Many local seniors have had to make great sacrifices in order to feel safe in their homes during the pandemic, all while facing significant financial hardships. Seniors are at high risk to catch COVID-19, but face the daily challenges of gathering supplies or continuing to work in order to survive. With this grant Love Is... will begin a project to provide safety kits to at-risk senior community, building a foundational crisis prevention in local senior homes, and to provide the most basic protective gear for seniors to travel outside, be it for food or other important resources. Love Is... has also received a donation of 96 bottles of hand sanitizers from Savage and Cooke Distillery that will go into their safety kits. To read the full press release, click here.
Page 7
THE VALLEJO WEEKLY | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 14
VALLEJO NEWS
“While we are most known to our seniors during the holiday season this grant has opened up the opportunity to remind them that we, and the community, are still here for them throughout the year,” says Lynn Castro, board president of Love Is...
VALLEJO NEWS SolTrans Turns to AMPLY Power to Simplify Electric Bus Fleet Charging AMPLY Power is managing the charging of electric buses for SolTrans. Unique to this application, AMPLY is operating its cloud-based software in conjunction with the fueling of SolTrans buses that run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). SolTrans’ Operations and Maintenance Facility is now optimized for energy use and demand charge avoidance through AMPLY’s hardware-agnostic software solution and operational processes. As the transit agency continues to expand its electric bus fleets towards the 2040 statewide goal, it hopes to do its part in making air pollution reduction enjoyed by some communities in the past few months more permanent. “The AMPLY Power team helped us understand how to collectively control our energy costs while still ensuring all of our electric and CNG buses are fueled and ready to serve our community,” said Patricia Carr, General Services Manager at SolTrans. “Here in Vallejo, we’ve heard from many residents over their concerns about air pollution. AMPLY’s technology is helping us transition to zero-emission by 2032.” Currently, the transit agency’s fleet consists of 44 percent non-diesel vehicles; Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) funded two of the four battery-electric buses, one CNG bus, and 21 dieselhybrid buses. In addition, it is running two CNG paratransit vehicles, and 16 in its SolanoExpress fleet. SolTrans has four charging stations at its Operations and Maintenance Facility. SolTrans’ ridership for the most recent data available was just over 1.4 million one way rides a year. To read the full press release, click here.
Have a positive community story or event you'd like to submit for consideration in a segment of Vallejo News? Send us an email!
CITY OF VALLEJO | 555 SANTA CLARA STREET | VALLEJO, CA | 94590 CITYOFVALLEJO.NET | VALLEJONEWS@CITYOFVALLEJO.NET