Celebrate our Democracy – Dedication to its Principles
When our forefathers came together to Declare their Independence – they did so as a united body of 13 colonies. Despite their differences, they came together to fight a common enemy, and they prevailed. As we celebrate this weekend, let’s remember that we truly are “Stronger Together”.
In last week’s newsletter I said reopening after the COVID 19 shutdown is important, but staying open is even more important, and with some counties being asked to implement another shutdown or scale back their reopening plans , it’s even more true this week. Placer County did a great job flattening the curve in March, April and May, which allowed us to be among the first counties to reopen. However, over the past three days higher numbers of COIVID 19 cases have been confirmed in Placer County. If these numbers continue to increase we will have both health and economic risks.
The California Department of Public Health has placed 19 counties, including Sacramento County, our neighbor to the south, on a monitoring list as a result of increased cases. The counties on the list are being asked once again to close indoor operations at restaurants, wineries and tasting rooms, movie theaters and family entertainment centers, zoos and museums, and cardrooms. Additionally, bars in these counties must close all operations. I want to be certain Placer County does not end up on that list.
One way for businesses to stay safe and help others do the same is to be sure to have a supply of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) on hand for staff and people visiting your business. Reopen Placer, which was created to help businesses reopen responsibly, provides information on how businesses in communities throughout Placer County can obtain PPE, including hand sanitizer and face masks. These supplies are being provided free of charge to businesses from Roseville to Donner Summit through partnerships between the Placer County Office of Emergency Services and local cities, towns and business organizations. In the eastern part of the county the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association is providing PPE to businesses at no cost while supplies last.
I am encouraging you once again to wear your face covering when you can’t physically distance yourself, and follow guidelines issued by public health officials. This is especially critical as we head into Fourth of July weekend, which is typically a time for community events and gathering with loved ones. There is plenty of evidence that large gatherings where people are not social distancing and are not wearing face coverings have led to increases in COVID 19 cases. I know it is hard, especially on a hot summer day, but it is vital that we all work together to protect each other and our small local businesses, which have suffered enormously throughout this pandemic. It is my hope that we can remove any politics from this issue and be thoughtful about how we address this virus and its impact on our communities.
This Independence Day let’s all remember the sacrifices made by generations of Americans in order to protect their fellow citizens. I hope we can all become part of that tradition by making our own small sacrifices during this time in order to protect our loved ones and our communities.
Stay strong! I know we will get through this together.
Please don’t hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or need assistance with County issues or concerns.
– Cindy Gustafson, District 5 Supervisor
Statewide tele town hall on fire preparedness
On July 9th at 5 PM State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara will join Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci and United Policyholders Executive Director Amy Bach for a statewide conference call on wildfire preparedness in order to help keep people and communities safe this fire season.
People are encouraged to submit questions ahead of time via email. Learn more
211 Placer launches to offer one-stop shop for community services
July 1 marks the launch of 211 Placer, the new information and referral system in Placer County. 211 Placer is a free, confidential, multilingual information line and website that connects people with the services and resources in their community. 211 Placer provides a 24/7, one-stop shop for referrals to community and health services including food, transportation, senior care, employment services, housing assistance, mental health supports and much more. Learn more
Tahoe staff changes
I wanted to take a moment to congratulate Jennifer Merchant, our Placer County Tahoe Deputy CEO, on her new journey with The Sea Ranch Association on the Sonoma Coast. Jennifer started working in Lake Tahoe in 1989 as a reporter at the former Tahoe World newspaper, then became a district aide for a former Placer County District 5 supervisor, which led to her current role. She has been a strong advocate for North Lake Tahoe; promoting tourism for the visitors bureau and resort association, advocating for a better transportation system to serve our economy and community and playing a role in significant projects and programs during her time as our deputy county executive officer. She has dedicated nearly 30 years of her professional life to our community and we sincerely thank her for the commitment that she always demonstrated. We wish Jennifer good luck in her next professional endeavor.
I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate Crystal Jacobsen for her promotion to Deputy Director of the Community Development Resource Agency for the county’s Tahoe operations. Our CDRA department is at the front line of services for our residents and local businesses. I have no doubt that Crystal will help bring our services to the next level for our community. I hope you will join me in thanking Jennifer for her service to our community and congratulating Crystal on her promotion!