Dear Neighbors,
A lot of us will be entering uncharted territory in the coming weeks, but by following the advice of our health professionals and elected officials we will be able to make this process as painless as possible. Minnesota leadership is taking the actions needed to slow the spread of COVID-19, and now each and every one of us must do our part in this collective effort to save lives. Here is what you should know.
For our part, Legislators are here at the Capitol, poised to take any legislative action that may be necessary to implement the State’s emergency plans. I will be in my office most of the week, though my staff will be working from home, so calls will be rolling over to voice mail. Since all of our committee meetings have been cancelled, this week, I will be able to respond to constituent communications. Please call or e-mail rather than appearing, here, in person.
School Cancelations
Governor Walz announced over the weekend that Minnesota schools will be closed for at least eight days starting Wednesday March 18, though some schools may close earlier. This closure is to ensure the safety of our students and to give the schools time to prepare the best methods to teach remotely. This was certainly a tough call for Gov. Walz, but one I believe is for the benefit of all Minnesotans. You can watch the full statements of Gov. Walz and the Department of Education Commissioner Ricker here.
One term we should all get more familiar with is “social distancing.” This is the practice of intentional isolation to reduce the overall level of contact between people and thus reduce opportunities for COVID-19 to spread. What this means for you and me is avoid attending events with 250 or more people, avoid going to crowded bars or restaurants, when you must go out in public do your best to stay at least 6 feet away from others. It is also encouraged to work from home if at all possible. You can read about other strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19 at the MDH website. The more we isolate ourselves now the sooner we will be able to return to normalcy.
MDH has set up a public hotline that will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The hotline number is 651-201-3920. You can also visit www.health.state.mn.us for up-to-date and accurate information about what Minnesota is doing to prepare for and stop the spread of COVID-19.
Here are a few messages from our local governments detailing what actions they are taking regarding this pandemic:
Bloomington
A message from City Manager Jamie Verbrugge:
“Yesterday, Bloomington Mayor Busse made an Emergency Declaration. The City Council will hold an Emergency Meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. and is expected to consent to the declaration, which has a 30-day effective period. The declaration formally authorizes the City to implement its Emergency Operations Plan.
This action follows the announcement on Thursday of closures and cancellations that were effective on Friday at 5:00 p.m. The Bloomington Ice Garden, Center for the Arts, and Creekside have all been closed until at least March 23rd. I expect we will extend that. We also cancelled programs, classes, and events.
We are NOT closing Civic Plaza at this time. We are going to be implementing social distancing practices for our employees and customers so that we can continue to deliver services and meet reasonable expectations for personal safety that follow guidelines from MDH and CDC. We have tonight sent information to our employees about expectations for who should and should not report for work in the next few days, and are continuing to provide direction for how we will facilitate teleworking and other flexible workplace options.
We are convening a meeting of other community partners on Tuesday. Leaders from Bloomington Public Schools, Normandale Community College, Cornerstone, VEAP, Oasis for Youth, and the Bloomington Chamber will be meeting to discuss how we can coordinate our efforts to meet emerging community needs. Today I told Superintendent Fujitake that he should tell us what he needs to help with their evolving situation. We are likely to have a good number of employees who we can put to new purpose over the next several weeks or longer.
I also have been in regular contact with [the Edina and Richfield City Managers]. The three of us are committed to working together so that we are on the same page.
Last, we are working with the League of Minnesota Cities, Metro Cities, and Municipal Legislative Commission to identify issues and questions that may require action/guidance from the legislative and executive branch at the State. I will keep you in the loop as these issues become more clear.”
The Bloomington Public Health Department has information on its website, here.
Edina
A message from City Manager Scott H. Neal.
“Following guidance of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the City of Edina will close its recreation facilities and suspend some events, programs and meetings Saturday, March 14, through at least Friday, April 3.
At this time, MDH recommends following a “minimal to moderate” level of mitigation as outlined by the CDC. This includes implementing social distancing measures, reducing activities and canceling large gatherings of 250 or more people and any gathering of 10 or more people that include high-risk populations.
The following facilities will be closed to the public through Friday, April 3:
- Braemar Arena, 7501 Ikola Way
- Braemar Field, 7509 Ikola Way
- Braemar Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive
- Braemar Golf Dome, 7420 Braemar Blvd.
- Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S.
- Edina Senior Center, 5280 Grandview Square
- Edina Art Center, 4701 W. 64th St.
- Edinborough Park, 7700 York Ave. S.
All Parks & Recreation activities, classes and programs have been canceled or postponed. If you registered for an event, activity or class scheduled before April 3, more specific information will be communicated soon from programmers.
The Walk with the Mayor scheduled for Saturday, March 21, has been cancelled.
The Edina City Council’s Board & Commission Recognition event scheduled for Monday, March 30, and Town Hall meeting scheduled for Saturday, April 4, have been postponed.
Meetings of the City’s advisory Boards and Commissions have been cancelled through April 3. The Edina City Council will continue to meet as scheduled.
Before facilities reopen Saturday, April 4, the situation will be evaluated. The City will continue to follow MDH recommendations.
Three Rivers Parks
A message from Commissioner John Gibbs:
“After thoughtful consideration and to help slow the spread of COVID-19, we (Three Rivers Park District) have decided to cancel all of our programs scheduled between March 16-31. This is consistent with the recommendations of Governor Walz and the Minnesota Department of Health. Program fees will be automatically refunded to your account.
While we are cancelling programs, our parks are still open. We encourage people to come out and enjoy nature; going for a hike or a bike ride are great ways to get fresh air while also practicing social distancing. Please let us know if you have any questions. Our guest services phone lines are open 8 a.m. – 4:30p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.”
Keep in Touch
Now more than ever please contact me anytime with questions, input, or ideas. Don’t hesitate to reach out if I can provide any assistance. This situation is evolving constantly and I will be sure to update you with any changes.
Thanks for the honor of representing you at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Steve Elkins
Representative, District 49B
Minnesota House of Representatives
515 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-7803