|
It is a critical time for our communities to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The number of cases grows daily and that statistic is personally affecting our lives. ULCT's Board of Directors met today to discuss the challenges we all face and the sentiment is strong that, as community leaders, we must consistently spread the word to stay at home. Recreate on your local trail in small numbers. Respect the 6-foot rule. Encourage residents to remember that these recommendations, and in some case orders, are for the good of ALL OF US! We can get through this together, and part of slowing the spread comes in sharing the message with our residents to stay home.
Here is some pertinent news of the day and additional resources to benefit the residents of your city or town.
Stay and Home Orders Issued
Wasatch County joins Summit and Salt Lake Counties in issuing a public health order directing people to stay at home. The order goes into effect at 7:00 am Wednesday morning. You can read the full order here. As part of the order, playgrounds and parks are closed and visitors may not come into the county for outdoor recreation and camping. Many cities and towns are seeing an influx of visitors who are using this opportunity to travel and recreate. That may, in fact, be jeopardizing our residents. As we work to determine the best plan for our own cities and towns, city leaders are advised to work closely and keep communication lines open with the state health officers in in Utah's 13 regions.
Update for Local Government Leaders from Lt. Governor Spencer Cox
Tomorrow, Lt. Governor Spencer Cox will provide an update to local government leaders in a virtual Q&A session at 2:30 pm League members are invited to participate. We've created this opportunity to ask your questions about dealing with COVID-19 in your communities on our ULCT landing page here. We are submitting a list of the questions for him each week and he will address these tomorrow. Join the Zoom conversation by clicking on the link or calling one of the following phone numbers:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/359921612
Meeting ID: 359 921 612
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,359921612# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,359921612# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
Meeting ID: 359 921 612
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adG81lqT
* Lt. Governor Cox will meet with local leaders each week while there is pertinent information and resources to share with leaders of our cities and towns. Please remember to submit your questions for him by Monday at noon to be included in the Q&A discussion.
Message from the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to State and Local Elected Officials
In this critical phase of following the directives of maintaining social distancing and recommendation to stay safe, stay home, community leaders have taken a close look at the which businesses and services are essential. The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs sent this message today to local government leaders providing guidelines and the resources that follow. They are tools you can utilize in your community to help share information about detecting the virus and stopping its spread.
COVID-19: Important Resources for State and Local Officials
-
Coronavirus Guidelines for America: The White House Coronavirus Task Force issued guidelines – 15 Days to Slow the Spread (Español)– to help protect all Americans during the global Coronavirus outbreak. Even if you are young and otherwise healthy, you are at risk—and your activities can increase the risk of contracting the Coronavirus for others. Everyone can do their part. The recommendations are simple to follow but will have a resounding impact on public health. Find the guidelines here:
-
Up-To-Date Information: The most up-to-date, verified information and guidance can be found via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 website –www.coronavirus.gov. The Coronavirus Task Force holds frequent briefings, which can be viewed live here.
-
COVID-19 Response and Recovery Primer: Response and recovery efforts are locally executed, state managed, and federally supported. It is important that requests for assistance, including for critical supplies, get routed through the proper channels as soon as possible. Learn more about the response and recovery process via this important resource – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Response and Recovery Through Federal-State-Local-Tribal Partnership. FEMA’s public assistance guidance for COVID-19 response efforts can be found here.
-
Critical Infrastructure Workforce Guidelines: On March 16th, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued updated critical infrastructure guidance in response to the COVID-19 emergency. The guidance, and accompanying list, is intended to help State, local, tribal and territorial officials as they work to protect their communities, while ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security. The list is advisory in nature and is not a federal directive or standard. More here.
-
Coronavirus Fact vs. Myth: Rumors can easily circulate within communities during a crisis. FEMA setup a website to help the public distinguish between rumors and facts regarding the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
-
Fraud & Scam Protection: The Department of Justice is remaining vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis. Find out how you can protect yourself and helpful resources on DOJ’s Coronavirus Fraud Prevention website. The Federal Trade Commission has also established a website with helpful information to help consumers avoid coronavirus-related scams.
-
Social Media Resources: Download the Apple COVID-19 Screening Tool. Follow the White House on Twitter and Facebook. Also follow HHS (Twitter/Facebook) and CDC (Twitter/Facebook) You can also find informational videos from Coronavirus Task Force members on mitigation, social distancing, etc. on the White House’s YouTube page.
-
GOED Bridge Loans for Small Businesses
Today, GOED announced the Utah Leads Together Small Business Bridge Loan program. This program starts March 31, 2020, at 8 a.m. (MDT) and offers a bridge loan to Utah-based small businesses with 50 or fewer employees impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is only for for-profit businesses, not nonprofits.
Loan amounts range from $5,000 to $20,000 with 0% interest for up to 60 months. Loans cannot exceed three months of demonstrated operating expenses. Loan payments are deferred for 12 months. Click here for information that you can share with your community.
We know many of our cities, such as Salt Lake City, Ogden, and municipalities in Washington County, are working on similar programs. Please let us know! We'd like to share these ideas and programs with the rest of our cities and towns.
If you have ideas to share, questions to ask, or there are resources you seek, we're here to help. Contact any League staff member. And remember to check out our ULCT COVID-19 Landing page here.
Thanks for all you do! We're in this together!
Team ULCT
|
|
