City of Carlsbad News
Good morning. I hope everyone had a nice weekend. We finally got a break from the rain, which has been keeping city crews and public safety personnel extra busy.
Here is what’s new since Friday.
Latest numbers
The latest case numbers from the county show a total of 1,804 confirmed COVID-19 cases countywide and 48 cases in Carlsbad. So far, we have been able to keep the number of cases requiring hospitalization below the capacity of local hospitals. This is the goal and shows that the stay at home orders are working. Public health officials are stressing that this is not the time to let up. If we do, we could easily see a spike, and the progress of the last four weeks could be lost.
Here are links to more information about the current numbers:
•County (including Carlsbad) dashboard
• State breakdowns, interactive dashboard and an open data portal
•Global dashboard
We will continue to closely monitor announcements from the county and state this week and let you know when talk turns to plans for easing some of the current restrictions. It likely will not be until testing is more widely available and we have signs that local cases have peaked.
A message from your City Council
For those of you who missed last Tuesday’s meeting, I wanted to pass along some messages from your City Council members. Your elected officials remain highly engaged in the city’s COVID-19 response actions on a local, regional and statewide level. The ad hoc subcommittee on economic revitalization formed Tuesday has already gotten to work. In addition, we will be discussing the COVID-19 emergency at tomorrow night’s City Council meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. You can watch online or on the city’s cable TV channel. I’ll be sure to report out on the discussion Wednesday morning.
Other city business
In addition to the COVID-19 items, we have a number of other topics on Tuesday’s agenda, including:
•Program to offer financial assistance to water customers
•Flower Fields grant request
•Estimates of the cost, staff time and overall impact of carrying out City Council directions contained in minute motions
•Report on the Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund
•Options for potential off leash dog area at Village H in Calavera Hills
•Climate Action Plan progress report
Government transparency
Even though our official city meetings are taking place in a virtual space, not a physical place, we remain committed to openness and transparency. In addition to watching the proceedings of our City Council meetings (and boards and commissions) online, you can still provide comments on City Council agenda items by emailing clerk@carlsbadca.gov all the way up to when the agenda item is heard. If you would like your comments read out loud during the meeting, just put that request at the top of your email and limit your comments to 500 words.
Our City Clerk’s Office is also keeping up with requests for public records. We had already implemented an online portal for public records, making it easy to handle these transactions online. Not only can you make a request online, you can see what other people have requested and look at those records too.
Local business needs
On Tuesday, April 14 at 3 p.m. the city, Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the Carlsbad Village Association will hold a webinar regarding local business needs during the crisis. This discussion is open to all of our businesses and is intended to source ideas directly from the companies that are feeling the brunt of this emergency.
If you have a local business, you can register for the webinar here.
We also continue to update the business resources page with new information about loans and other assistance.
New countywide campaign
The County of San Diego launched a new awareness campaign over the weekend, encouraging San Diegans to stay at home, maintain social distancing and wear facial coverings. The goal is to remind everyone that even if we are not at a high risk of COVID-19 complications, we need to stay home to help protect those who are.
We can get in on this by sharing photos of ourselves holding up signs showing who we are staying at home for. Please use the hashtags #StayHomeSD, #InThisTogetherSD and #CarlsbadatHome.
National Dispatchers Week
This week is National Dispatchers week nationwide. The best phrase I have heard summing up this very special group of public safety personnel? Nerves of steel; hearts of gold! Please take a minute to watch this video we recorded last year highlighting one of our very own police dispatchers. They are quite literally the lifeline for our community.
How can the city support you?
We have gotten almost 900 responses to our community survey that launched last week. I encourage you to take it if you haven’t already and pass along the link to your friends. It will stay open until midnight tonight.
I’ll share the results with you later in the week.
New health orders
Last week there were a couple of updates to the county health order. Here is a link to the latest. Recent changes had to do with restricting all gatherings (to make the county order consistent with the state), requiring masks for those who work for places selling food and those providing transportation services (public transit, taxis and ride shares).
Springtime fun
If the weather prevented you from participating in our spring scavenger hunt there is still time. It will go through this Friday. We’ll share photos as they come in!
Spreading good cheer!
As I drive around our city, I am loving the creative ways neighbors are keeping each others’ spirits up. If you notice messages of kindness and other signs in your neighborhoods, please send them to us at communications@carlsbadca.gov so we can share on social media.
Stay in touch
Don’t forget, you can get updates and tips throughout the day on the city’s website and social media.
•carlsbadca.gov/COVID19
Thank you for helping to keep our community safe by staying at home except for essentials, covering your face when you go out and maintaining physical distance from others not in your household. You are making a difference!
Scott Chadwick
City Manager
City of Carlsbad/Website
