Fellow Residents:
A week has passed since my last update and I am excited that we have taken a substantive step on the journey to a new normal.
I have quoted President Eisenhower before, and will do so again:
“The purpose is clear. It is safety with solvency. The country is entitled to both.”
Our State, County, Country and City now face the challenge of keeping people safe while keeping them solvent. The challenge is material, and the solutions must be tailored to the situation at hand.
Five updates for you on this the first day without a Stay-at-Home order (! :-) ):
1) The County has aligned its re-opening plan with the State. They have produced a very simple graphic that outlines the major elements of each phase:
https://www.jocogov.org/sites/default/files/documents/CMO/Phased%20opening%20in%20Johnson%20County%202.pdf
2) The City has created a phased approach to our work as well. This document will be available later this week on the City’s website and was reviewed by Council in this evening’s meeting. Please know it applies to City business and how we operate – it imposes no additional restrictions or requirements on residents beyond those of the County and State.
3) City Staff, Police Chief Schwartzkopf’s and Fire Chief Lopez’s teams remain healthy. They are executing their emergency plans with excellence and continue to serve our City well.
4) The City Council met this evening and much of the conversation was on the pandemic and its impact. We had an update to the likely fiscal impact of the crisis and have confidence that we can proverbially “weather the storm” with some belt-tightening and other straightforward actions.
5) Please, please, please be mindful of the State and County guidelines for social distancing and gathering size as we advance from phase to phase. We have all given up a great deal to help “flatten the curve” and get the pandemic under control.
And I do not mean to pick on young people (I have three young adults thrilled to be at home right now! ), but please remind them that their risk is likely not of getting sick themselves, but of being a carrier and infecting others.
I opened with President Eisenhower purposefully. Without commercial and retail establishments in our City, the ravages of the shutdown are not as visible as they might otherwise be. Please consider re-patronizing your favorite local business around us in the coming days and weeks, safely.
As always, we value your feedback, so please feel free to call City Hall at 913-362-9620 or email info@missionhillsks.gov. You are also welcome to email me directly at mayor@missionhillsks.gov.
Welcome to Phase 1 – be healthy and safe!