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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Earlier this afternoon, the King County Council convened virtually using teleconference technology for the second time this month. Once again, we were able to conduct our legislative business relatively smoothly considering the unique circumstances and challenges of meeting remotely. We earlier convened remotely a meeting of the Council’s Committee of the Whole during which we heard briefings on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in King County. Both meetings were posted and open to the public.
At the full meeting of the Council, we unanimously passed legislation that I co-sponsored to provide $2.2 million in unspent Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account funding to provide free child care to eligible families of first responders and other essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these hardworking families have had difficulty finding child care because so many child care providers have been forced to close due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
This is an example of King County government responding creatively and nimbly to meet immediate needs. I am very appreciative of the work of Council Chair Balducci and Executive Constantine in leading on this legislation and am pleased to be a co-sponsor. We all owe so much to our front-line responders, from the health care providers to the bus drivers to the grocery clerks. Supporting them with their child care needs as well as our child care providers is the right thing to do and in reality, helps all of us. I just wish we could do more.
Click the following link to read the full press release on this legislation: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/news/2020/March/3-31-CB-childcare-covid-release.aspx
Latest numbers from Public Health
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is experiencing technical difficulties with their COVID-19 data, which is delaying the Public Health data report of new cases and deaths for 3/31/20. Public Health expects to update again on 4/1/20.
Tips for talking to your landlord
With unemployment skyrocketing as social distancing measures force many businesses to close down during the COVID-19 pandemic, many residents may be entering the new month without the means to make rent. Many of these people may be facing this for the first time in their lives and have plenty of uncertainty about how to even broach the subject with their landlord.
Luckily, the state has issued a 30-day moratorium on evictions, so even with so much uncertainty, tenants can’t legally be forced out of their homes because of an inability to pay their rent. But that doesn’t give them relief from rent. To help navigate these uncertain waters, The Seattle Times has put together a list of tips for talking to landlords about not being able to make rent. For starters, renters should pay as much rent as they can now to avoid being on the hook for back rent later. They should also gather any documentation that can prove their income loss is related to the COVID-19 pandemic and be prepared to show that to their landlord.
Renters unable to make rent should contact their landlord in writing, sharing that documentation of loss of income and proposing when they can make rent or a possible payment plan. For more detail on what experts have suggested, read the full Times story here.
Interactive map showing restaurants open for delivery and takeout
The City of Seattle has put together an interactive map that you can use to find which businesses are still open for takeout or delivery. Many restaurants and small businesses are suffering as a result of the safety measures put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19. This map is a helpful tool so that people can continue to support the restaurants they love while doing their best to self-isolate. Click the following link to check it out and bon appetite: https://seattlecitygis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=1499ec293fed4fc587e2c559099a7e64
Make sure you're counted
If you haven’t already, please fill out your census information as soon as possible so that we can ensure an accurate count of our nation’s population. This is important for many reasons, perhaps most important, it will help ensure fair political representation and the accurate allocation of federal funding. Click the following link to take the census today: https://www.census.gov/
And keep in mind:
- Census data is used to allocate billions of dollars in federal and non-profit funding to counties and other local governments.
- Census numbers determine how many representatives a state has in Congress.
- A complete and accurate Census is paramount to equity, opportunity, and addressing the many issues faced by our region and the nation.
All games cancelled including the toilet bowl
News to some, “flushable” wipes are nothing close, according to our Wastewater Treatment Division. I am not sure if recent national and international news stories around this issue count as humor or horror, but you may have heard about “fatbergs” and what unflushable items do to our wastewater systems. Here is an excellent link to essential knowledge as a good citizen of the world and our environment – know what to flush!
Trailhead Direct postponed until further notice
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and guided by direction from Public Health – Seattle & King County, King County Metro and the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) are postponing the 2020 Trailhead Direct season until further notice.
This is the right decision to make at this time, especially when considering the current social distancing advisories currently in place across the region. I’m as eager as anyone to see this awesome program back up and running soon so more people are able to equitably access King County’s big and beautiful backyard! Click here to learn more: https://trailheaddirect.org/2020/03/30/trailhead-direct-2020-update/
Additional helpful and informative links
Today's moment of levity
I’m certain many families social distancing at home are beginning to get cabin fever. I couldn’t help but enjoy this great video of a family's adaptation of a song from the “Les Miserables” stage production while stuck at home. It has since gone viral and is an important reminder of how we can creatively cope with this strange situation and stay positive. Click the following link to enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdcS0Nbo7Ng&feature=youtu.be
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my update. You can expect ones to continue being sent out on a daily basis. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. We now have close to 11,000 subscribers! We also post updates on Facebook and Twitter.
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And please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns and, most importantly, be well.
Sincerely,
Jeanne Kohl-Welles
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