January 13, 2021 Update from Supervisor Connolly

In This Issue Recent Events in Washington, D.C. COVID Update Eviction Moratorium Marin Small Business Relief Environmental Health Services Licensing Fee Relief Resilient Neighborhoods Free Online Climate Workshops  920 Grand Ave: Adult Transitional Residential Treatment Program  Human Rights Commission: Free Online Movie and Discussion   2021 Opening Remarks

Dear Friends,

The following are my remarks delivered at the Board of Supervisors meeting on 1/12/21:

I feel it’s important as a public official to speak out on the events of January 6 in our nation’s capital. The very symbol of our democracy and institutions, the Capitol Building, was attacked and desecrated with members of Congress, the Vice President and Vice President-Elect inside. Make no mistake: Donald Trump incited this insurrection and act of sedition.

I join with Speaker Pelosi, Congressman Huffman and others in stating plainly that Trump is a clear and present danger to the Constitution and our democracy. He must resign now, or be removed via the 25th Amendment or by impeachment. He should never hold office again.

It will be hard to erase the stain of what we witnessed on January 6, and the blatant lies and attempts to undermine democracy and the fair vote that preceded it. In November 2020, Americans of all races and backgrounds voted in record numbers to affirm our democracy and demand change. On January 5, 2021, the people of Georgia decisively voted to send a Black man and a Jewish man to the United States Senate. It is evident to me that a racist backlash fueled the actions of a seditious mob on January 6, and that we witnessed a racial double standard in the law enforcement response.

As Black Lives Matter protestors invoked their constitutional right to assemble and protest over this past summer, the DC area and other cities braced for impact. They were met with barricades, law enforcement and military power. On January 6, the largely white, right-wing agitators incited into insurrection by President Trump made their way onto the Senate floor. They were even able to go home with government property. We have seen, time and again, the uneven application of justice in our country. This is unacceptable and has to change.

I look forward to all of us working at every level of government, starting with President Biden and Vice President Harris, to bring unity, decency, justice and a reverence for democracy back to the center of our nation.

COVID UPDATE

The State has imposed a Stay Home Order for regions throughout the state where ICU capacity is below 15%. The regional ICU bed capacity for the Bay Area Region is at 4.7%, as of January 12. The State Stay Home Order scheduled to end on January 8 was extended indefinitely. Marin County Public Health and State health officials continue to monitor ICU capacity closely. Case rates in Marin continue to climb but there is hope as vaccines become increasingly available.

Under the California Department of Public Health framework, Marin County is adhering to a three-phased, multi-tiered, vaccine distribution model. Marin is currently vaccinating Phase 1A, tiers 1, 2, and 3, which includes a broad range of healthcare professionals. In Phase 1B, which is scheduled to start late January or early February, those at risk of exposure in education, childcare, food & agriculture workers, and emergency services are planned to be vaccinated, as well as adults over the age of 65. Please consult with the County vaccination website for specific information on tiers within Phase 1B.

Vaccination in Marin is currently limited by how much vaccine is delivered to the County. Public Health continues to work with State health officials to get additional vaccines with the consideration that Marin County has an older population. We are actively pushing for increased supply and less complexity in the distribution process.

To receive the latest news about vaccine information distribution subscribe to the public health updates and visit the Marin County vaccine distribution webpage.

EVICTION MORATORIUM

COVID has further highlighted the importance of housing and the precarious housing conditions many families are facing.  Since the beginning of the pandemic, Marin has pursued a strategy of providing rental relief and rental protections to safeguard the displacement of renters and ensure small landlords can continue to operate.

On January 12, the Board of Supervisors passed an updated Eviction Moratorium due to the expiration of state protections through AB 3088 on January 31. The Eviction Moratorium provides a framework for 6 months, through June 30, 2021. We anticipate additional state action. Assemblymember David Chiu has introduced AB 15 and AB 16 to cover evictions and funding. We will continue to work with our state representatives and local stakeholders on these issues.

MARIN SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF

The Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) to administer small business grants up to $10,000 and interest-free loans of up to $50,000 for small businesses. The County received nearly $448,000 of CARES Act dollars through the Community Development Block Grant program to support small businesses with lower-wage employees affected by COVID. In total, $900,000 in small business relief will be offered through this program. San Rafael businesses are slated to receive 53% of funds.

The target population is small businesses with low-income owners and/or businesses with 50% or more of employees being low-income. In Marin, low income is defined as an employee earning less than $97,600.

The application will open in the coming weeks. Refer to MEDA’s webpage for more information about the Marin County Small Business Fund or email MEDA directly. Selection will be made through a lottery system. Read more in this Loans, Grants for Small Businesses OK’d press release.

For additional small business resources in Marin County, including understanding the new round of federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding, visit the Marin SBDC website and tune in on January 21 for a special webinar. 

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES LICENSING FEE RELIEF

As part of our Marin Economic Recovery Task Force efforts, Supervisor Arnold and I continue to work with county staff to provide relief for businesses most impacted by COVID.

Our Environmental Health Services office, which is responsible for licensing food services and other types of businesses, recognized the impact to businesses and have amended their policies to offer additional relief of licensing fees. The County is waiving all late penalties on licensing fees for food facility and body art facilities and practitioners, and bars and wine bars unable to serve food. Businesses facing financial hardship and licensed through Environmental Health are encouraged to reach out and discuss available options, including installment payments with deferral of fee balances extended until June 30, 2021. Check out the County’s Environmental Health Services website or call (415) 473-6907.

RESILIENT NEIGHBORHOODS FREE ONLINE CLIMATE WORKSHOPS

Start the new year with a new carbon footprint! Experience the Resilient Neighborhoods climate action program to lessen your impact on the planet and address the climate emergency. The new online format offers a safe way to participate in the program and connect with others during the pandemic. Have fun calculating your carbon footprint and taking steps to reduce it. Receive support and access to local resources to personalize your climate action plan and get your household prepared for emergencies, wildfires, and power outages.

Over 1,500 Marin residents have already reduced more than 8.5 million pounds of CO2 pollution through Resilient Neighborhoods. Click here for details and to sign up for a team.

I led the first Resilient Neighborhoods team at the Civic Center, in 2017 setting an example of ways in which we can reduce our own carbon footprint through individual action. I can personally attest that this is a great program, and also fun! Resilient Neighborhoods is an endorsed solution of Drawdown: Marin.

920 GRAND: ADULT TRANSITIONAL RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM

On January 12, the Board of Supervisors approved leasing the County-owned 920 Grand Avenue building in San Rafael to create a 16-bed Adult Transitional Residential Treatment Program for individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. The decision addresses two long-sought goals. The facility will assist in a more successful transition from residential placement back to the community, and decrease costs associated with out of county residential treatment placements. The County has partnered with the Progress Foundation to operate the facility, the first of its kind in Marin. This welcomed addition will help stabilize residents struggling with mental illness and substance use, keep families connected, and make better use of local resources.

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: FREE ONLINE MOVIE AND DISCUSSION

The Marin County Human Rights Commission serves to promote a community based on social justice, with equality for all, and to eliminate discrimination based on race, religion, color, age, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, national origin, or disability.

The Marin Human Rights Commission is sponsoring a free online screening of the film Cracking The Codes: The System of Racial Inequity. The Human Rights Commission will be hosting a community conversation via Zoom to discuss the movie. How to watch the film for free and participate: 1) Register, and instructions will be sent via email on how to watch the film for free. 2) Independently watch the film on your own time in the next week. 3) Join the Human Rights Commission on Zoom on January 20 at 7 pm for a conversation about the film.

2021 OPENING REMARKS

At our first Board of Supervisors meeting on January 5, I had an opportunity to reflect on 2020 and share my priorities for the upcoming year. Please take a look at my opening remarks to the Board and let me know your thoughts. Supervisor Connolly Opening Remarks January 5, 2021.

I invite you to share your thoughts on the issues most important to you. Over the past year, we have witnessed the strength of our community, united. I look forward to continuing to work with and for our community in the coming year and beyond.  Please take a moment to complete the survey.

We are fortunate in Marin to have access to the coast and we have such beauty in our open space. I know that getting outdoors and exercising have been key to my own mental health. Please continue to take care of yourselves. My door is always open.

Let's keep talking,

 
Marin County Board of Supervisors, District 1
3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 329, San Rafael, CA 94903
Direct Tel: (415) 473-7331

District Aide: Mary Sackett
Direct Tel: (415) 473-7354 
Email: msackett@marincounty.org

District Aide: Gustavo Goncalves
Direct Tel: (415) 473-7342 
Email: ggoncalves@marincounty.org

Newsletter: https://www.marincounty.org/depts/bs/district-1/newsletters
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SupConnolly
Twitter: https://twitter.com/damon_connolly