It’s up to all of us
We continue to monitor the county’s status on the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, which places counties in different tiers that determine their ability to reopen based on their COVID-19 case numbers and positivity rate. Placer County was initially placed in the Purple Tier (Widespread) and then moved into the Red Tier (Substantial) as a result of improving case data. Based on our most recent numbers we anticipated moving into the Orange Tier (Moderate) this week, which would allow for the easing of some additional restrictions, but because our case numbers exceeded the allowable threshold for the Orange Tier we did not move. The good news is our testing positivity rate did meet the requirements for the Orange Tier, however because the state requires both metrics to fall within the range established for each tier we remain in the more restrictive tier. The other piece of good news here is that overall our numbers seem to be trending in the right direction – downward. 

One thing to keep in mind is that the state requires the lower numbers to be met for two weeks before a  county is moved into a less-restrictive tier. The state updates the status information for counties every Tuesday and I will continue to keep you updated on any changes to our status. You can also monitor the information on your own by visiting the Blueprint for a Safer Economy website.

The county is also taking steps to better understand the spread of COVID-19 in Placer County through a seroprevalence study that will be conducted by Stanford University this fall. The study will test a random representative cross-section of Placer County residents for COVID-19 antibodies to assess current COVID-19 prevalence in the County, the results of which will help inform the Board’s policy decisions moving forward.

Mailers will be sent to a random but representative sample of Placer County residents inviting them to take part in the study. Participants will be provided a finger-stick blood test to complete at home and return to Stanford for analysis.  The results of all positive tests and 10% of negative tests will be rerun to produce results with 99% accuracy and the researchers will develop an online dashboard detailing their findings on the demographic and geographic prevalence of the virus in Placer County. A report on the study’s results will also be presented at a future Board of Supervisors meeting by the Stanford researchers. I will keep you informed of the date the report will be presented to the Board of Supervisors. In the meantime, please take care of yourself, your loved ones and our County. Let’s not forget that Placer County has ranked in the top five healthiest counties in California for nearly a decade! We need to work together to keep Placer healthy. Please continue to wear your masks, wash your hands and observe physical distancing.

Considering the impact COVID-19 has had on our lives for the past seven months, it’s important that we continue to discuss what steps are being taken to combat the virus, and what we can do to help safely support our local economy. Sometimes however, it seems as though we do not hear about the other good work that is going on, so this week I also want to share information about positive developments here in Placer County. We could all use a little good news!

Libraries to reopen for in-person browsing in phases
I am happy to share that Placer County libraries will begin a phased opening plan for in-person browsing beginning October 6. Library Services Director, Mary George and her staff have developed a phased reopening plan that will allow them to welcome patrons back into the libraries as safely as possible by identifying successful reopening procedures and utilizing those procedures as they reopen additional facilities. Several libraries in District 5 will reopen in the initial phase: Auburn, Kings Beach and Tahoe City locations will be open Tuesday through Friday with varying hours. The Granite Bay Library will also reopen on October 6 and the Rocklin Library will expand its walk-up hours.

The Colfax Library is slated to reopen on November 3, also Tuesday through Friday, and the Foresthill and Rocklin Libraries will likely open December 3. Although it would be wonderful if all of our libraries could open right now, the additional time is needed for staff to ensure sites are configured to allow for physical distancing and to hire the staff needed for safe operations. Unfortunately, the smaller libraries where social distancing is challenging, such as Applegate and Penryn, will remain closed for the foreseeable future to ensure the safety of library patrons and staff. To learn more about visiting your favorite library, please go to the Placer County Library Services Division’s webpage. 

Chipper Shredder Program to resume
Many of you have shared your concerns about the absence of the Placer County Resource Conservation District’s Chipper Shredder Program since it was suspended back in April due to COVID-19 related staffing issues. I am happy to report that as of October 1 the program is up and running again. The Chipper Shredder Program has been a vital component of our community for years and considering the amount of destruction caused by wildfires already this year, the return of the program is especially good news. The cost-share fee is $80 per hour, however disabled people and low-income households may be granted a fee waiver. Please visit the Resource Conservation District’s website to learn more about the program and how to sign up.

Please don’t hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or need any assistance with County issues or concerns.

– Cindy Gustafson, District 5 Supervisor

Still time to register to vote!

There is still time to register to vote! Please visit the Placer County Elections Office website or call (530) 886-5650 to learn more.

Contact information:

 175 Fulweiler Ave., Auburn, CA 95603 

Supervisor Cindy Gustafson: cindygustafson@placer.ca.gov

District Director Lindsay Romack: lromack@placer.ca.gov

District Aide Kelly McCaughna: kmccaughna@placer.ca.gov

Temporary Assistant District Aide Judy Friedman: jfriedman@placer.ca.gov

New and Improved COVID-19 Dashboard

I hope you have had a chance to visit the County’s online COVID-19 dashboard, which provides up-to-date information on the virus in Placer County.  The dashboard was originally launched in April and last week Placer County launched an updated version that provides additional information in a format that is easier to read. You will find the updated dashboard on the county’s Novel Corona Virus COVID-19 page under the “Cases in Placer” tab.  

One important change to the dashboard is how the number of confirmed cases are reported by day. Previously the number of cases per day was based on the day a case was reported to Public Health, but the new site reports the number of cases by the date the test was conducted. This update will more closely reflect the actual spread of COVID-19 in the community and also brings Placer County into line with methods used by many other California counties.

Another change you will see on the new dashboard is that cases are now identified by region based solely on zip code. The dashboard originally split Placer County into three regions, South Placer, Mid Placer, and East Placer, and in some instances zip codes crossed into multiple regions. Identifying cases by region based on zip code allows for greater efficiency and simplicity of reporting regional case information.

Finally, the updated dashboard includes additional tabs where specific data can be found. For example, information on cases broken down by region can be found on the ‘Cases by Zip Code’ tab. You can also toggle between the ‘Zip Code’ and ‘Region’ options on the map to see cases by zip code versus cases for each Placer County region.  Another important tab to be aware of is the ‘Data Notes’ tab, which contains definitions and information for the data presented, and this tab also includes answers to many questions about the data.

State Monitoring List
I have received a lot of questions regarding whether or not Placer County is still on the State’s COVID-19 Monitoring List. The answer is yes. Although our metric for hospitalizations fell below the State threshold for two days last week, our rate of new COVID-19 cases still exceeds the State threshold. Additionally, the California Department of Public Health has stated that once a county is placed on the Monitoring List, indoor business operations will continue to be restricted until the order is amended or rescinded by the State health officer – not just until that county is removed from the Monitoring List. 

At our meeting on July 28 the Board of Supervisors asked the Public Health Officer to address this requirement with the State, as businesses in the county should be permitted to resume indoor operations, using physical distancing and requirements for face coverings, if our numbers drop below the threshold for the Monitoring List. The state’s order does allow for schools in counties that are on the Monitoring List to resume in-person instruction once county metrics fall below Monitoring List thresholds for 3 consecutive days and remain below thresholds for 14 additional consecutive days.

Looking Ahead
I will continue to encourage people to wear their face coverings and practice physical distancing. We do not know how long this will go on, but we need to find a way to balance public health and safety with a sustained economy. I am confident we can do this by working together and focusing on our common goals.

Please don’t hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or need any assistance with County issues or concerns.

– Cindy Gustafson, District 5 Supervisor

Placer County approves alcohol ban in two locations

The Placer County Board of Supervisors this week approved ordinances restricting alcohol in two separate locations in Placer County. At its July 27 meeting the Board extended the Truckee River alcohol ban until October 15, and on July 28 the Board approved and alcohol ban at the Placer County Government Center in North Auburn. Find more information about these Board actions in our online newsroom. 

Board of Supervisors renews CAL FIRE contract

The Placer County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution today authorizing a $13.6 million CAL FIRE contract, which includes first-time funding for a new fire marshal and provides fire service and medical response to nearly one-third of the county. CAL FIRE has been acting as the Placer County Fire Department for nearly 50 years under a cooperative fire protection reimbursement agreement. Learn more

Eligible small businesses and nonprofits may begin applying for grant funding Aug. 25

Beginning Aug. 25, eligible small businesses and non-profit organizations in Placer County can begin applying for Placer Shares grant funding to offset impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting state shutdown order. Learn more

Contact information:

 175 Fulweiler Ave., Auburn, CA 95603 

Supervisor Cindy Gustafson: cindygustafson@placer.ca.gov

District Director Lindsay Romack: lromack@placer.ca.gov

District Aide Kelly McCaughna: kmccaughna@placer.ca.gov

Temporary Assistant District Aide Judy Friedman: jfriedman@placer.ca.gov