Pandemic changes Lodi Council vibe

During Wednesday night’s Lodi City Council meeting, staff inside Carnegie Forum counted members of the public in attendance to ensure the meeting met social gathering guidelines laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Council members and city staff distanced themselves from one another while seated at the dais. Several department heads teleconferenced into the meeting and members of the public were encouraged to sit at a recommended distance of six feet from one another.

This follows after President Donald Trump on Monday released a set of strict guidelines recommending people avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people, abstain from eating and drinking at bars, restaurants and food courts, and work or attend school from home whenever possible.

“As you can see were operating under unique circumstances,” Mayor Doug Kuehne said as he addressed the public.

The council meeting, which usually starts with a religious invocation or a call to civic responsibility, began with a moment of silence.

On Wednesday, San Joaquin County reported its first two coronavirus related deaths, and on Thursday health officials said there are now 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county.

The pandemic has left local, state and federal leaders struggling, as they balance containment efforts to slow the spread of the virus, while also relaying information to the public.

“This is a real emergency. None of us have lived through a pandemic, so nobody really knows how we should respond and how we should act, but I suggest following CDC guidelines,” Kuehne said. “If it is overstated for people that are skeptical, then I guess it is better safe than sorry, and for those of us that are panicking stay calm. This too shall pass eventually, so I encourage everyone to follow the directives in front of us, and be compassionate and kind at this time.”

The poignant shift in tone set the mood for the evening as members of the public watched attentively. Some attended to ask questions like Lodi resident Natalie Bowman, and others just wanted to be informed about how the city was handling the pandemic, and the steps it was taking to aid its citizens and businesses.

On Wednesday afternoon, the city released a joint press release from civic, health care, education and business leaders advocating for the community to adhere to CDC guidelines to slow the spread of the virus.

“The purpose of what we are doing is to slow down the rate at which people can get the disease (coronavirus), so that we can continue to provide the level of health care that Americans are used to, not to generate panic. If we can do that we can come out better, and our economy will come out a lot better,” City Manager Steve Schwabauer said during the meeting.

According to Schwabauer, the city has heard concerns from business owners struggling to stay afloat as a result of stringent health recommendations that have reduced foot traffic in stores and patronage at restaurants.

“For a lot of individuals you believe (enforcing health guidelines) are destructive, but I would encourage you to consider the bipartisan recommendation from the states and federal government,” Schwabauer said. “I think it is rare in today’s political environment to see a bipartisan effort between the administration that runs the state of California, and the federal government, but they are both in agreement that we must take action.”

Before the council meeting, the mayor and city staff took part in a state conference call with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and a national call with the White House.

During the governor’s call the city learned that Newsom has released $100 million to be allocated to cities and counties to spend at their discretion to prevent the spread of coronavirus amongst California’s homeless population, with an additional $50 million added to create a shelter program to house unsheltered individuals. The state is working to acquire 1,000 FEMA trailers as well as shower and washing trailers to provide immediate shelter.

Kuehne added that cities can work with the state to secure funding that would be used towards hotel and motel rentals or tents that would be set up on state property.

“I do not know where Lodi will end on this. There are larger problems in larger cities, which is where the money will go to first,” Kuehne said.

Schwabauer said during the call to the White House the U.S. Small Business Administration announced that the Federal Reserve released funds for small business owners looking to bridge the economic uncertainty with short-term loans to cover operating expenses. The Federal Reserve released funds after President Trump declared a national emergency on March 13, when the coronavirus sent stocks plummeting and put the economy on shaky ground.

“It was especially encouraging to hear White House staff say they would be able to fund grants in a manner of weeks rather than months or years, which is the normal grant process waiting period,” Schwabauer said. “I was also impressed with the sincerity that the federal government has as our nation works cooperatively to come through this as best we can.”

In addition to the loans and grants the federal government is providing, Newsom signed an executive order on March 12 extending and increasing unemployment insurance benefits.

“It goes without saying that we are living in unusual and difficult times. Over the last few days, I have heard from and spoken with many of you regarding resources available to assist with financial pressures,” Sen. Cathleen Galgiani said in a statement.

Galgiani said unemployment benefits will provide partial wage replacement to workers who lose their jobs or have their hours reduced because of the virus.

“Governor Newsom’s recent executive order waived the one-week unpaid waiting period. This means that, if you will be filing to collect unemployment benefits, you will be eligible for the first week that you are out of work or have reduced hours,” Galgiani said. “Though not full-wage replacement, depending on your income level, benefits will recognize 60-70% of your wages.”

Although the state has waived the one-week waiting period it does not guarantee that individuals that apply for benefits will not receive their benefits more immediately, even if they lost their jobs due to the coronavirus.

Galgiani said as the situation remains fluid, she is working to provide residents of her district the most up-to-date information and resources as they become available.

To apply for umemployment benefits or learn more about benefits visit www. edd.ca.gov/unemployment/.