 Working in coordination with Mayor Melvin Carter, the Council has passed an Emergency Declaration for the City of Saint Paul in response to the situation surrounding the spread of COVID-19. We continue to work in partnership with Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public Health, as well as the Minnesota Department of Health, to ensure we are protecting our residents by responding to public health needs as the situation requires, on an ongoing and changing basis. The operations of the Saint Paul City Council will be modified to provide essential services and functions during the duration of the impact of COVID-19.
The following changes will occur to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our community:
- Beginning next week, City Councilmembers will be able to participate in City Council meetings virtually by calling in to the meeting. The public will continue to be able to listen to all City Council business discussed online.
- Any City Council agenda items that have the potential to have more than 10 people attend and are not considered essential, including agenda items with public hearings, will be postponed. While all public hearings that continue to happen will have a call-in function for public testimony, members of the public are strongly encouraged to submit their comments via email at contact-council@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
- Unless they involve life safety concerns, all legislative hearings have been postponed.
- City Council staff have been given authority to work remotely and are encouraged to do so to the greatest extent possible.
To recap other actions of the City:
- On Sunday, March 15, Mayor Carter declared a State of Local Emergency amid the spread of coronavirus COIVD-19.
- The local emergency declaration permits Saint Paul Emergency Management to request and coordinate the appropriate aid and resources from surrounding jurisdictions, including the Ramsey County Division of Emergency Management, Homeland Security, and the State of Minnesota as needed. It also permits city departments to quickly mobilize available resources and conduct immediate purchasing and contracting.
- The action of the Council this week extends the State of Local Emergency for 90 days.
- The City of Saint Paul has also taken these actions:
- All Saint Paul Public Libraries, Parks, and Recreation Center facilities — including the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory — will close to the public through March 27.
- In accordance with guidance issued by the CDC, the City of Saint Paul will not issue new permits that involve gatherings of 50 or more people.
- Worker’s compensation coverage will be provided for Saint Paul Fire Fighters and Police Officers who are exposed to or contract COVID-19 on duty.
- Mayor Carter has requested Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher suspend all evictions in the City of Saint Paul.
- These measures follow the March 12th announcement that water shutoffs will be suspended for 30 days.
- Public health information is available on the Ramsey County Public Health website, and the Minnesota Department of Health website.
- City of Saint Paul information can be found at stpaul.gov/coronavirus.
During this time, we will continue to keep the City of Saint Paul website up to date with information and provide direction to the public on an ongoing basis. Additionally, Ward offices will continue to provide constituent services and support for communities throughout our City individually and on a collective basis. We are confident in the abilities of our City employees to work to ensure we provide safe, essential services and functions as your local government unit, while also recognizing the importance of doing absolutely everything we can to minimize the greater public health impacts of COVID-19. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we navigate this challenging times.
On March 16, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued an executive order to ensure workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have full access to unemployment benefits. The executive order makes applicants eligible for unemployment benefits if:
- A healthcare professional or health authority recommended or ordered them to avoid contact with others.
- They have been ordered not to come to their workplace due to an outbreak of a communicable disease.
- They have received notification from a school district, daycare, or other childcare provider that either classes are canceled or the applicant’s ordinary childcare is unavailable, provided that the applicant made reasonable effort to obtain other childcare and requested time off or other accommodation from the employer and no reasonable accommodation was available.
Apply online here.
The Washington Post published an article that demonstrated a few scenarios and why social distancing is our greatest tool to "flatten" the curve. Click the image below to read the article Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially and how to "flatten the curve" by Harry Stevens.
Ward 5 resident Kathy Kraemer, is a Washington Technology Magnet School Library Technician. She is pulling together fun resources for all family members and hopes to do so on a daily basis. Check her website regularly to see what's new.
Wash your hands, maintain social distance and don't forget to find ways to connect with one another. We are in this together. Click on the image below to hear what building community can sound like, during a time of crisis.
 
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