Fort Bragg city updates

To help keep theMendocino Coast Community informed of Coronavirus updates, Dr. WilliamMiller, Mendocino Coast District Hospital Chief of Staff; and TabathaMiller, Fort Bragg CityManager (no relation), have teamed up for The Miller Report, a hyperlocal, weekly column on the progress of COVID-19 within our community. The twoMillers will be trading off writing the column each week.

Since it has been a couple of weeks since I have authored the Miller Report, I thought I would use this report to provide updates on a number of topics.

First, the City Council downgraded the city’s water emergency from a Stage 2 to a Stage 1 on Sept. 28. The primary difference is that Stage 1 water conservation measures target a 10 percent water reduction and set forth a number of mandatory watersaving actions. Those can be found on the city’s website. Stage 2 water conservation measures target a 20 percent water reduction and require all of the Stage 2 water-saving actions, plus it forbids watering ornamental landscaping and lawns. With the cooler weather and onset of fall, the flows in the Noyo River have risen. We expect to keep the Stage 1 emergency in place until at least the end of October and the end of the high tides that can inhibit the city’s ability to pump water fromthe Noyo.

The city has continued to test the sewer for COVID-19. The most recent results reported “none detected” for the two strains of COVID-19. While the strength and presence of COVID-19 in the sewer are helpful to gather information in the long term, it provides no information to help identify who is COVID-19 positive. More recently, test results have borne some relationship to the number of reported active cases in the 95437 zip code, as provided by Mendocino County. Keep in mind that the 95437 zip code expands beyond the city’s sewer service.

For low- and moderateincome households who may be having difficulty

paying their rent due to COVID-19, funds are still available through the city’s Tenant-Based Rental Assistance program. Assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified applicants who reside within city limits. Please call (707) 961-2823, extension 106 or email tbra@ fortbragg.com.

In addition to the city’s TBRA program, the State of California extended its COVID eviction protections through Jan. 31, 2021. There are several requirements that tenants seeking the protections must meet and landlords have a duty to provide certain information to their tenants or they may be fined. For more information visit landlordtenant.dre.ca.gov. The website also provides information about protection for homeowners and landlords with four or fewer properties who may be experiencing difficulty making their mortgage payments because of COVID-19.

Fort Bragg Police Chief John Naulty and Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall have both reported an increase in behavioral health issues and domestic violence calls for service. A friend told me that she recently called her employer’s Employee Assistance Program to make an appointment and it was a six-week waiting period. Just a reminder that there are services available and places to call if you need crisis or non-crisis support.

The 24/7 toll free crisis line, if you need help right away and are a danger to yourself or others, is 1-855-838-0404. Mendocino County has a Warm Line that provides non-crisis support and compassion for Mendocino County residents. It is also free and confidential. Call 1-833-9552510 or 707-472-2311.

Project Sanctuary, whose mission is to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault, provides a number of services. For coastal services, please call 707- 4634357. Safe Passage, also here in Fort Bragg, provides help for victims of domestic and sexual violence. As a side note, the City Council will be recognizing National Domestic Violence Awareness Month at its Oct. 13 meeting.

Finally, but not least, the Fort Bragg Unified School District provides families social-emotional support for enrolled students through school counselors at each site. Just reach out directly to your child’s school and ask for the counselor.

As an update on the city’s economic health, the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) or hotel tax receipts have been tallied for July and August. Revenue for Julywas down just 10 percent from the prior year and August revenue was up 14 percent over August 2019. The city is projecting similar results for September and October.

I regularly get asked about when the C.V. Starr Community Center will be able to reopen. At this point, it isn’t about the sales tax revenue but the Mendocino County Shelter in Place order, and the State of California’s tiered reopening schedule, which currently requires all purple tier businesses, including indoor pools and indoor gym and fitness facilities, to be closed.

Lastly, a couple of updates on upcoming city meetings. On Oct. 13, (a Tuesday because of Indigenous Peoples’ Day) the City Council will consider approving Budget Amendment No. 5 and a Request for Proposals scope of work for professional services to prepare a commercial cannabis cultivation ordinance. At the Oct. 14 Planning Commission meeting, the commissioners will consider recommendations for a Formula Business Ordinance.

If you haven’t already, share your thoughts on Formula Businesses by completing a short survey at www.surveymonkey. com/r/25MQNHH.