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Home My WebLink About06 June NewsletterMAKE A DIFFERENCE! Advisory Board Recruitment The City encourages active participa- tion in local government by soliciting interested residents to serve on vari- ous advisory boards and commissions that make recommendations on spe- cific issues or policies to the City Council. There are current openings on the Active Transportation Adviso- ry Board. The Board's purpose is to advise the City Council on the plan- ning, funding, and maintenance of the City's non-motorized transportation facilities, including implementation of the Non-Motorized Transportation Plan and promotion of walking and bicycling for both recreation and transportation throughout the City. They also sponsor other volunteer non -motorized transportation projects such as neighborhood trail-building work parties organized throughout the year and developing a plan for bicycle parking throughout Port Town- send. Call 379-5083 with questions and to request an application form or down- load from the City website at www.cityofpt.us under City Hall/ Boards & Commission. City residency or employment within the City is a requirement for most positions. Ap- pointments are generally three years. More information on the individual boards/commissions can also be found on the City’s website. City of Port Townsend 250 Madison Street (360)385-3000 www.cityofpt.us A joint message from City Manager and Mayor Sandoval: We’re still in this – and we’re still in this together. Just as it’s been heartbreaking to witness such struggle in our community, it’s also been heartwarming to see so many people, organizations and businesses step up to meet the ever-changing challenges. To those who are suffering, we hear you; to those who are able to help, we thank you. Things continue to change rapidly, and even though this newsletter goes to press to- day, things have likely changed already since printing. On May 23, we saw Jefferson County shift into a modified Phase 2 of the State’s “Safe Start” reopening plan. That means some recreational, social and business activities have resumed, subject to con- ditions. Safe physical distancing and health precautions are still very much with us – including the strongly recommended use of a cloth face covering, particularly in situa- tions where safe physical distancing is not possible. With so many industry-specific guidelines and specifics, what’s open or closed might be a bit unclear. For help navi- gating, this may help: https://co.jefferson.wa.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=499. For State guidance and safety criteria for reopening, read this: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/ what-you-need-know/safe-start. Locally, our community is coming together in many ways. One example: our local agency elected officials are spending much more time together in joint special meetings, wrestling with issues like the Safe Start reopening plan. This will undoubt- edly continue as we turn our attention from immediate response to longer-term re- covery and resilience. Look for another special meeting this month when public agen- cies set up a structure for enhanced interagency, cross-sector and community collab- oration. Everyone can play a role – and recovery and resilience is a far more attaina- ble goal if everyone knows how and where to plug in and it’s well-coordinated. A related interagency collaborative effort is being led by the Jefferson County Cham- ber of Commerce and their Revitalization Task Force. Launching soon is the “JeffCoCares” program, a business community pledge to help Jefferson County stay safe and healthy. It will include safety checklists, staff training, informational posters and a campaign across business sectors to ensure that we safely and responsibly revi- talize our local economy as it comes back online in the face of the continuing chal- lenges of COVID-19. Finally, many of you may have seen or experienced first-hand our recent Open Streets Initiatives pilot downtown with new separated seating to eat takeout food from our local restaurants, clear safety messaging to ensure we remember what six feet looks like, new restroom facilities and extra trash bins. Initial reviews were very positive, but there are still a few kinks to work out. It’s our intent to refine our approach to help our community – including our local business community – safely welcome visi- tors when our region chooses to do so. Stay tuned and please help us innovate, in- volve and inspire what this mighty little City can do in the face of crisis. City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Parks are Essential! It has never been more evident than now that parks, trails, and open space are essential to providing opportunities for physical exercise, men- tal health, and a respite from the COVID-19 impacts to our daily lives. Port Townsend is so blessed with having such a tremendous amount of parkland and trails that it’s time to take advantage and get out there to reset your personal wellbeing! The National Parks and Recreation Association recently found that, across the country, 83% of adults are utilizing their local parks, trails, and open spaces and 59% view these visits as ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ essential to re- duce stress and be healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. As shown in the City’s Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) plan, the Port Townsend community enjoys access to over 700 acres of City, Coun- ty, and State parks and over 31 miles of trails peppered throughout the City – so please shake off the COVID blues and go outside and soak in the sun…or the rain, smell the flowers, lis- ten to the birds, and look at the trees, the water, the mountains! But please do so safely. While all of our park spaces are open, some features like playgrounds, sport courts, and bath- rooms are closed to prevent COVID-19 transmission. When you visit, be sure to only group with others in your house- hold, stay 6 feet apart from those not in your household, sanitize your hands if you touch common amenities, and we recommend wearing a mask to protect others. Oh yeah…and wear a hat and use sunscreen, leash your dog and pick up after them, bring your own ball and frisbee, and laugh and smile and have fun! Port Townsend Main Street Earth Day Clean Up Saturday, June 20th from 9 am-12 pm. Check ptmainstreet.org and Port Townsend Main Street Facebook page for updates. Event subject to change pending COVID-19 guidelines. Visit ptmainstreet.org for a list of COVID-19 Resources and Information. City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385 -3000 • www.cityofpt.us Imagine Your Summer with the Library COVID-19 City Utility Bill Relief and Donation Program Uncertainty is all around us right now. Events that our active community has enjoyed every summer are being cancelled through the season, but one thing you can be sure of is that Summer Reading will persist at your local library. As you might expect, things will look different this year. Online programs and ways to track your reading successes are part of our new frontier. Even with the library closed and you at home, your library staff has been exploring new options for Summer Reading. We are collaborating with Jefferson County Li- brary to bring you programs each week for a variety of ages and interests— plus other fun ways to engage with your library and community. We are also excited to bring back T-shirts this year, designed by Faith Pray, for kids who read 50 hours and adults who read 100. Readers will also be able to log hours by phone and engage by US Mail. Stay tuned for more information. Special thanks to the Friends of the Port Townsend Library for their generous spon- sorship. Summer Reading will run June 19 - August 7. We can’t wait to see you online! The City recognizes there is a substantial need for city utility bill financial assistance for our residents. The City ’s Water/Sewer Utility is allocating $25,000 for city utility bill relief along with instituting a community donation pro- gram. Residents who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 may apply for city utility bill (water/sewer/ storm) relief. In order to qualify, applicants will need to prove a reduction in work hours due to COVID -19 and their current total household income is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. The application is available on the City’s website. On the following page is a donation form for those willing to contribute to this program. Donations will be credited to approved applicants’ city utility accounts on a first-come-first-approved basis. The donation and relief program will continue until the fund is depleted or the State of Emergency is lifted, whichever comes first. Any remaining donated funds will in turn be donated to OlyCap for continued utility financial assistance or the City may institute an ongoing donation program. Thank you in advance for those contributing to this effort to help our community during these challenging times. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, 360-385-2700. City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385 -3000 • www.cityofpt.us