HomeMy WebLinkAboutweekly Notes- May 1st 2020 CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS—WEEKLY NOTES for: May 1st 2020
TO: City Council Members&Staff
FROM: Eric Johnson,City Administrator
441—
Zoning &Development Items:
1. No new applications have been received.
2. The City Council did approve a letter to be sent to Washington County related to the South Frontage Road,that letter is enclosed.
3. The LOWES site has come into general compliance with their site conditions related to outside storage;A few minor details remain but it is much
better.We hope they remain in compliance.
4. The City Council approved a letter of support to the MN Center for Energy and Environment related to some further studies for host communities.
That letter is attached as sent.
COVID-19 Matters:
• This is the Governor's - PORTAL — Many documents / Exec. Orders can be :r ..
found: https://mn.,qov/covidl9 - including his order#20-48 from 4/30 extending ¢'
the stay at home orders to 5/18/20.Order attached. + -
• Washington County did issue a press release related to their review and action on
Property Tax payment delays—see enclosed.
• Letters relating to ON-SALE Liquor License rebates and Lodging Tax are being
sent by the City to impacted firms.
Other Items:
• April 2020—Police Activity Report from Chief DeRosier—Enclosed.
• Tennis Sanitation was sent a communication outlining the City's declining of a
rate increase—Enclosed.
• Council Member Johnson brought to the City's need to address a possible line
of sight issue at Newell Circle/56th Street. Some of the boulevard trees are
getting full and blocking some clear views. Staff will be reaching out to the
abutting property owner. SEE IMAGE.
Mayor McComber provided:
1. Copy of JOINT letter to Legislative leaders about Transportation Funding
2. Lockridge Grindal Legislative Updates 4/29 and 4/30
3. MAOSC Update for 4/24
4. Metro Cities News 4/24&4/29
5. NLC COVID-19 UPDATES—#s17,18&19
6. Information on EMWREP upcoming programs.
Please let me know if you have any questions-651-253-7837 Call Anytime.
City of Oak Park Heights
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N•Oak Park Heights,MN 55082•Phone(651)439-4439•Fax(651)439-0574
4/30/20
Mr. Kevin Corbid,
County Administrator
Washington County via email only: Kevin.Corbid@co.washington.mn.us
RE: Washington County—Manning and STH 36 South Frontage Road.
Dear Kevin:
The City is awaiting responses from County Staff related to our communication in March. We do however appreciate your
staff's quick response to the more recent requests forwarded by our City Engineer; further requests for more detailed
information from our City Engineer will be forthcoming shortly. If these could be responded to in the coming weeks it would
be appreciated. We know it may take some time.
However, to re-iterate a bit as it relates directly to this south frontage road, the County at a no point held a thorough public
dialogue related to the public need (pros/cons)of this roadway installation or as being transitioned to an actively pursued
project. Equally confusing is the reality that the County did not inquire as to what the City of Oak Park Heights' perspective
might be beyond some broad conceptualizations.
We note that as part of the Manning and STH 36 discussion this south frontage road was simply benched as a "project in
the future" with several conceptual layouts shown. This "in the future" position was stated in several meetings and at the
OPEN HOUSE for the Manning Interchange and serious conversations about it were not held nor sought.Accordingly, the
City is surprised that this position has been altered to move forward — possibly in 2022 and without any public process
as to the pros/cons or even an inquiry as to the City's perspective. It seems the City of Oak Park Heights positions or its
perspectives as to how it may impact our community remains an afterthought which can be a challenge.
At this time the City continues to evaluate the matter as best we can to determine if such concept is in the best interests of
the City and its Taxpayers,which at this time we do not know and the City cannot take a position on the Project at this time.
Our City will rely on evaluations from our City Consultants prior to any formal position being taken at some future date and
we will need more data from County Staff which will be requested shortly.
Lastly, if the County desires, the City will continue to participate in the LAT (Local Advisory Team) process in good faith,
but this LAT process should address our concerns noted in this and previous letter(s). We would ask that the LAT include
a prior-process that COLLECTIVELY evaluates if the project is needed, alternatives and impacts and include a public
engagement element. The LAT for this project should not unilaterally be a project facilitator based on a project that has
already been determined to be constructed.
We appreciate your review of this communication and stand ready to have further discussion.
Sincerely,
fes"
Eric Johnson
City Administrator
CC: Lee Mann, City Engineer
I
City of Oak Park Heights
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N•Oak Park Heights,MN 55082•Phone(651)439-4439•Fax(651)439-0574
May 1st,2020
Ms. Audrey Partridge
Regulatory Policy Manager
Center for Energy and Environment
212 Third Avenue North, Suite 560
Minneapolis,MN 55401
RE: Letter of Support—Application to Just Transition Fund.
Dear Audrey,
Thank you for sharing the information related to the GRANT APPLICATION the Minnesota Center for
Energy and Environment's(CEE) submission to the Just Transition Fund to provide funding and
resources for further studies of two communities and their transition away from being a power plant host;
these being Oak Park Heights and Cohasset.
The City of Oak Park Heights has valued the partnership we developed with CEE through our mutual
participation in the recent host community impact study,in which the Just Transition Fund was also a
partner. The end product of that study was a more well-rounded understanding of the impact the plant
closure would have upon our community. This understanding is essential to our ability to transition our
community responsibly, and we view the current proposal as a next step in that same effort.
Our city is already in the process of convening an advisory panel comprised of a range of stakeholders to
work with the city in envisioning a successful future for our community and the site of the plant itself. A
continued partnership with CEE would enhance those efforts and be of benefit to our community.
We understand and support the general scope of CEE's proposal,which is to promote engagement around
the impacts of the transition process related to workforce,economic development, and local
industries/economy. Having CEE as a partner would also aid our community by off-setting costs of the
$37,500 commitment made by Oak Park Heights for such studies.
The City certainly supports this effort and application and looks forward to learning more.
Kind Regards,
G 0114.1
Mayor Mary McComber
STATE OF MINNESOTA
Executive Department
IH
Governor Tim Walz
Emergency Executive Order 20-48
Extending and Modifying Stay at Home Order, Continuing Temporary
Closure of Bars, Restaurants, and Other Places of Public
Accommodation, and Allowing Additional Workers in Certain Non-
Critical Sectors to Return to Safe Workplaces
I, Tim Walz, Governor of the State of Minnesota,by the authority vested in me by the
Constitution and applicable statutes, issue the following Executive Order:
The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented challenge to our State. On March 11, 2020,
the World Health Organization ("WHO") characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.
Despite efforts to contain COVID-19, the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention ("CDC") indicate that it is expected to spread. Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in
Minnesota are rapidly increasing. On March 15, 2020, Minnesota detected the first confirmed
cases caused by "community spread" infections not epidemiologically linked to overseas
travel. By March 17, 2020, all fifty states had reported a confirmed case of COVID-19. And on
March 21, 2020, the Minnesota Department of Health ("MDH") announced the first confirmed
fatality due to COVID-19 in Minnesota.
Minnesota has taken proactive steps to ensure that we are ahead of the curve on COVID-19
prevention and response. On March 13, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-01 and declared a
peacetime emergency because this pandemic, an act of nature, threatens the lives of
Minnesotans, and local resources are inadequate to address the threat. On April 13, 2020, after
notifying the Legislature, I issued Executive Order 20-35, extending the peacetime emergency
declared in Executive Order 20-01. Previous Executive Orders required the closure of bars,
restaurants, and other places of public accommodation and directed Minnesotans to stay at home
except for certain exempted activities and Critical Sector work.
Community spread of COVID-19 continues to increase in Minnesota and nationwide. Just three
weeks ago, on April 8, 2020, Minnesota had 1,154 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 271
hospitalizations and 39 fatalities. As of today, Minnesota has had 5,136 confirmed COVID-19
cases, with 1,044 hospitalizations and 343 fatalities. The United States has recorded over
1,005,000 COVID-19 cases with over 57,500 recorded fatalities. The continued presence of
community spread in Minnesota and the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths require us
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to continue our measures to slow the spread of this pandemic. Slowing the community spread of
COVID-19 is critical to ensuring that our healthcare facilities remain able to accommodate those
who require intensive medical intervention.
Executive Orders 20-20 and 20-33 permitted work in Critical Sectors based on guidance from the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. That Guidance has since been updated and revised. This
order adopts and relies on the April 17, 2020 Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure
Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response, Version 3.0
("CISA Guidance (version 3.0)"—attached to, and incorporated into, this Executive Order). The
CISA Guidance (version 3.0) identifies workers who conduct a range of operations and services
that are essential to continued critical infrastructure viability. This federal guidance provides a
baseline for Minnesota's efforts to ensure critical infrastructure and services are maintained
while slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Many Minnesotans, who neither work in a Critical Sector nor can work from home, have been
unable to work during this pandemic. In Executive Order 20-33, seeking to balance public health
needs and economic considerations, I directed the MDH Commissioner, and the Commissioners
of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development("DEED") and the
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry ("DLI")to begin planning to allow certain non-
Critical Sector workers to return to work when it is safe to do so. I explained that such a plan
must include guidelines and requirements for appropriate social distancing, hygiene, and public
health best practices. In Executive Order 20-38, I expanded exemptions related to outdoor
recreational activities and facilities. In Executive Order 20-40, I further allowed certain non-
Critical Sector workers to return to work once their employers had planned for and provided a
safe work environment. This Executive Order continues our plan to safely reopen our economy.
Businesses have the opportunity to resume work through preparation and planning that will
allow for compliance with the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973,
Minnesota Statutes 2019, Chapter 182 ("Minnesota OSHA Standards"), in addition to guidelines
related to COVID-19 set forth by the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention ("MDH and CDC Guidelines"). We will continue to monitor the
level of COVID-19 cases and explore whether more workers can safely return to other
workplaces.
In Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 12.02, the Minnesota Legislature conferred upon the
Governor emergency powers "in order to (1) ensure that preparations of this state will be
adequate to deal with disasters, (2) generally protect the public peace, health, and safety, and (3)
preserve the lives and property of the people of the state."Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 2019,
section 12.21, subdivision 1, the Governor has general authority to control the state's emergency
management as well as carry out the provisions of Minnesota's Emergency Management Act.
Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 12.21, subdivision 3(7), authorizes the Governor to cooperate
with federal and state agencies in "matters pertaining to the emergency management of the state
and nation." This includes "the direction or control of. . . the conduct of persons in the state,
including entrance or exit from any stricken or threatened public place, occupancy of facilities,
and . . . public meetings or gatherings."Pursuant to subdivision 3 of that same section, the
Governor may "make, amend, and rescind the necessary orders and rules to carry out the
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provisions" of Minnesota Statutes 2019, Chapter 12. When approved by the Executive Council
and filed in the Office of the Secretary of State, such orders and rules have the force and effect of
law during the peacetime emergency. Any inconsistent rules or ordinances of any agency or
political subdivision of the state are suspended during the pendency of the emergency.
For these reasons, I order as follows:
1. Beginning on Sunday, May 3, 2020 at 11:59 pm through Sunday, May 17, 2020 at
11:59 pm, all persons currently living within the State of Minnesota are ordered to
stay at home or in their place of residence except to engage in the Activities set forth
below in paragraph 5 and to work in Critical Sectors and Non-Critical Exempt
Businesses as forth below in paragraphs 6 and 8. Executive Orders 20-33, 20-38, 20-
40, and 20-47 are rescinded as of Sunday, May 3, 2020 at 11:59 pm.
2. This Executive Order does not restrict virtual work or telework (i.e., work from
home). Minnesotans working in any field, including the Critical Sectors and Non-
Critical Exempt Businesses set forth below, must work from their home or residence
as much as possible. Any worker who can work from home must do so.
3. Masks and face coverings.I strongly encourage all Minnesotans to wear a
manufactured or homemade cloth face covering at all times when they leave their
homes and travel to any public setting where other social distancing measures are
difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery and other stores), and to follow face covering
guidelines issued by MDH and the CDC until this order is rescinded. Such face masks
and coverings are for source control—to help limit the person wearing the covering
from infecting others. They are not yet known to be protective of the wearer and thus
are not personal protective equipment.
4. Definitions. For purposes of this Executive Order, homes or residences include
mobile homes, hotels, motels, shared rental units, shelters, and similar facilities, to the
extent they are used for lodging. As used in this Executive Order, "workers" and
"personnel" are broadly defined to include owners, proprietors, employees,
contractors, vendors, volunteers, and interns. As used in this Executive Order,
"Critical Sectors"is defined to include the categories found in the CISA Guidance
(version 3.0) and the additional categories listed below in paragraph 6.
5. Exemptions—Activities. Minnesotans may leave their homes or residences to
engage in the following activities,provided that all persons follow the MDH and
CDC Guidelines, including but not limited to social distancing, to the maximum
extent possible. Consistent with federal guidance and to protect our neighbors,
Minnesotans are encouraged to stay close to home and are strongly discouraged
from engaging in unnecessary travel. This list of Activities may be clarified, as
deemed necessary by the Governor, to ensure the health, safety, and security of all
Minnesotans. Clarifications will be available for public review at:
hgps:Hmn.gov/covidl9/
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a. Relocation to ensure safety. Individuals whose homes or residences are
unsafe or become unsafe, including individuals who have suffered or are at
risk of domestic violence or for whom the safety, sanitation, or essential
operations of their home or residence cannot be maintained, are allowed and
urged to leave their home or residence and relocate to a safe alternative home
or residence.
b. Health and safety activities. Individuals may seek emergency services;
obtain medical services, supplies, and medications; and visit a healthcare or
dental professional or facility, or a veterinarian. Individuals may also donate
blood.
c. Outdoor Recreational Activity. Individuals must not engage in outdoor
recreational activities where they will come into close proximity with others
from different households. Individuals may engage in the activities listed
below, provided that they follow the Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources ("DNR") and MDH guidelines on outdoor recreation and
guidelines for facilities and the public ("Outdoor Recreation Guidelines")
available at DNR's COVID-19 website (hgps://www.dnr.state.mn.us/covid-
19.html):
i. Individuals may engage in any outdoor activity that is dependent upon
or derives its principal benefit from natural surroundings and open
space, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, trapping, boating,
hiking, biking, golfing, and picnicking for the purposes of pleasure,
rest, exercise, or relaxation,provided that the activity can be engaged
in accordance with the Outdoor Recreation Guidelines, including
maintaining at least six feet of separation between participants from
different households. Groups within a single household may engage
in outdoor activities or sports that do not allow for social distancing
(e.g., soccer or basketball)but should not engage in such activities
with members of other households.
ii. Outdoor recreational activities allowed by this Executive Order do not
include performances, competitions, team events, tournaments, races,
rallies, organized sports, spectator events, fairs, or any other events
that involve the gathering of individuals in a manner that would
preclude social distancing. For example, individuals must not partake,
as participants or as spectators, in activities such as marathons,
fundraising walks, fishing contests, league sports, and tournaments.
iii. All persons participating in outdoor recreational activities under this
Executive Order must follow the Outdoor Recreation Guidelines.
iv. Nothing in this paragraph permits trespass upon private property, and
all activities undertaken pursuant to this paragraph must be undertaken
in accordance with Minnesota law, including but not limited to license
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and permit requirements, invasive species regulations, and park rules.
Nothing in this paragraph should be construed to abrogate existing
local authority to limit or restrict activities or close facilities.
d. Supplies and services. Individuals may leave their residences to:
i. Obtain food, including delivery or carry-out services,beverages
(alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and other grocery items.
ii. Obtain gasoline.
iii. Obtain supplies needed to work from home.
iv. Obtain commercially available personal protective equipment and
supplies and materials necessary to make homemade source control
items such as face masks.
V. Obtain products needed to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential
operation of homes and residences, businesses, and personally owned
vehicles, including automobiles and bicycles.
vi. Visit and use the services of laundromats and dry cleaners.
vii. Pick up retail products from establishments offering curbside pickup
services.
e. Essential intrastate and interstate travel. Minnesotans are encouraged to
stay close to home and are strongly discouraged from engaging in unnecessary
travel. Individuals may travel to exempted activities and may travel to return
to a home or place of residence. Individuals may also travel into and out of
Minnesota.
f. Care of others. Individuals may care for a family member, friend, or pet in
another household, and may transport family members, friends, or pets as
allowed by this Executive Order, including the transport of children pursuant
to existing parenting time schedules or other visitation schedules pertaining to
a child in need of protective services (CHIPS)proceeding.
g. Displacement. Individuals without a home are exempt from the restrictions in
this Executive Order, and they may move between emergency shelters, drop-
in centers, and encampments. Encampments, including both new and existing
encampments, should not be subject to sweeps or disbandment by state or
local governments, as such sweeps or disbandment increase the potential risk
and spread of COVID-19.
i. Law enforcement is not prohibited from addressing trespassing or
exigent circumstances (i.e., those requiring immediate action to protect
life,prevent injury, or preserve evidence)that occur within
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encampments or among people staying outdoors. Law enforcement
and other first responders should respond to trespassing and exigent
circumstances as those situations require.
ii. If a local government entity is providing sufficient alternate housing,
shelter, or encampment space that complies with MDH's guidance
entitled Homeless Services Settings:Interim Guidance for Providers
and the CDC's guidance entitled Responding to COVID-19 Among
People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness, or if an encampment
has reached a size or status such that is a documented threat to the
health, safety, or security of residents, state or local governments may
restrict, limit, or close encampment spaces.
iii. The commissioners of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and the
Minnesota Department of Human Services are authorized, as co-chairs
of the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness, to issue
additional guidance as needed to clarify this provision or further
address the issue of homeless encampments.
h. Moving or relocation. Individuals are permitted to move to a new home or
place of residence, provided they follow MDH and CDC Guidelines to the
maximum extent possible.
i. Voting. Individuals are permitted and encouraged to vote in all state and local
elections. Voters are also encouraged to vote by mail using an absentee ballot
where feasible. Additional information from the Secretary of State is available
at hgps://www.sos.state.mn.us/election-administration-campaigns/elections-
calendar/2020-electi ons-and-covid-19/
j. Funerals. Individuals may leave their home or residence to attend funerals,
whether at a place of worship, funeral home, burial site, or other similar
location,provided that the gathering consists of no more than 10 attendees.
The space utilized must allow for social distancing and compliance with MDH
and CDC Guidelines to the maximum extent possible. Venues should make
accommodations for remote attendance, if possible, for others. Individuals
who are at high risk from COVID-19 are strongly encouraged to attend
remotely.
k. Weddings. Individuals may leave their home or residence to be married, to
serve as witnesses, or to officiate a marriage,provided that the gathering
consists of no more than 10 attendees. The wedding location must allow for
social distancing and compliance with MDH and CDC Guidelines to the
maximum extent possible. The restrictions on places of public accommodation
adopted in Executive Orders 20-04, 20-18, and this Executive Order otherwise
remain in effect.
1. Tribal Activities and Lands.
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i. Activities by tribal members within the boundaries of their tribal
reservations are exempt from the restrictions in this Executive Order
but may be subject to restrictions by tribal authorities.
ii. Activities within the boundaries of federal land held in trust for one of
the 11 Minnesota Tribal Nations are exempt from the restrictions in
this Executive Order but may be subject to restrictions by tribal
authorities.
iii. Activities by tribal members to exercise their federal treaty rights
within the boundaries of their treaty territory (also known as "ceded
territory") are exempt from the restrictions in this Executive Order but
may be subject to restrictions by applicable tribal authorities.
iv. Tribal members may travel to and from their tribal reservations in
accordance with applicable tribal law.
6. Exemptions—Critical Sectors. All workers who can work from home must do so.
Workers in the following Critical Sectors, who are performing work that cannot be
done at their home or residence through telework or virtual work and can be done
only at a place of work outside of their home or residence, are exempted from the
prohibition in paragraph 1 of this Executive Order as set forth below. These Critical
Sector exemptions apply only to travel to and from an individual's home or
residence and place of work and an individual's performance of work duties that
cannot be done at their home or residence. Travel may include transportation to
and from child care or school settings as necessary to ensure the safe care of
children. This list of Critical Sectors may be clarified, as deemed necessary by the
Governor, to ensure the health, safety, and security of all Minnesotans. These
clarifications carry the full weight and effect of this Executive Order. Clarifications
are available for public review at: http://mn.gov/deed/critical/
a. Healthcare and public health. As applicable, healthcare and public health
workers are subject to the restrictions on elective surgeries and procedures as
set forth in Executive Orders 20-09 and 20-17. This category is limited to:
i. Healthcare and public health workers listed in the CISA Guidance
(version 3.0).
ii. Workers providing or supporting reproductive health care, childbirth
services, mental health care, and substance use treatment.
iii. Workers supporting manufacturers, technicians, logistics and
warehouse operators, and distributors of personal care, hygiene, and
healthcare products.
iv. Workers providing or supporting home care and human services
workers from government or non-profit providers who are delivering
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food,prescriptions, case management services, mental health and
substance abuse therapy, or who are otherwise caring for a client.
V. Workers providing or supporting home-based care for adults, seniors,
and children, including but not limited to people who are blind, deaf,
deafblind, or hard of hearing and people with disabilities, including
physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, intellectual
disabilities, substance use disorders, or mental illness. This includes
workers who must travel to a person's home to provide care or other
in-home services including meal delivery and one-on-one interpreting
services for people who are blind, deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing.
vi. Personal care attendants,paid employees of government and non-
profit providers, or volunteers representing government and non-profit
providers.
vii. Workers supporting the medical cannabis industry.
viii. Workers in adult daycares are not exempted.
b. Law enforcement,public safety, and first responders. This category is
limited to law enforcement and public safety workers and first responders
listed in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0), and all corrections personnel, state
and county probation officers, supervision agents, victims' advocates, animal
control officers, humane officers, and all workers who support electronic
security and life-safety services. This category also includes the following:
i. Bail bond agents posting a bond.
ii. Workers supporting indoor gun or shooting ranges when providing
qualification shooting or skills maintenance to licensed Minnesota
peace officers, law enforcement officers, and federally sworn law
enforcement officers assigned to work within the state of Minnesota.
Workers supporting outdoor shooting ranges are exempt under
paragraph 6.kk of this Executive Order.
iii. Workers and attendees at skills training for the state's Professional
Peace Officer Education ("PPOE")providers, where such training
cannot be given remotely and provided that social distancing and other
mitigation strategies are employed.
iv. Evaluators and firefighters at skills training, including evaluation for
the state's firefighter Certification Testing, where such training and
evaluations cannot be given remotely.
c. Food and agriculture. This category includes food and agriculture workers
listed in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0). For clarity, and for the purposes of
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this Executive Order, references to "beverages"include alcoholic beverages.
The restrictions on restaurants, bars, and other places of public
accommodation adopted in Executive Orders 20-04, 20-08, 20-18, and this
Executive Order remain in effect. This category also includes:
i. Workers supporting agricultural equipment repair service.
ii. Lawncare and landscaping workers.
iii. Workers supporting garden centers, stores, and nurseries, provided that
such centers, stores, or nurseries adhere to guidance provided by the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
iv. Workers supporting florists for the sale for delivery only of perishable
plant stock. Workers delivering perishable plant stock are strongly
encouraged to drop off product at the front door of nursing homes and
hospitals to avoid contact with vulnerable populations.
V. Workers supporting bait harvesters.
vi. This category does not include workers supporting tobacco and
vaping-product shops or cannabidiol (CBD) oil shops, but these
workers may return to work if their employer qualifies as a Non-
Critical Exempt Business under paragraph 8 of this Executive Order.
d. Energy. This category is limited to energy workers listed in the CISA
Guidance (version 3.0), workers supporting emergency response operations,
and workers supporting the underground storage of natural gas.
e. Water and wastewater. This category is limited to water and wastewater
workers listed in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0), in addition to State Parks
workers who maintain water and wastewater infrastructure, workers who
perform work related to residential wells and septic tanks, and workers who
supply bottled water or home filtration systems in areas where that is a health
necessity.
f. Transportation and logistics. This category is limited to the transportation
and logistics workers listed in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0), in addition to:
i. State, county, and local government agencies and agency workers, as
well as private sector workers, who support or enable transportation
functions, including engineers, dispatchers, maintenance and repair
technicians (including workers at maintenance and repair shops),
warehouse workers, truck stop and rest area workers, and workers that
maintain and inspect infrastructure (including those that require cross-
border travel).
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ii. Workers engaged in roadway construction, maintenance, and utility
proj ects.
iii. Public transit workers.
iv. Bicycle shops and distribution facilities.
V. Automobile, motorcycle, recreational vehicle (RV), and all-terrain
vehicle (ATV) sales, when conducted by appointment only.
vi. Workers who clean vehicles used for public transportation,
government services, and Critical Sectors.
vii. Workers transporting boats.
viii. Workers necessary for the operation of safe harbors and marinas to
provide refuge for boaters when conditions make boating on open
water unsafe.
ix. Workers supporting car washes, but only where such car washes are
limited to exterior washes, allow for payment without direct contact
between workers and customers, and where customers remain in their
vehicles.
g. Public works and infrastructure support services. This category is limited
to public works and infrastructure support services workers listed in the CISA
Guidance (version 3.0), in addition to construction material suppliers and
workers providing services necessary to maintain construction material
sources.
h. Communications and information technology. This category is limited to
communications and information technology workers listed in the CISA
Guidance (version 3.0) and all workers who support news services of all
kinds, including newspapers, radio, television, and other forms of news media.
i. Other community-based government operations and essential functions.
This category is limited to the other community-based and government
essential functions listed in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0), in addition to
workers who support the following functions and services:
i. Election support services and election administration workers.
ii. Housing, shelter, and homelessness-prevention staff of state and local
agencies and organizations responsible for ensuring safe and stable
housing, including workers from state and local agencies and
organizations with responsibility for ensuring safe and stable housing;
shelter outreach or drop-in center programs; financing affordable
housing; and administering rent subsidies, homeless interventions,
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operating supports, and similar supports. This includes workers
necessary to provide repairs, maintenance, and operations support to
residential dwellings.
iii. Workers performing all other governmental functions which are
necessary to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the public, to
preserve the essential elements of the financial system of government,
and to continue priority services as determined by a political
subdivision of the State. All political subdivisions of the State will
determine the minimum personnel necessary to maintain these
governmental operations.
iv. Workers supporting building code enforcement necessary to maintain
public safety and health and for all ongoing construction.
V. Workers, including logistical and contract workers, who are critical to
facilitating support of national, state, and local emergency response
operations.
vi. Workers necessary to process applications for and issue hunting and
fishing licenses, where it is impracticable for applicants to apply
online.
vii. Workers supporting environmental compliance and assistance
activities, field research, monitoring and surveying, habitat restoration,
natural land and water management, and plant and animal population
management.
j. Critical manufacturing. This includes the critical manufacturing workers
listed in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0) and the following:
i. Workers supporting iron ore mining and processing operations and
supplier/vendor industries essential to such mining and processing
operations.
ii. Workers supporting printing operations that supply other Critical
Sectors. Other printing workers are not included in this category, but
such workers may return to work if their employer qualifies as a Non-
Critical Exempt Business under paragraph 8 of this Executive Order.
k. Hazardous materials. This category is limited to hazardous materials
workers listed in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0).
1. Financial services. This category is limited to financial services workers
identified in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0), in addition to workers at banks,
credit unions, insurance companies, and insurance agencies. Debt collection
professionals and other workers supporting debt collection are not included in
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this category,but such workers may return to work if their employer qualifies
as a Non-Critical Exempt Business under paragraph 8 of this Executive Order.
m. Chemical. This category is limited to chemical workers listed in the CISA
Guidance (version 3.0).
n. Defense industrial base. This category is limited to defense industrial base
workers listed in the CISA Guidance (version 3.0).
o. Commercial facilities/essential supply stores. Essential supply stores are
strongly encouraged to offer curbside pickup or delivery of products. This
category is limited to commercial facilities workers listed in the CISA
Guidance (version 3.0) and the following:
i. Workers supporting businesses that sell products, tools, materials, or
supplies necessary for: (1) Critical Sectors to continue their essential
operations, (2) for workers to work from home, or (3) for the
maintenance of the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of homes
or residences.
ii. Workers supporting licensed businesses that sell or service firearms,
pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 624.7192. Indoor gun
clubs and indoor gun and shooting ranges must remain closed pursuant
to Executive Orders 20-04, 20-18, and this Executive Order.
iii. Workers at traditional retail establishments who are working only to
take and fulfill online orders for pick up or delivery.
iv. Workers supporting the sale of essential furnishings, including beds,
lift chairs, and office furniture and equipment necessary for other
workers to work from home. Workers supporting sales of non-essential
furnishings are not included in this category, but such workers may
return to work if their employer qualifies as a Non-Critical Exempt
Business under paragraph 8 of this Executive Order.
V. Workers supporting retailers not listed above may return to work if
their employer qualifies as a Non-Critical Exempt Business under
paragraph 8 of this Executive Order.
p. Residential/shelter facilities and services. This category includes the
residential/shelter facilities and services workers listed in the CISA Guidance
(version 3.0), including workers supporting moving and relocation services, in
addition to workers supporting emergency shelters, drop-in centers, and
encampments, as well as outreach workers. Governmental and other entities
are strongly urged to make 24-hour shelter available as soon as possible, to the
maximum extent practicable, and in compliance with CDC guidance.
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q. Laundry and hygiene products and services. This category includes the
hygiene products and services workers listed in the CISA Guidance (version
3.0) and the following:
i. Workers in laundromats and all laundry or dry-cleaning services.
ii. Workers cleaning common areas in apartment buildings and other
similar common spaces.
iii. Workers providing housecleaning for individuals with disabilities.
iv. Workers doing ordinary residential housecleaning of individual homes
are not exempt.
r. Tribal Governments. Tribal officers and workers deemed essential by the
relevant Tribal government, regardless of residence.
s. The Judicial Branch. This category is limited to judicial officers and
personnel deemed essential by the Chief Justice to ensure the continued
operations of Minnesota's court system.
t. The Executive Branch. This category is limited to personnel deemed
necessary to continue priority services of executive branch agencies, offices,
departments, divisions, boards, bureaus, councils, committees, institutions,
authorities, and commissions, as well as the Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities system, Minnesota State Retirement System, Public Employees
Retirement Association, and Teacher's Retirement Association, as determined
by the Commissioner of Management and Budget in consultation with those
agencies and entities.
u. Executive Constitutional Offices. This category is limited to Constitutional
Officers and personnel deemed essential by the applicable Constitutional
Officer to ensure the continued operations of the Constitutional Office.
v. The Legislative Branch. This category is limited to personnel deemed
essential by the presiding officers of each body.
w. Federal employees. Nothing in this Executive Order will be construed to
limit, prohibit, or restrict in any way the operations of the federal government
or the movement of federal officials in Minnesota while acting in their official
capacity, including federal judicial, legislative, and executive staff and
personnel.
x. National Guard. This category is limited to National Guard members that are
on orders, to include state active duty, Title 32, or Title 10 orders and
members in an Inactive Duty for Training status. At the discretion of the
Adjutant General, this category also includes full-time staff of the Minnesota
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National Guard or Department of Military Affairs that are necessary for the
execution of the National Guard's mission.
y. Faith leaders and workers. This category includes officials, workers, and
leaders in houses of worship and other places of religious expression or
fellowship, wherever their services may be needed. This category also
includes workers necessary to plan, record, and distribute online or broadcast
content to community members.
z. Education. This category includes educators and other workers supporting
public and private schools, as well as higher education (e.g., colleges and
universities). This category also includes educators and other workers
providing care and food to children as provided by Executive Orders 20-19
and 20-41. Executive Orders 20-19 and 20-41 remain in effect.
aa. Construction and critical trades. This category includes the following:
i. Workers in the skilled trades such as electricians,plumbers, HVAC
and elevator technicians, and other workers supporting construction of
all kind.
ii. Workers such as exterminators, cleaning and janitorial staff for
commercial and governmental properties, moving and relocation
services, security staff, operating engineers, and all other service
providers who provide services that are necessary to maintain the
safety, sanitation, and essential operation of homes and residences and
the Critical Sectors listed in this Executive Order.
iii. Workers supporting major appliance sales, related parts sales, and
service.
iv. Workers who construct, repair, and maintain decks and fences.
V. Workers cleaning and maintaining the exterior of residential
dwellings, including power washing, exterior window cleaning, and
gutter cleaning.
bb. Child care providers. This category includes workers in child care centers,
family child care, schools, and other facilities. Such providers are encouraged
to remain open to provide child care services for workers in the Critical
Sectors and Non-Critical Exempt Businesses listed in this Executive Order as
possible and insofar as public health guidance can be followed. This category
also applies to individuals providing child care for Critical Sector and Non-
Critical Exempt Businesses workers in a personal home, such as family,
friend, and neighbor care required for Critical Sector workers to continue to
perform their duties.
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cc. Hotels, residential facilities, and shelters. This category includes workers
supporting hotels and motels, facilities and shelters for adults, seniors, and
children, including victims of domestic violence and people with
developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, substance abuse disorders,
or mental illness. Such facilities and shelters include halfway houses and
residential treatment programs. This category also includes:
i. Workers needed to keep apartment complex buildings and other
congregate residences or homes operational and sanitary.
ii. Workers supporting resorts in accordance with the Outdoor Recreation
Guidance.
dd. Charitable and social services organizations. This category is limited to
workers supporting organizations that are engaged in hunger relief work, and
those that provide food, shelter,prescription delivery, mental health and
substance abuse treatments, and other social services, as well as other
necessities of life for individuals in need of such services, older adults who
live alone,people with disabilities, and those who need assistance as a result
of this emergency.
ee. Legal services. This category is limited to workers who are necessary to
provide essential legal services. Essential legal services include:
i. Advice and representation needed to aid the delivery of all critical
government services.
ii. Advice and representation required to ensure the immediate and
critical health, safety, and liberties of Minnesotans, including but not
limited to, end-of-life planning, immigration, essential services to
elders and persons with disabilities, child support, child-protection and
domestic abuse matters,protection of personal financial resources
necessary to meet basic needs,prosecution or defense in ongoing
criminal matters, or all matters in which individuals are held in
custody pending a legal proceeding, and proceedings held in the
district or appellate courts during the effective period of this order.
iii. Advice and representation related to the continuation of the Critical
Sectors identified in this Executive Order, including ensuring
compliance with this Executive Order,previous Executive Orders, and
all applicable laws, rules, and regulations applying to Critical Sectors.
iv. Supporting housing and shelter-related efforts, including loan
applications, loan processing, seeking temporary relief from residential
and commercial loan or lease provisions, retention of gas, electric, or
water utility services, and seeking temporary relief from residential
evictions or foreclosures, or other actions intended to keep people in
their homes.
15
V. Process servers and legal couriers.
ff. Notaries. This category is limited to notaries performing services that cannot
be deferred and which cannot be accomplished via remote services under
Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 358.645.
gg. Critical labor union functions. This category includes labor union essential
activities, including the administration of health and welfare funds and the
monitoring of the wellbeing and safety of members.
hh. Animal care and veterinarians. This category is limited to veterinarians and
workers at animal care facilities or DNR workers who provide food, shelter,
veterinary services, and other necessities of life for animals. Workers in this
category are subject to the restrictions on elective surgeries and procedures as
set forth in Executive Orders 20-09 and 20-17. This category also includes the
following:
i. Workers providing care (e.g., daycare or boarding)to pets in the
following circumstances:
A. Caring for pets owned by other Critical Sector and Non-
Critical Exempt Businesses workers during their shifts.
B. Caring for pets needing care because the owner is physically or
otherwise unable to care for the animal.
C. Caring for pets owned by individuals who are ill or
quarantined,provided that contact with the owner is limited to
a one-time pick up until the illness or quarantine has passed.
D. Caring for pets currently boarded and circumstances prevent
the owner from retrieving them.
ii. Workers supporting pet adoption and animal foster care are exempt,
provided that(1) any paperwork and payment is done online, and (2)
appropriate social distancing is observed during the adoption process.
iii. Workers at Class A licensed racetracks, which may open their
facilities for the receiving, stabling, care and training of horses on their
grounds and for preparing and providing housing for workers who care
for the horses. In coordination with the Minnesota Racing
Commission,the licensees must prepare and allow for the safe entry
and exit of personnel necessary for the care, safety, and welfare of the
horses and people. Racetracks must remain closed to members of the
public.
iv. Workers supporting pet grooming businesses are not included in this
category, but such workers may return to work if their employer
16
qualifies as a Non-Critical Exempt Business under paragraph 8 of this
Executive Order.
ii. Real estate transactions. This category is limited to workers who facilitate
and finance real estate transactions and real estate services, including
appraisers and title services.
J. Minimum basic operations. This category includes workers supporting
minimum basic operations in businesses and other organizations. Minimum
basic operations include (i) minimum necessary activities to maintain the
value of the business's inventory,preserve the condition of a business's or
other organization's facilities, physical plant, or equipment, ensure security,
process payroll and employee benefits, or related functions; and(ii)the
minimum necessary activities to facilitate remote work by workers from their
residences (e.g., IT personnel who allow workers to operate remotely or
personnel who support remote or distance learning).
kk. Outdoor recreational facilities. This category is limited to workers
supporting the below publicly and privately maintained or operated outdoor
recreational facilities,provided that such facilities adhere to the Outdoor
Recreation Guidelines. This category includes private, state and local
government workers who perform activities necessary to facilitate outdoor
recreation, as allowed under this Executive Order. This category does not
include workers engaged in services for hire such as charter boats, launches,
or fishing guides, or workers at facilities that involve gatherings or people in
close proximity (e.g., mini golf,pools, commercial outdoor racetracks, and
concert venues). To the extent that any of the facilities listed below have been
closed under Executive Orders 20-04, 20-18, and 20-33, those facilities are
permitted to reopen,provided that they adhere to this Executive Order and the
Outdoor Recreation Guidelines. In accordance with Executive Orders 20-04,
20-18, and 20-33, all indoor facilities associated with outdoor recreational
facilities must remain closed except for(a) facilities used only by workers to
the extent necessary to facilitate the outdoor recreation, (b)bathroom facilities
cleaned and disinfected regularly in accordance with the Outdoor Recreation
Guidelines, (c) sales and service facilities allowed under subparagraph vi
below, (d) facilities that provide food and beverage for off-premises
consumption, as allowed in Executive Order 20-04,paragraphs 2 and 4, and
(e) facilities housing businesses covered by paragraph 8 of this Executive
Order.
i. Minnesota State Parks, Trails, State Forests, State Recreation Areas,
Wildlife Management Areas, Scientific and Natural Areas, and other
State managed recreational lands.
ii. Locally, regionally, and privately managed parks and trails.
iii. State, regional, or local public water accesses.
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iv. Public and private marinas and docks that provide storage, docking,
and mooring services to slip owners, seasonal renters, and the general
public, as well as facilities that provide safety-related services
including fueling, emergency dockage, and sanitary pump-out stations.
V. Public and private golf courses and outdoor driving ranges.
vi. Ski areas.
vii. Off-highway vehicles, snowmobiles, and watercraft repair shops, sales
facilities, and showrooms by appointment only.
viii. Lake service providers to install, repair, and remove docks, boatlifts,
and other water related equipment or deliver boats.
ix. Bait shops for sale of live bait. Sale of other goods must adhere to the
requirements for retail businesses in paragraph 8 of this Executive
Order.
X. Outdoor shooting ranges and game farms.
xi. Outdoor recreational equipment rental outlets, but only for purposes of
renting out equipment that can be effectively sanitized between uses.
Such outlets must implement clear check-in and check-out procedures
that minimize contact between customers and workers. Any such
rentals must be conducted in accordance with the Outdoor Recreation
Guidelines.
xii. Any other outdoor recreation facilities that may be designated in the
Outdoor Recreation Guidelines.
xiii. All work undertaken pursuant to this paragraph must be undertaken in
accordance with Minnesota law, including but not limited to license
and permit requirements, invasive species regulations, and park rules.
xiv. All private and public campgrounds and dispersed camping sites must
remain closed to recreational camping.
7. All exempted Activities and Critical Sector work activities should be conducted in a
manner that adheres to Minnesota OSHA Standards and the MDH and CDC
Guidelines related to COVID-19, including social distancing and hygiene. Under
existing law and authority, DLI may issue citations, civil penalties, or closure orders
to places of employment with unsafe or unhealthy conditions, and DLI may penalize
employers that retaliate against employees who raise safety and health concerns.
8. Non-Critical Exempt Businesses.All workers who can work from home must do
so. Workers in Non-Critical Exempt Businesses may return to their workplace upon
the businesses' completion of the requirements set forth in this paragraph. These
18
exemptions apply only to travel to and from an individual's home or residence and
place of work and an individual's performance of work duties that cannot be done at
their home or residence. Travel may include transportation to and from child care or
school settings as necessary to ensure the safe care of children. Non-Critical Exempt
Businesses are those within the scope of subparagraph a of this paragraph 8 and that
complete and comply with the requirements set forth in subparagraph b:
a. Non-Critical Exempt Businesses are limited to the following sectors:
i. Industrial and manufacturing businesses. Businesses in this
category include industrial or manufacturing businesses, to the extent
that such businesses' employees are not exempt Critical Sector
workers under paragraph 6 of this Executive Order. This category
includes wholesale trade, warehousing, and places of employment in
which goods are in the process of being created. This category does
not include customer-facing retail environments associated with an
industrial or manufacturing business in this category. DEED will
provide additional guidance related to the businesses included in this
category at haps://mn.gov/deed/safework/
ii. Office-based businesses. Businesses in this category include office-
based businesses where workers do their work within an office space,
at their desk, and their work is primarily not customer facing, to the
extent that their employees are not exempt Critical Sector workers
under paragraph 6 of this Executive Order. This category does not
include customer-facing retail environments associated with office-
based businesses in this category. DEED will provide additional
guidance related to the businesses included in this category at
hILtps://mn.gov/deed/safework/
iii. Retail businesses. Businesses in this category include retail stores and
other businesses that sell, rent, maintain and repair goods that can be
picked up outside, without entering the place of business, with limited
interaction between employees and customers, to the extent that such
businesses' employees are not exempt Critical Sector workers under
paragraph 6 of this Executive Order. Businesses that provide services
such as household goods rental, maintenance services, repair services,
and pet grooming are included to the extent that they can adhere to the
guidelines below. Salons and barbershops are included only to conduct
retail product sales, excluding sales of service chemicals not intended
for retail. Salons and barbershops may not provide any services. In
addition to the other requirements set forth in paragraph 8.b of this
Executive Order, businesses in this category must conduct sales only
by outdoor pick-up or delivery, adhering to guidance provided by
DEED at hgps://mn.gov/deed/safework/
19
b. Requirements for Non-Critical Exempt Businesses. Before workers may
return to work at a Non-Critical Exempt Business under this Executive Order,
the Non-Critical Exempt Business must establish and implement a COVID-19
Preparedness Plan ("Plan"). Each Plan must provide for the business's
implementation of Minnesota OSHA Standards and MDH and CDC
Guidelines in their workplaces. These requirements are set forth in guidance
published by DEED and DLI("Plan Guidance") and available at
https://mn.gov/deed/safework/
i. Required Plan content. As set forth in the Plan Guidance, at a
minimum, each Plan must adequately address the following areas:
A. Require work from home whenever possible. All Plans must
ensure that all workers who can work from home continue to
do so.
B. Ensure that sick workers stay home. All Plans must establish
policies and procedures, including health screenings, that
prevent sick workers from entering the workplace.
C. Social distancing. All Plans must establish social distancing
policies and procedures.
D. Worker hygiene and source control. All Plans must establish
hygiene and source control policies for workers.
E. Cleaning and disinfection protocols. All Plans must establish
cleaning and disinfection protocols for areas within the
workplace.
ii. Optional template. A template COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, which
covers the above requirements, is available as part of the Plan
Guidance, available at https://mn.gov/deed/safework/
iii. Certification and signature. Senior management responsible for
implementing the Plan must sign and certify the Plan, affirming their
commitment to implement and follow the Plan.
iv. Dissemination and posting. A Non-Critical Exempt Business must
provide its Plan, in writing, to all workers, and the Plan must be posted
at all of the business's workplaces in locations that will allow for the
Plan to be readily reviewed by all workers. Where physical posting is
impracticable, the Plan can be posted electronically,provided that the
Plan is received by all workers and remains available for their review.
V. Training.Non-Critical Exempt Businesses must ensure that training is
provided to workers on the contents of their Plan and required
procedures, so that all workers understand and are able to perform the
20
precautions necessary to protect themselves and their co-workers. This
training should be easy to understand and available in the appropriate
language and literacy level for all workers. Businesses should also take
steps to supervise workers and ensure that workers understand and
adhere to necessary precautions to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
Documentation demonstrating compliance with this training
requirement must be maintained and made available to regulatory
authorities and public safety officers, including DLI, upon request.
vi. Compliance. Workers and management must work together to ensure
compliance with the Plan, implement all protocols,policies, and
procedures, and create a safe and healthy work environment.
vii. Availability to regulatory authorities and public safety officers.
Non-Critical Exempt Businesses do not need to submit their Plans for
preapproval. Upon request, Non-Critical Exempt Businesses must
make their Plans available to regulatory authorities and public safety
officers, including DLI.
c. In the event of a complaint or dispute related to a business's Plan, DLI is
authorized to determine whether the Plan adequately implements Minnesota
OSHA Standards and MDH and CDC Guidelines in its workplaces.
d. All work for Non-Critical Exempt Businesses must be conducted in a manner
that adheres to Minnesota OSHA Standards and MDH and CDC Guidelines,
including social distancing and hygiene practices. Under existing law and
authority, DLI may issue citations, civil penalties, or closure orders to places
of employment with unsafe or unhealthy conditions, and DLI may penalize
businesses that retaliate against employees who raise safety and health
concerns.
9. Except as necessary to seek medical care and obtain other necessities of life,people at
high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (e.g., elderly people and those with
underlying health conditions) are strongly urged to stay in their home or residence,
even when the terms of this Executive Order would allow them to leave their home or
residence.
10. I urge all Minnesotans to voluntarily comply with this Executive Order. Pursuant to
Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 12.45, a worker who willfully violates this
Executive Order is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction must be punished by
a fine not to exceed $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days. Any
business owner, manager, or supervisor who requires or encourages any of their
employees, contractors, vendors, volunteers, or interns to violate this Executive Order
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor and upon conviction must be punished by a fine not
to exceed $3,000 or by imprisonment for not more than a year. In addition to those
criminal penalties, the Attorney General, as well as city and county attorneys, may
seek any civil relief available pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 8.3 1, for
21
violations of this Executive Order, including civil penalties up to $25,000 per
occurrence from businesses and injunctive relief. Nothing in this Executive Order is
intended to encourage or allow law enforcement to transgress individual
constitutional rights.
11. I direct the Commissioners of Health, Employment and Economic Development,
Labor and Industry, and Natural Resources to continue planning on how to allow
additional non-Critical Sector workers to return to work when it is safe to do so. Such
a plan must include guidelines and requirements for appropriate social distancing,
hygiene, and public health best practices. I also direct other cabinet agencies to
coordinate expeditiously to develop relevant guidance related to this Executive Order
and to provide that guidance to the public.
12. I direct all state agencies to continue to coordinate expeditiously to develop plans to
mitigate the economic effects of closures and restrictions necessitated by this
peacetime emergency, including potential financial support, regulatory relief, and
other executive actions.
13. The closure of bars, restaurants, and other public accommodations set forth in
Executive Order 20-04, as amended by Executive Orders 20-08 and 20-18, is
extended until May 17, 2020 at 11:59 pm. Barbershops and salons may conduct retail
product sales in accordance with the requirements set forth in paragraph 8.
14. This Executive Order may be extended by a future Executive Order, with the
approval of the Executive Council.
Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 4.035, subdivision 2, and section 12.32, this
Executive Order is effective immediately upon approval by the Executive Council. It remains in
effect until the peacetime emergency declared in Executive Order 20-01 is terminated or until it
is rescinded by proper authority.
A determination that any provision of this Executive Order is invalid will not affect the
enforceability of any other provision of this Executive Order. Rather, the invalid provision will
be modified to the extent necessary so that it is enforceable.
22
Signed on April 30, 2020.
Tim Walz
Governor
Filed According to Law:
Steve Simon
Secretary of State
Approved by the Executive Council on May 1, 2020:
Alice Roberts-Davis
Secretary, Executive Council
23
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DEFEND TODAY,SECURE TOMORROW
atM
Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure
Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience
in COVID-19 Response
Version 3.0 (April 17, 2020)
THE IMPORTANCE OF ESSENTIAL CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS
Functioning critical infrastructure is imperative during the response to the COVID-19 emergency for both public health
and safety as well as community well-being. Certain critical infrastructure industries have a special responsibility in
these times to continue operations.
This advisory guidance and accompanying list are intended to support state, local,tribal,territorial and industry
partners in identifying the critical infrastructure sectors and the essential workers needed to maintain the services and
functions Americans depend on daily and that need to be able to operate resiliently during the COVID-19 pandemic
response.
This document gives advisory guidance on defining essential critical infrastructure workers. Promoting the ability of
such workers to continue to work during periods of community restriction, access management, social distancing,or
closure orders/directives is crucial to community resilience and continuity of essential functions. The term "workers"
as used in this guidance is intended to apply to both employees and contractors performing the described functions.
CISA will continually solicit and accept feedback on the list and will evolve the list in response to stakeholder feedback.
We will also use our various stakeholder engagement mechanisms to work with partners on how they are using this list
and share those lessons learned and best practices broadly. Feedback can be sent to CISA.CAT@CISA.DHS.GOV.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS
This list was developed in consultation with federal agency partners, industry experts,and State and local officials,and
is based on several key principles:
1. Response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic are locally executed,state managed,and federally supported.
2. Everyone should follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state
and local government officials, regarding strategies to limit disease spread.
3. Employers must comply with applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements
for protecting critical infrastructure workers who remain on or return to the job during the COVID-19
pandemic.As the nation relies on these workers to protect public health,safety,and community well-being,
they must be protected from exposure to and infection with the virus so that they can continue to carry out
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For more information, 13
Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
their responsibilities. OSHA has guidance and enforcement information for workplaces at
www.osha.gov/coronavirus.
4. Businesses and government agencies may continue to implement organization-specific measures,which
protect the workforce while meeting mission needs.
5. Workers should be encouraged to work remotely when possible and focus on core business activities. In-
person, non-mandatory activities should be delayed until the resumption of normal operations.
6. When continuous remote work is not possible, businesses should enlist strategies to reduce the likelihood of
spreading the disease.This includes, but is not limited to, physically separating staff,staggering work shift
hours or days,and other social distancing measures.While the CDC recommends that everyone wear a cloth
face cover to contain respiratory droplets when around others, critical infrastructure employers must consider
how best to implement this public health recommendation for source control in the workplace. For example,
employers may provide disposable facemasks(e.g.,surgical masks) instead of cloth face coverings when
workers would need to wear masks for extended periods of time(e.g.,the duration of a work shift)or while
performingtasks in which the face covering could become contaminated.
7. Consider the impact of workplace sick leave policies that may contribute to an employee decision to delay
reporting medical symptoms.Sick employees should not return to the workplace until they meet the criteria to
stop home isolation.
8. Critical infrastructure has an obligation to limit to the extent possible the reintegration of in-person workers
who have experienced an exposure to COVID-19 but remain asymptomatic in ways that best protect the health
of the worker,their co-workers,and the general public.An analysis of core job tasks and workforce availability
at worksites can allow the employer to match core activities to other equally skilled and available in-person
workers who have not experienced an exposure. CDC guidance on safety practices for critical infrastructure
workers is maintained at htti)s://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-
workers/i m olementing-safety-oractices.htm I
9. All organizations should implement their business continuity and pandemic plans or put plans in place if they
do not exist. Delaying implementation is not advised and puts at risk the viability of the business and the
health and safety of the workers.
10. Reliance on technology and just-in-time supply chains means that certain workers must be able to access
certain sites,facilities,and assets to ensure continuity of functions.The vast majority of our economy relies on
technology and therefore information technology(IT)and operational technology(OT)workers for critical
infrastructure operations are essential.This includes workers in many roles, including workers focusing on
management systems,control systems,and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)systems,and
data centers;cybersecurity engineering;and cybersecurity risk management.
11. Government workers,such as emergency managers,and the business community need to establish and
maintain lines of communication.
12. Essential critical infrastructure workers need continued and unimpeded access to sites,facilities,and
equipment within quarantine zones,containment areas, or other areas where access or movement is limited
to perform functions for community relief and stability;for public safety,security and health;for maintaining
essential supply chains and preserving local, regional,and national economic well-being.
13. Essential critical infrastructure workers need sustained access to designated quarantine,containment, or
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For more information, 13
Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
restricted areas;and should be exempted from curfews,shelter-in-place orders,and transportation
restrictions or restrictions on movement.
14. Whenever possible, local governments should consider adopting specific state guidance on essential workers
to reduce potential complications of workers crossing jurisdictional boundaries.When this is not possible,
local jurisdictions should consider aligning access and movement control policies with neighboring
jurisdictions to reduce the burden of cross jurisdictional movement of essential critical infrastructure workers.
IDENTIFYING ESSENTIAL CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS
The following list of identified essential critical infrastructure workers is intended to be overly inclusive reflecting the
diversity of industries across the United States.
Essential Critical
Infrastructure
Workers
..A
21
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� CISA
HEALTHCARE/ PUBLIC HEALTH
• Workers, including laboratory personnel,that perform critical clinical, biomedical and other research,
development,and testing needed for COVID-19 or other diseases.
• Healthcare providers including, but not limited to, physicians;dentists; psychologists; mid-level
practitioners; nurses;assistants and aids; infection control and quality assurance personnel;
pharmacists; physical, respiratory,speech and occupational therapists and assistants;social workers;
optometrists;speech pathologists;chiropractors;diagnostic and therapeutic technicians;and radiology
technologists.
• Workers required for effective clinical, command, infrastructure,support service,administrative,security,
and intelligence operations across the direct patient care and full healthcare and public health spectrum.
Personnel examples may include, but are not limited,to accounting,administrative,admitting and
discharge,engineering,accrediting,certification, licensing,credentialing,epidemiological,source plasma
and blood donation,food service,environmental services, housekeeping, medical records, information
technology and operational technology, nutritionists,sanitarians, respiratory therapists,etc.
o Emergency medical services workers.
o Prehospital workers included but not limited to urgent care workers.
o Inpatient&hospital workers(e.g. hospitals,critical access hospitals, long-term acute care
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hospitals, long-term care facilities, inpatient hospice,ambulatory surgical centers,etc.).
o Outpatient care workers(e.g. end-stage-renal disease, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural
Health Clinics,community mental health clinics, organ transplant/procurement centers,and
other ambulatory care settings/providers,comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities,etc.).
o Home care workers(e.g. home health care,at-home hospice, home dialysis, home infusion,etc.).
o Workers at Long-term care facilities, residential and community-based providers (e.g. Programs
of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly(PACE), Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with
Intellectual Disabilities, Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities, Religious Nonmedical Health
Care Institutions,etc.).
o Workplace safety workers(i.e., workers who anticipate, recognize,evaluate,and control
workplace conditions that may cause workers' illness or injury).
• Workers needed to support transportation to and from healthcare facility and provider appointments.
• Workers needed to provide laundry services,food services, reprocessing of medical equipment,and
waste management.
• Workers that manage health plans, billing,and health information and who cannot work remotely.
• Workers performing cybersecurity functions at healthcare and public health facilities and who cannot
work remotely.
• Workers performing security, incident management,and emergency operations functions at or on behalf
of healthcare entities including healthcare coalitions,who cannot practically work remotely.
• Childcare, eldercare,and other service providers for essential healthcare personnel.
• Vendors and suppliers (e.g. imaging, pharmacy,oxygen services,durable medical equipment,etc.).
• Workers at manufacturers(including biotechnology companies and those companies that have shifted
production to medical supplies), materials and parts suppliers,technicians, logistics and warehouse
operators, printers, packagers, distributors of medical products and equipment(including third party
logistics providers,and those who test and repair), personal protective equipment(PPE), isolation
barriers, medical gases, pharmaceuticals(including materials used in radioactive drugs),dietary
supplements, blood and blood products,vaccines,testing materials, laboratory supplies,cleaning,
sanitizing,disinfecting or sterilization supplies(including dispensers),sanitary goods, personal care
products, pest control products,and tissue and paper towel products.
• Donors of blood, bone marrow, blood stem cell,or plasma,and the workers of the organizations that
operate and manage related activities.
• Pharmacy staff, including workers necessary to maintain uninterrupted prescription,and other workers
for pharmacy operations.
• Workers in retail facilities specializing in medical good and supplies.
• Public health and environmental health workers,such as:
o Workers specializing in environmental health that focus on implementing environmental controls,
sanitary and infection control interventions, healthcare facility safety and emergency
preparedness planning,engineered work practices,and developing guidance and protocols for
appropriate PPE to prevent COVID-19 disease transmission.
o Public health/community health workers(including call center workers)who conduct community-
based public health functions,conducting epidemiologic surveillance and compiling,analyzing,
and communicating public health information,who cannot work remotely.
• Human services providers,especially for at risk populations such as:
o Home delivered meal providers for older adults, people with disabilities,and others with chronic
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health conditions.
o Home-maker services for frail, homebound,older adults.
o Personal assistance services providers to support activities of daily living for older adults, people
with disabilities,and others with chronic health conditions who live independently in the
community with supports and services.
o Home health providers who deliver health care services for older adults, people with disabilities,
and others with chronic health conditions who live independently in the community with supports
and services.
• Government entities,and contractors that work in support of local,state,and federal public health and
medical mission sets, including but not limited to supporting access to healthcare and associated
payment functions,conducting public health functions, providing medical care,supporting emergency
management,or other services necessary for supporting the COVID-19 response.
• Mortuary service providers,such as:
o Workers performing mortuary funeral,cremation, burial,cemetery,and related services,
including funeral homes,crematoriums,cemetery workers,and coffin makers.
o Workers who coordinate with other organizations to ensure the proper recovery, handling,
identification,transportation,tracking,storage,and disposal of human remains and personal
effects;certify cause of death;and facilitate access to mental and behavioral health services to
the family members, responders,and survivors of an incident.
LAW ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS
• Public, private,and voluntary personnel (front-line and management,civilian and sworn) in emergency
management, law enforcement,fire and rescue services,emergency medical services(EMS),and
security, public and private hazardous material responders,air medical service providers(pilots and
supporting technicians), corrections,and search and rescue personnel.
• Personnel involved in provisioning of access to emergency services, including the provisioning of real-time
text,text-to-911,and dialing 911 via relay.
• Personnel that are involved in the emergency alert system (EAS) ((broadcasters,satellite radio and
television,cable,and wireline video)and wireless emergency alerts(WEA).
• Workers at Independent System Operators and Regional Transmission Organizations,and Network
Operations staff, engineers and technicians to manage the network or operate facilities.
• Workers at emergency communication center, public safety answering points, public safety
communications centers,emergency operation centers,and 911 call centers.
• Fusion Center workers.
• Workers, including contracted vendors,who maintain, manufacture, or supply equipment and services
supporting law enforcement,fire, EMS,and response operations(to include electronic security and life
safety security personnel).
• Workers and contracted vendors who maintain and provide services and supplies to public safety
facilities, including emergency communication center, public safety answering points, public safety
communications centers,emergency operation centers,fire and emergency medical services stations,
police and law enforcement stations and facilities.
• Workers supporting the manufacturing, distribution,and maintenance of necessary safety equipment and
uniforms for law enforcement and all public safety personnel.
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• Workers supporting the operation of firearm,or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers,
distributors,and shooting ranges.
• Public agency workers responding to abuse and neglect of children,spouses,elders,and dependent
adults.
• Workers who support weather disaster and natural hazard mitigation and prevention activities.
• Security staff to maintain building access control and physical security measures.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
• Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies,convenience stores,and other retail (including unattended
and vending)that sells human food,animal and pet food and pet supply,and beverage products,
including retail customer support service and information technology support staff necessary for online
orders, pickup,and delivery.
• Restaurant carry-out and quick serve food operations, including dark kitchen and food prep centers,
carry-out,and delivery food workers.
• Food manufacturer workers and their supplier workers including those employed at food ingredient
production and processing facilities;aquaculture and seafood harvesting facilities; livestock, poultry,
seafood slaughter facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food facilities producing by-
products for animal food; beverage production facilities; and the production of food packaging.
• Farmers,farm and ranch workers,and agribusiness support services to include those employed in
auction and sales;grain and oilseed handling, storage, processing,and distribution;animal food,feed,
and ingredient production, packaging,and distribution; manufacturing, packaging,and distribution of
veterinary drugs;and truck delivery and transport.
• Farmers,farm and ranch workers,and support service and supplier workers producing food supply
domestically and for export,to include those engaged in raising, cultivating, harvesting, packing,storing,
or delivering to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market any agricultural or
horticultural commodity for human consumption;agricultural inspection;fuel ethanol facilities; biodiesel
and renewable diesel facilities;storage facilities;and other agricultural inputs.
• Workers and firms supporting the distribution of food,feed,and beverage and ingredients used in these
products, including warehouse workers,vendor-managed inventory controllers,and blockchain managers.
• Workers supporting the sanitation and pest control of all food manufacturing processes and operations
from wholesale to retail.
• Workers supporting the growth and distribution of plants and associated products for home gardens.
• Workers in cafeterias used to feed workers, particularly worker populations sheltered against COVID-19.
• Workers in animal diagnostic and food testing laboratories.
• Government, private,and non-governmental organizations' workers essential for food assistance
programs(including school lunch programs)and government payments.
• Workers of companies engaged in the production,storage,transport,and distribution of chemicals,
medicines,vaccines,and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including seeds,
pesticides, herbicides,fertilizers, minerals,enrichments,and other agricultural production aids.
• Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health (including those involved in
supporting emergency veterinary or livestock services); raising,caring for and management of animals for
food;animal production operations; livestock markets;slaughter and packing plants, manufacturers,
renderers,and associated regulatory and government workforce.
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• Transportation supporting animal agricultural industries, including movement of animal medical and
reproductive supplies and materials,animal vaccines,animal drugs,feed ingredients,feed and bedding,
live animals,animal by-products,and deceased animals for disposal.
• Workers who support sawmills and the manufacture and distribution of fiber and forest products,
including, but not limited to timber, paper,and other wood and fiber products,as well as manufacture
and distribution of products using agricultural commodities.
• Workers engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary
for agricultural production and distribution.
ENERGY
• Workers supporting the energy sector, regardless of the energy source(including, but not limited to,
nuclear,fossil, hydroelectric,or renewable),segment of the system,or infrastructure the worker is
involved in,who are needed to construct, manufacture, repair,transport, permit, monitor,operate
engineer,and maintain the reliability, safety,security,environmental health,and physical and cyber
security of the energy system, including those who support construction, manufacturing,transportation,
permitting,and logistics.
• Workers and contractors supporting energy facilities that provide steam, hot water or chilled water from
central power plants to connected customers.
• Workers conducting energy/commodity trading/scheduling/marketingfunctions who can't perform their
duties remotely.
• Workers supportingthe energy sector through renewable energy infrastructure(including, but not limited
to,wind,solar, biomass, hydrogen,ocean,geothermal,and hydroelectric)and microgrids, including those
supporting construction, manufacturing,transportation, permitting,operation and maintenance,
monitoring,and logistics.
• Workers and security staff involved in nuclear re-fueling operations.
• Workers providing services related to energy sector fuels(including, but not limited to, petroleum (crude
oil), natural gas, propane, liquefied natural gas (LNG),compressed natural gas (CNG), natural gas liquids
(NGL), other liquid fuels, nuclear,and coal)and supporting the mining, processing, manufacturing,
construction, logistics,transportation, permitting, operation, maintenance,security,waste disposal,
storage,and monitoring of support for resources.
• Workers providing environmental remediation and monitoring, limited to immediate critical needs
technicians.
• Workers involved in the manufacturing and distribution of equipment,supplies,and parts necessary to
maintain production, maintenance, restoration,and service at energy sector facilities across all energy
sector segments.
Electridty Industry
• Workers who maintain, ensure, restore, or who are involved in the development,transportation,fuel
procurement,expansion,or operation of,the generation,transmission,and distribution of electric power,
including call centers, utility workers, engineers, retail electricity,construction, maintenance, utility
telecommunications, relaying,and fleet maintenance technicians who cannot perform their duties
remotely.
• Workers at coal mines, production facilities,and those involved in manufacturing,transportation,
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permitting,operation, maintenance,and monitoring at coal sites.
• Workers who produce, process,ship,and handle coal used for power generation and manufacturing.
• Workers in the electricity industry including but not limited to those supporting safety,construction,
manufacturing,transportation, permitting,operation/maintenance,engineering, physical and cyber
security, monitoring,and logistics
• Workers needed for safe and secure operations at nuclear generation including, but not limited to,those
critical to the broader nuclear supply chain,the manufacture and delivery of parts needed to maintain
nuclear equipment,the operations of fuel manufacturers,and the production and processing of fuel
components used in the manufacturing of fuel.
• Workers at fossil fuel (including but not limited to natural gas, refined,distillate, and/or coal), nuclear,
and renewable energy infrastructure(including, but not limited to wind,solar, biomass, hydrogen,
geothermal,and hydroelectric),and microgrids, including those supporting safety,construction,
manufacturing,transportation, permitting,operation, maintenance, monitoring,and logistics.
• Workers at generation,transmission,and electric black start facilities.
• Workers at Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority, local distribution control centers,and primary and
backup Control Centers, including, but not limited to, independent system operators, regional
transmission organizations,and local distribution control centers.
• Workers that are mutual assistance/aid personnel,which may include workers from outside of the state
or local jurisdiction.
• Vegetation management and traffic control for supporting those crews.
• Instrumentation, protection, and control technicians.
• Essential support personnel for electricity operations.
• Generator set support workers,such as diesel engineers used in power generation, including those
providing fuel.
Petroleum Industry
• Workers who support onshore and offshore petroleum drilling operations; platform and drilling
construction and maintenance;transportation (including helicopter operations), maritime transportation,
supply,and dredging operations; maritime navigation;well stimulation, intervention, monitoring,
automation and control,extraction, production; processing;waste disposal,and maintenance,
construction,and operations.
• Workers in the petroleum industry including but not limited to those supporting safety, construction,
manufacturing,transportation, permitting,operation/maintenance, engineering, physical and cyber
security, monitoring,and logistics.
• Workers for crude oil, petroleum,and petroleum product storage and transportation, including pipeline,
marine transport,terminals, rail transport,storage facilities, racks,and road transport for use as end-use
fuels such as gasoline,diesel fuel,jet fuel,and heating fuels or feedstocks for chemical manufacturing.
• Petroleum and petroleum product security operations center workers and workers who support
maintenance and emergency response services.
• Petroleum and petroleum product operations control rooms,centers,and refinery facilities.
• Retail fuel centers such as gas stations and truck stops,and the distribution systems that support them.
• Supporting new and existing construction projects, including, but not limited to, pipeline construction.
• Manufacturing and distribution of equipment,supplies,and parts necessary for production, maintenance,
restoration,and service of petroleum and petroleum product operations and use, including end-users.
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• Transmission and distribution pipeline workers, including but not limited to pump stations and any other
required,operations maintenance, construction,and support for petroleum products.
Natural Gas, Natural Gas Liquids(NGL), Propane,and Other Liquid Fuels
• Workers who support onshore and offshore drilling operations, platform and drilling construction and
maintenance;transportation (including helicopter operations); maritime transportation,supply,and
dredging operations; maritime navigation; natural gas and natural gas liquid production, processing,
extraction,storage and transportation; well intervention, monitoring,automation and control;waste
disposal,and maintenance, construction,and operations.
• Workers in the natural gas, NGL, propane,and other liquid fuels industries including but not limited to
those supporting safety,construction, manufacturing,transportation, permitting,operation/maintenance,
engineering, physical and cyber security, monitoring,and logistics.
• Transmission and distribution pipeline workers, including compressor stations and any other required
operations maintenance,construction,and support for natural gas, natural gas liquid, propane,and other
liquid fuels.
• Workers at Liquefied Natural Gas(LNG)and Compressed Natural Gas(CNG)facilities.
• Workers at natural gas, propane, natural gas liquids, liquified natural gas, liquid fuel storage facilities,
underground facilities,and processing plants and other related facilities, including construction,
maintenance,and support operations personnel.
• Natural gas processing plants workers and those who deal with natural gas liquids.
• Workers who staff natural gas, propane, natural gas liquids,and other liquid fuel security operations
centers,operations dispatch and control rooms and centers,and emergency response and customer
emergencies(including leak calls)operations.
• Workers supporting drilling, production, processing, refining,and transporting natural gas, propane,
natural gas liquids,and other liquid fuels for use as end-use fuels,feedstocks for chemical
manufacturing,or use in electricity generation.
• Workers supporting propane gas service maintenance and restoration, including call centers.
• Workers supporting propane, natural gas liquids,and other liquid fuel distribution centers.
• Workers supporting propane gas storage,transmission,and distribution centers.
• Workers supporting new and existing construction projects, including, but not limited to, pipeline
construction.
• Workers supporting ethanol and biofuel production, refining,and distribution.
• Workers in fuel sectors(including, but not limited to nuclear,coal,and gas types and liquid fuels)
supporting the mining, manufacturing, logistics,transportation, permitting,operation, maintenance,and
monitoring of support for resources.
• Workers ensuring, monitoring,and engaging in the physical security of assets and locations associated
with natural gas, propane, natural gas liquids,and other liquid fuels.
• Workers involved in the manufacturing and distribution of equipment,supplies,and parts necessary to
maintain production, maintenance, restoration,and service of natural gas, propane, natural gas liquids,
and other liquid fuels operations and use, including end-users.
WATER AND WASTEWATER
Workers needed to operate and maintain drinking water and wastewater and drainage infrastructure, including:
• Operational staff at water authorities.
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• Operational staff at community water systems.
• Operational staff at wastewater treatment facilities.
• Workers repairing water and wastewater conveyances and performing required sampling or monitoring,
including field staff.
• Operational staff for water distribution and testing.
• Operational staff at wastewater collection facilities.
• Operational staff and technical support for SCADA Control systems.
• Chemical equipment and personal protection suppliers to water and wastewater system.
• Workers who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting water and wastewater operations.
TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS
• Workers supporting or enabling transportation and logistics functions, including truck drivers, bus drivers,
dispatchers, maintenance and repair technicians,warehouse workers,truck stop and rest area workers,
driver training and education centers, Department of Motor Vehicle(DMV)workers,enrollment agents for
federal transportation worker vetting programs,towing and recovery services, roadside assistance
workers, intermodal transportation personnel,and workers that construct, maintain, rehabilitate,and
inspect infrastructure, including those that require cross jurisdiction travel.).
• Workers supporting the distribution of food,fuels, pharmaceuticals and medical material (including
materials used in radioactive drugs),and chemicals needed for water or water treatment and energy
maintenance.
• Workers supporting operation of essential highway infrastructure, including roads, bridges,and tunnels
(e.g.,traffic operations centers and moveable bridge operators).
• Workers of firms providing services,supplies,and equipment that enable warehouse and operations,
including cooling,storing, packaging,and distributing products for wholesale or retail sale or use,
including cold-and frozen-chain logistics for food and critical biologic products.
• Mass transit workers providing critical transit services and performing critical or routine maintenance to
mass transit infrastructure or equipment.
• Workers supporting personal and commercial transportation services including taxis, delivery services,
vehicle rental services, bicycle maintenance and car-sharing services,and transportation network
providers.
• Workers, including police, responsible for operating and dispatching passenger, commuter,and freight
trains and maintaining rail infrastructure and equipment.
• Maritime transportation workers, including port authority and commercial facility personnel,dredgers,
port workers,security personnel, mariners,ship crewmembers,ship pilots,tugboat operators,equipment
operators(to include maintenance and repair,and maritime-specific medical providers), ship supply
workers, chandlers,and repair company workers. Refer to the United States Coast Guard's Marine Safety
Information Bulletin "Maintaining Maritime Commerce and Identification of Essential Maritime Critical
Infrastructure Workers"for more information.
• Workers, including truck drivers, railroad employees, maintenance crews,and cleaners,supporting
transportation of chemicals, hazardous, medical,and waste materials that support critical infrastructure,
capabilities,functions,and services, including specialized carriers,crane and rigging industry workers.
• Bus drivers and workers who provide or support intercity,commuter,and charter bus service in support of
other essential services or functions.
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• Automotive repair, maintenance,and transportation equipment manufacturing and distribution facilities
(including those who repair and maintain electric vehicle charging stations).
• Transportation safety inspectors, including hazardous material inspectors and accident investigator
inspectors.
• Manufacturers and distributors(to include service centers and related operations)of lighting and
communication systems,specialized signage and structural systems,emergency response equipment
and support materials, printers, printed materials, packaging materials, pallets,crates,containers,and
other supplies needed to support manufacturing, packaging staging and distribution operations,and
other critical infrastructure needs.
• Postal Service, parcel,courier, last-mile delivery,and shipping and related workers,to include private
companies,who accept, process,transport,and deliver information and goods.
• Workers who supply equipment and materials for maintenance of transportation equipment.
• Workers who repair and maintain vehicles,aircraft, rail equipment, marine vessels, bicycles,and the
equipment and infrastructure that enables operations that encompass movement of cargo and
passengers.
• Workers who support air transportation for cargo and passengers, including operation distribution,
maintenance,and sanitation.This includes air traffic controllers,flight dispatchers, maintenance
personnel, ramp workers,fueling agents,flight crews,airport safety inspectors and engineers,airport
operations personnel,aviation and aerospace safety workers,security,commercial space personnel,
operations personnel,accident investigators,flight instructors,and other on-and off-airport facilities
workers.
• Workers supporting transportation via inland waterways,such as barge crew,dredging crew,and river
port workers for essential goods.
• Workers critical to the manufacturing,distribution,sales, rental, leasing, repair,and maintenance of
vehicles and other transportation equipment(including electric vehicle charging stations)and the supply
chains that enable these operations to facilitate continuity of travel-related operations for essential
workers.
• Warehouse operators, including vendors and support personnel critical for business continuity(including
heating,ventilation,and air conditioning(HVAC)and electrical engineers,security personnel,and
janitorial staff),e-commerce or online commerce,and customer service for essential functions.
PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT SERVICES
• Workers who support the construction, maintenance,or rehabilitation of critical infrastructure.
• Workers supporting construction materials production,testing laboratories, material delivery services,
and construction inspection.
• Workers who support the operation, inspection,and maintenance of essential public works facilities and
operations, including bridges,water and sewer main breaks,fleet maintenance personnel, construction of
critical or strategic infrastructure,traffic signal maintenance, emergency location services for buried
utilities, maintenance of digital systems infrastructure supporting public works operations,and other
emergent issues.
• Workers such as plumbers,electricians,exterminators, builders (including building and insulation),
contractors, HVAC Technicians, landscapers,and other service providers who provide services, including
temporary construction,that are necessary to maintaining the safety,sanitation,and essential operation
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of residences, businesses and buildings,such as hospitals and senior living facilities.
• Workers personnel,who support operations that ensure,the availability of and access to needed
facilities,transportation,energy,and communications through activities such as road and line clearing.
• Workers who support the effective removal,storage,and disposal of residential, industrial,and
commercial solid waste and hazardous waste, including at landfill operations.
• Workers who support the operation, inspection,and maintenance of essential dams, locks,and levees.
• Workers who support the inspection and maintenance of aids to navigation and other government-
provided services that ensure continued maritime commerce.
COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Communications
• Maintenance of communications infrastructure,-- including privately owned and maintained
communication systems,--supported by technicians,operators,call centers,wireline and wireless
providers,cable service providers,satellite operations, Internet Exchange Points, Points of Presence,
Network Access Points, back haul and front haul facilities,and manufacturers and distributors of
communications equipment.
• Government and private sector workers, including government contractors,with work related to undersea
cable infrastructure and support facilities, including cable landing sites, beach manhole vaults and
covers,submarine cable depots,and submarine cable ship facilities.
• Government and private sector workers, including government contractors,supporting Department of
Defense internet and communications facilities.
• Network Operations staff,engineers,and technicians to include IT managers and staff, HVAC and
electrical engineers,security personnel,software and hardware engineers,and database administrators
that manage the network or operate facilities.
• Workers responsible for infrastructure construction and restoration, including but not limited to
engineers,technicians,and contractors for construction and engineering of fiber optic cables, buried
conduit,small cells, other wireless facilities,and other communications sector-related infrastructure.This
includes permitting,construction of new facilities,and deployment of new technology as required to
address congestion or customer usage due to unprecedented use of remote services.
• Installation, maintenance,and repair technicians that establish,support,or repair service as needed.
• Central office personnel to maintain and operate central office,data centers,and other network office
facilities, including critical support personnel assisting front line workers.
• Customer service and support staff, including managed and professional services,as well as remote
providers of support to transitioning workers to set up and maintain home offices,who interface with
customers to manage or support service environments and security issues including payroll, billing,fraud,
logistics,and troubleshooting.
• Workers providing electronic security,fire, monitoring,and life safety services,and who ensure physical
security,cleanliness,and the safety of facilities and personnel, including those who provide temporary
licensing waivers for security personnel to work in other States or Municipalities.
• Dispatchers involved with service repair and restoration.
• Retail customer service personnel at critical service center locations to address customer needs,
including new customer processing, distributing and repairing equipment,and addressing customer
issues, in order to support individuals' remote emergency communications needs
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• Supply chain and logistics personnel to ensure goods and products are available to provision these front-
line workers.
• External Affairs personnel to assist in coordinating with local,state,and federal officials to address
communications needs supporting COVID-19 response, public safety,and national security.
• Workers responsible for ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to and the benefits of various
communications platforms, including those involved in the provision of telecommunication relay services,
closed captioning of broadcast television for the deaf,video relay services for deaf citizens who prefer
communication via American Sign Language over text,and audio-description for television programming.
Information Technology
• Workers who support command centers, including, but not limited to, Network Operations Command
Centers, Broadcast Operations Control Centers,and Security Operations Command Centers.
• Data center operators, including system administrators, HVAC and electrical engineers,security
personnel, IT managers and purchasers,data transfer solutions engineers,software and hardware
engineers,and database administrators for all industries, including financial services.
• Workers who support client service centers,field engineers,and other technicians and workers
supporting critical infrastructure,as well as manufacturers and supply chain vendors that provide
hardware and software,support services, research and development, information technology equipment
(to include microelectronics and semiconductors), HVAC and electrical equipment for critical
infrastructure,and test labs and certification agencies that qualify such equipment(to include
microelectronics,optoelectronics,and semiconductors)for critical infrastructure, including data centers.
• Workers needed to preempt and respond to cyber incidents involving critical infrastructure, including
medical facilities;state, local,tribal,and territorial (SLTT)governments and federal facilities;energy and
utilities; banks and financial institutions;securities and other exchanges;other entities that support the
functioning of capital markets, public works,critical manufacturing,food,and agricultural production;
transportation;and other critical infrastructure categories and personnel, in addition to all cyber defense
workers who can't perform their duties remotely.
• Suppliers,designers,transporters,and other workers supporting the manufacture,distribution, provision,
and construction of essential global, national,and local infrastructure for computing services(including
cloud computing services and telework capabilities), business infrastructure,financial transactions and
services,web-based services,and critical manufacturing.
• Workers supporting communications systems, information technology,and work from home solutions
used by law enforcement, public safety, medical,energy, public works,critical manufacturing,food and
agricultural production,financial services,education,and other critical industries and businesses.
• Workers required in person to support Software as a Service businesses that enable remote working,
performance of business operations,distance learning, media services,and digital health offerings,or
required for technical support crucial for business continuity and connectivity.
OTHER COMMUNITY OR GOVERNMENT-BASED OPERATIONS AND ESSENTIAL
FUNCTIONS
• Workers to ensure continuity of building functions, including but not limited to security and environmental
controls(e.g., HVAC),the manufacturing and distribution of the products required for these functions,and
the permits and inspections for construction supporting essential infrastructure.
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• Elections personnel to include both public and private sector elections support.
• Workers supporting the operations of the judicial system, including judges, lawyers,and others providing
legal assistance.
• Workers who support administration and delivery of unemployment insurance programs, income
maintenance,employment service,disaster assistance,workers' compensation insurance and benefits
programs,and pandemic assistance.
• Federal,State,and Local,Tribal,and Territorial government workers who support Mission Essential
Functions and communications networks.
• Trade Officials(FTA negotiators; international data flow administrators).
• Workers who support radio, print, internet and television news and media services, including, but not
limited to front line news reporters, studio,and technicians for newsgathering, reporting,and publishing
news.
• Workers supporting Census 2020.
• Weather forecasters.
• Clergy for essential support.
• Workers who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting other critical government operations.
• Workers who support necessary permitting,credentialing,vetting,and licensing for essential critical
infrastructure workers and their operations.
• Customs and immigration workers who are critical to facilitating trade in support of the national
emergency response supply chain.
• Educators supporting public and private K-12 schools,colleges,and universities for purposes of
facilitating distance learning or performing other essential functions.
• Workers at testing centers for emergency medical services and other healthcare workers.
• Staff at government offices who perform title search, notary,and recording services in support of
mortgage and real estate services and transactions.
• Residential and commercial real estate services, including settlement services.
• Workers supporting essential maintenance, manufacturing,design,operation, inspection,security,and
construction for essential products,services,supply chain,and COVID-19 relief efforts.
• Workers performing services to animals in human care, including zoos and aquariums.
CRITICAL MANUFACTURING
• Workers necessary for the manufacturing of metals(including steel and aluminum), industrial minerals,
semiconductors, materials and products needed for medical supply chains and for supply chains
associated with transportation,aerospace, energy,communications, information technology,food and
agriculture,chemical manufacturing, nuclear facilities, wood products,commodities used as fuel for
power generation facilities,the operation of dams,water and wastewater treatment, processing and
reprocessing of solid waste, emergency services,and the defense industrial base.Additionally,workers
needed to maintain the continuity of these manufacturing functions and associated supply chains,and
workers necessary to maintain a manufacturing operation in warm standby.
• Workers necessary for the manufacturing of materials and products needed to manufacture medical
equipment and PPE.
• Workers necessary for mining and production of critical minerals, materials and associated essential
supply chains,and workers engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other
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Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
infrastructure necessary for mining production and distribution.
• Workers who produce or manufacture parts or equipment that supports continued operations for any
essential services and increase in remote workforce, including computing and communication devices,
semiconductors,and equipment such as security tools for Security Operations Centers(SOCs)or data
centers.
• Workers manufacturing or providing parts and equipment that enable the maintenance and continued
operation of essential businesses and facilities.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
• Workers who manage hazardous materials associated with any other essential activity, including but not
limited to healthcare waste(medical, pharmaceuticals, medical material production,and testing
operations from laboratories processing and testing kits)and energy(including nuclear facilities).
• Workers who support hazardous materials response and cleanup.
• Workers who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting hazardous materials management
operations.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
• Workers who are needed to provide, process,and maintain systems for processing,verification,and
recording of financial transactions and services, including payment,clearing,and settlement;wholesale
funding; insurance services;consumer and commercial lending; public accounting;and capital markets
activities.
• Workers who are needed to maintain orderly market operations to ensure the continuity of financial
transactions and services.
• Workers who are needed to provide business,commercial,and consumer access to bank and non-bank
financial services and lending services, including ATMs, lending and money transmission, lockbox
banking,and to move currency,checks, securities,and payments(e.g.,armored cash carriers).
• Workers who support financial operations and those staffing call centers,such as those staffing data and
security operations centers, managing physical security, or providing accounting services.
• Workers supporting production and distribution of debit and credit cards.
• Workers providing electronic point of sale support personnel for essential businesses and workers.
CHEMICAL
• Workers supporting the chemical and industrial gas supply chains, including workers at chemical
manufacturing plants, laboratories,distribution facilities,and workers who transport basic raw chemical
materials to the producers of industrial and consumer goods, including hand sanitizers,food and food
additives, pharmaceuticals, paintings and coatings,textiles, building materials, plumbing,electrical,and
paper products.
• Workers supportingthe safe transportation of chemicals, including those supporting tank truck cleaning
facilities and workers who manufacture packaging items.
• Workers supportingthe production of protective cleaning and medical solutions, PPE,chemical consumer
and institutional products,disinfectants,fragrances,and packaging that prevents the contamination of
food,water, medicine,among others essential products.
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Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
• Workers supporting the operation and maintenance of facilities(particularly those with high risk
chemicals and sites that cannot be shut down)whose work cannot be done remotely and requires the
presence of highly trained personnel to ensure safe operations, including plant contract workers who
provide inspections.
• Workers(including those in glass container manufacturing)who support the production and
transportation of chlorine and alkali manufacturing, single-use plastics,and packaging that prevents the
contamination or supports the continued manufacture of food, water, medicine,and other essential
products.
DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE
• Workers who support the essential services required to meet national security commitments to the
federal government and U.S. Military, including, but are not limited to,space and aerospace workers,
nuclear matters workers, mechanical and software engineers(various disciplines), manufacturing and
production workers, IT support,security staff,security personnel, intelligence support,aircraft and
weapon system mechanics and maintainers,and sanitary workers who maintain the hygienic viability of
necessary facilities.
• Personnel working for companies,and their subcontractors,who perform under contract or sub-contract
to the Department of Defense(DoD)and the Department of Energy(DoE) (on nuclear matters), as well as
personnel at government-owned/contractor operated facilities,and who provide materials and services to
the DoD and DoE (on nuclear matters), including support for weapon systems,software systems and
cybersecurity,defense and intelligence communications,surveillance,sale of U.S.defense articles and
services for export to foreign allies and partners(as authorized by the U.S.government),and space
systems and other activities in support of our military, intelligence,and space forces.
COMMERCIAL FACILITIES
• Workers who support the supply chain of building materials from production through application and
installation, including cabinetry,fixtures,doors,cement, hardware, plumbing(including parts and
services), electrical, heating and cooling, refrigeration,appliances, paint and coatings,and workers who
provide services that enable repair materials and equipment for essential functions.
• Workers supporting ecommerce through distribution,warehouse,call center facilities,and other essential
operational support functions,that accept,store,and process goods,and that facilitate their
transportation and delivery.
• Workers in hardware and building materials stores necessary to provide access to essential supplies,
consumer electronics,technology and appliances retail,and related merchant wholesalers and
distributors.
• Workers distributing,servicing, repairing, installing residential and commercial HVAC systems, boilers,
furnaces and other heating,cooling, refrigeration,and ventilation equipment.
• Workers supportingthe operations of commercial buildings that are critical to safety,security,and the
continuance of essential activities,such as on-site property managers, building engineers,security staff,
fire safety directors,janitorial personnel,and service technicians(e.g., mechanical, HVAC, plumbers,
electricians,and elevator).
• Management and staff at hotels and other temporary lodging facilities that provide for COVID-19
mitigation,containment,and treatment measures or provide accommodations for essential workers.
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Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
RESIDENTIAL/SHELTER FACILITIES AND SERVICES
• Workers providing dependent care services, particularly those whose services ensure essential workers
can continue to work.
• Workers who support food,shelter,and social services,and other necessities of life for needy groups and
individuals, including in-need populations and COVID-19 responders including travelling medical staff.
• Workers in animal shelters.
• Workers responsible for the leasing of residential properties to provide individuals and families with ready
access to available housing.
• Workers responsible for handling property management, maintenance,and related service calls who can
coordinate the response to emergency"at-home" situations requiring immediate attention,as well as
facilitate the reception of deliveries, mail,and other necessary services.
• Workers performing housing and commercial construction related activities, including those supporting
government functions related to the building and development process,such as inspections, permitting,
and plan review services that can be modified to protect the public health, but fundamentally should
continue and enable the continuity of the construction industry(e.g.,allow qualified private third-party
inspections in case of federal government shutdown).
• Workers performing services in support of the elderly and disabled populations who coordinate a variety
of services, including health care appointments and activities of daily living.
• Workers responsible for the movement of household goods.
HYGIENE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
• Workers who produce hygiene products.
• Workers in laundromats, laundry services,and dry cleaners.
• Workers providing personal and household goods, repair,and maintenance.
• Workers providing disinfection services for all essential facilities and modes of transportation and who
support the sanitation of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to retail.
• Workers necessary for the installation, maintenance,distribution,and manufacturing of water and space
heating equipment and its components.
• Support required for continuity of services, including commercial disinfectant services,janitorial and
cleaning personnel,and support personnel functions that need freedom of movement to access facilities
in support of front-line workers.
• Workers supporting the production of home cleaning, pest control,and other essential products
necessary to clean,disinfect, sanitize,and ensure the cleanliness of residential homes,shelters,and
commercial facilities.
• Workers supporting agriculture irrigation infrastructure.
• Workers supportingthe production of home cleaning and pest control products.
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Washington News Release
County
Our Mission: Providing quality services through responsible leadership, innovation and
the cooperation of dedicated people
Date: April 28,2020
Contact: Yvonne Klinnert,Public Information Manager
Phone: 651-430-6026, after hours 952-807-3723
E-mail: yvonne.klinnert@co.washington.mn.us
Washington County will delay, abate penalties on some late property tax
payments
The Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed April 28 to allow certain property owners
additional time to pay the first half of their 2020 property tax without penalty due to the COVID-19
pandemic emergency.
Many small businesses and homeowners have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
and the related Stay at Home Minnesota order and business closures. Due to that impact, the County
Board agreed to an additional 60-day extension of the first half of property taxes without penalty for
property taxpayers who own non-escrow properties paid on or prior to July 15 for the following
classifications:
• commercial/industrial properties with 2020 total tax due of$100,000 or less;
• residential properties; and
• agricultural/rural vacant land properties.
Residential properties includes both homesteaded properties and non-homesteaded properties.
Property tax payments made by lending companies, banks, or mortgage companies of funds collected
via escrow payments from property owners would not be eligible for this extension and are expected
to be made on or prior to the May 15, 2020, deadline. All property owners who are able to pay their
first half property taxes by the due date are encouraged to do so to help support the county, school,
and city response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is hoped this provides some relief for small businesses that have been closed since the middle of
March and for those homeowners who have been furloughed, laid off, or have had hours reduced
because of the COVID-19 response. If property owners have questions about whether their property
A great place to live,work and play...today and tomorrow
Government Center • 14949 62nd Street North— P.O.Box 6,Stillwater,Minnesota SS082-0006
Phone: 651-430-6001 • Fax: 651-430-6017 • TTY: 651-430-6246
www.co.washington.mn.us
Equal Employment Opportunity
qualifies for the extension of payment to July 15, 2020, they should call 651-430-6175 or email
taxes(?
co.washington.mn.us.
All property owners who are able to pay their first half property taxes by the due date are encouraged
to do so to help support the county, school, and city response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS
POLICE DEPARTMENT
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N., P.O. Box 2007
11 Oak Park Heights, MN 55082
May 1, 2020
To: Mayor and Council
From: Brian DeRosier, Chief of Police
Subject: Police Activity Report—April 2020
This overview report is the activity of the Oak Park Heights Police Department during the month of April
2020. Officers responded to and generated 2,448 calls for service in the City of Oak Park Heights during
the month.
Due to the current events of the CV-19 pandemic I will highlight what is being done within the Police
Department:
February 2020 excerpt:
/have been briefing PD employees on possible implications and preparations done by the department and also for them to make their own
personal family preparations regarding COVID-19. Some restrictions employees have been notified of are possible limitations on return to work
from vacations,restriction of vacations and other leave,possible extended shift hours and workdays. The department is well prepared with a
policy/developed several years ago on limited manpower situations and limited responses. The city admin also adopted aversion of this policy.
We have in the past used this policy on a limited scale for a senior complex that was impacted by an outbreak of flu and possible norovirus and
during H1N1 pandemic. /worked with IT staff several years ago to prepare the ability to work from home for nonessential employees in filing
and preparing reports etc. As first responders and OSHA compliant in our training all officers receive yearly training on personal protective
equipment use. We have daily decon practices due to multiple users on equipment and computers etc.,as well as precautions and response in
the public. We have protective equipment on hand and a larger backup supply has been ordered in the event of a high demand use period. As
outlined in a recent LMC preparation guidelines the department currently meets suggested practices and we continue to review those and more.
In the event of our resources to respond would become overwhelmed this would require an Emergency Declaration by Council and subsequent
request for assistance under that declaration.
March 2020:
With the declaration of a pandemic 1 did implement restrictions in compliance with our policy:
1. All Vacations were cancelled with the exception of short 1 or 2 day requests,if we were still able to accommodate with current
staffing at that time. Unfortunately,one officer was significantly impacted due to this having to cancel a"late"honeymoon that had
been planned for the month of April. Several other officers voluntarily withdrew vacation requests. City administration then
followed suite.
2. All Officers were put on notice to be available for contact to respond in the event of department need outside their normally
scheduled days.
3. Officers are limited to break here at city hall. No breaks in gas stations or other public areas to prevent unneeded public contact.
4. Breaks with other neighboring departments are not allowed. This is a precautionary restriction to attempt to keep our department
from being impacted by an outbreak in another department and vise versa.
5. When possible,officers are taking reports over the phone.
6. We have suspended written waivers required to be signed such as lock out releases. We are reading the waiver and recording the
reading and response by comp.on body cameras.
7. Daily requirements for all to decon themselves,equipment,and work spaces,and squad cars.
Sandy Kruse has stepped up tremendously and has been doing general decon and garbage and many of the things that are not being
done without a cleaning crew.
8. Weekly requirement that each squad is completely decontaminated with all equipment being removed and cleaned.
CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS
POLICE DEPARTMENT
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N., P.O. Box 2007
11 Oak Park Heights, MN 55082
9. We are standing by at medicals that are not dispatched as"immediate life threatening". This is in conjunction with protocol from
Lakeview EMS. Officers are standing by outside the location to assist if needed by Lakeview EMS request. We are providing
immediate care to life threatening incidents such as a recent full arrest we responded to.
10. We are accepting records requests ONLY by mail or email. They are being returned by mail.
11. We are accepting gun permit requests ONLY by mail or drop box out front of city hall.
12. We have limited traffic enforcement to significant violations and put in place procedures for identification and exchange of driver's
licenses or other paper work to limit contact and then complete decon after.
13. We are unable to have records staff work from home due to the numerous security and access issues in place by the FBI and the BCA
for record security and computer access. This is a change in protocol from previously when remote access was established by me
with our IT consultant.
14. We have very limited access to bring arrested suspects to jail at this point. Established protocol is being followed.
We are doing distancing within the office as we have our own office or work areas. Our PPE and decon supplies have been backordered
along with everyone else's./implemented a daily retail check to try and locate decon supplies when they are available. We have been able
to secure a reasonable supply to this point. As part of the daily check we also send out a group text to our staff of available toilet paper or
decon supplies for their families that maybe available at a particular retail location! Many of the officer are working to maintain child
care with the schools closed and most of the day cares have closed. The information/have been told is the"doycores for first responders"
are not taking non school aged children and not at night....
/have been sending out relevant information and updates for officers related to our procedures if they change. We are up to 9 updates in
last 2 weeks. /and admin staff of both Sgts are meeting nearly everyday to discuss department and officer status. The area Chiefs have
been having biweekly meetings with EMS,Public Health and WC Emergency Mgmt. A problem we see is one 1 saw during the H1N1
pandemic with receiving and processing to much information. A good part of my day has become reading information,often times the
some information disseminated by a different source. The misinformation is also an issue. The overall information overload can be taxing
on officers and citizens.
/have gained information that one of our senior complexes had a staff member test positive for CV-19. /have notified our Officers,BP Fire
Chief,and Lakeview EMS for extra precaution response.
We have seen support from the community as we always do in the police department. Several retail businesses have dropped by
commercial treats,had lunch delivered to us,provided us with hand sonitizer,and a retired wood worker gave us several boxes of H95
masks. 1 have sent each thank you notes as always.
Officers have received specific training via online video from the Emergency Director at Regions Hosp. The training provided officers
practical information to handle contact with suspects. This was invaluable information for our officers to use in dispelling many of the
myths and concerns for officers when we are in the field dealing with the public.
We had 3 officers with flu like symptoms out at the some time. Fortunately,we were able to get them tested and it was not CV-19 and we
were able to get them back to work in about 5 days.
April 2020
We are still operating at full capacity following the previously established decon and PPE standards.
PD staff continues to do a great job with daily cleaning and decon of the PD area and kitchen areas.
I have implemented protocol recommended by Regions EMS that all staff will wear a cloth face mask at
all times while walking about in the public and community areas of our building. Officers are not
required to wear the mask while in the squad car.
CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS
POLICE DEPARTMENT
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N., P.O. Box 2007
11 Oak Park Heights, MN 55082
We have received full face shields for officers to use if performing direct contact with known or
suspected CV-19 persons, performing DWI breath testing, CPR, and other incidents in which they expect
there may be contact with breath vapor/droplets. Masks are still required even while wearing the
shields.
I am still waiting for back orders of N95 masks and testing hood.
We now have a very good supply of decon supplies on hand that we have been able to obtain at local
retailers along with ordering from outside normal channels such as alcohol distillery that is producing
hand sanitizer.
I issue a weekly"or more if needed" operation period brief/debrief about our operations in the PD to
address any changing operational orders and the state of operations under the emergency declaration.
To date I have issued 16 briefs during the 7 operational weekly periods.
We continue to have an out pouring of support from the community. We have received bulk decon
spray from local manufacture, N95 masks from individuals and local businesses, $100 cash donation—
which will be placed in police outreach fund, pictures drawn by a couple of local kids thanking us for our
service, and others. All have been responded to with thank you cards.
Community Outreach:
I was asked to assist the MN Dept. of Corrections with interviews of candidates for their Captains
position. The interviews were done remotely.
We have received the Property Identification/ DNA kits that we had intended to hand out at party in the
park.
With the cancellation of party in the park we were only able to get 50% return of the cost for the
doughnut machine. In lieu we will still use the machine and hand out the doughnuts from squad cars at
National Night out in October.
Several items placed on Facebook.
Officers attended training courses during the month:
All in person training through the end of April has been cancelled at this point. We are only doing online
training.
1. All Officers received training on Terry Stop and Traffic Stops
CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS
POLICE DEPARTMENT
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N., P.O. Box 2007
11 Oak Park Heights, MN 55082
2. 1 have completed FBI/ BCA CAS administrator LASO recertification.
Call for Service Highlights:
With all the issues of the pandemic implementation we continue to work and deal with police work. The
department responded to many incidents during the month. This is a summary/sampling of some of
the cases we responded to and investigated:
1. Investigated suspect employee of retailer posting pics of himself dressed in camo holding an
apparent weapon. Employee upset over having to come to work.
2. Responded to a domestic between 85 yr. old male and his daughter over CV-19 issues.
3. Responded to domestic between 2 persons in apartment building arguing back and forth across
the hallway.
4. Investigating runaway male that was reported to be in WI. Male found and returned.
5. Arrested female for breaking into a neighbor's apartment while the victim male was still in the
apartment. She offered sexual services. When she was denied she damaged property and stole
items. Female arrested for burglary.
6. Investigated female living in an apartment complex who took down all her kitchen cabinets....
7. Responded to an apparent overdose in one of the parks. Male was revived with use of Narcan
by Lakeview EMS.
8. Responded to road rage incident of males now at gas station. One male was using yelling at the
other male and then attempted to put his hand on the male. The male then punched the male.
9. Responded to a father daughter domestic in which the adult daughter was arrested.
10. Intoxicated female was arrested for DWI while waiting for a food order at restaurant.
Chief DeRosier
City of Oak Park Heights
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N•Oak Park Heights,MN 55082•Phone(651)439-4439•Fax(651)439-0574
4/30/20
TO: Tennis Sanitation—Attn:Angela H.
Via Email Only: AngelaH cDtennissanitation.com
RE: Tennis Rate increase Request of$1.07 for Recycling.
Dear Angela,
The City has considered Tennis Sanitation's recent request for a$1.07 Recycling fee increase. The City Council
does certainly understand Tennis' perspective, but unfortunately at this time the City is not in a position to approve
such as request and it must decline.
We too are faced with other significant cost increases on disposal fees and losses of revenue due to COVID -19 that
are beyond our control and have profound impacts on City Taxpayers. More difficult choices will be need to be made
which we know are forthcoming in 2021.
We do appreciate Tennis'work and believe it is well received in our City.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely
Eric Johnson
City Administrator
Cc: Jenni Pinski, City Clerk
LEAGUE UALITI4n ON&, METRO
LMC MINNESOTA Wn" K... CITIES
CITIES
GREATER MR C4TIES
scF � MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE
COMMISSION
April 28, 2020
Senator Scott Newman, Chair, Transportation Finance and Policy Committee
Senator Scott Dibble, Minority Lead, Transportation Finance and Policy Committee
Representative Frank Hornstein, Chair, Transportation Finance and Policy Division
Representative Paul Torkelson, Minority Lead, Transportation Finance and Policy Division
Senator David Senjem, Chair, Capital Investment Committee
Senator Sandy Pappas, Minority Lead, Capital Investment Committee
Representative Mary Murphy, Capital Investment Division
Representative Dean Urdahl, Minority Lead, Capital Investment Division
Dear Transportation and Capital Investment Leaders,
On behalf of Minnesota cities, we are pleased to hear about discussions focused on providing
resources for transportation infrastructure via a capital investment bill, general fund
appropriation and/or federal assistance. We share your desire for a robust 2020 construction
season. We also support the notion that increasing investments in transportation infrastructure
may help stabilize the state's economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the
same time expedite long-awaited improvements to Minnesota's roads and bridges.
One of the weaknesses in Minnesota's transportation funding structure is that it does little to
address needs on the city street system. In fact, state transportation projects frequently impose
financial burdens on cities due to cost participation requirements. According to the Minnesota
Department of Transportation (MnDOT), in fiscal year(FY) 2018 local contributions to trunk
highway projects totaled more than $43 million. (Note: The FY19 number has been requested
from MnDOT.) These dollars come primarily from property taxes that would otherwise be spent
to maintain city streets.
Municipal state aid (MSA), which comes from the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund
(HUDTF), is limited to cities over 5,000 population--148 of 853 cities in Minnesota--and cannot
be applied to more than 20% of a MSA city's lane miles. Many cities divert all or part of their
MSA to pay for cost participation in state and county projects. If HUDTF funds decline as recent
indicators predict, cities will be forced to backfill anticipated MSA that does not materialize.
The 705 Minnesota cities with populations below 5,000 are left out of the HUDTF formula
entirely. Many small cities are struggling with growing transportation infrastructure needs. The
identified needs are tied closely to economic vitality. The legislature created the Small Cities
Assistance Account(Minn. Stat. § 162.145)in 2015, but only provided funding for the account
three times--$12.5 million in 2015, $8 million in 2017 and $8 million in 2018. Small cities have
consistently advocated for a dedicated and robust funding source for this account.
As you work to advance delivery of transportation construction projects, we request you
implement funding and policy provisions that will ensure: 1)projects will not place additional
burdens on property tax payers; and 2) cities will have the same ability as the state to deliver
projects. Specifically, we support the following:
• Robust undesignated funding for the Local Road Improvement Program, the Local
Bridge Replacement Program, the Transportation Economic Development Program and
the Corridors of Commerce Program
• Allowing a portion of the Local Road Improvement Program to be used for grants to
cities, townships and counties to assist in paying the local share of trunk highway projects
(HF 846-Elkins/SF 1228-Howe)
• Permanent and substantial funding for the Small Cities Assistance Account
We look forward to working with you to ensure cities are included in any legislation aimed at
infusing new revenue into Minnesota's transportation system.
Sincerely,
At�(
/ x_- :4-11�10��-
Michael J. Mornson Audrey Nelsen
City Manager, City of Hopkins Councilmember, City of Willmar
President, League of Minnesota Cities President, Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities
VA,� OA,-c k),-X
Mark McNeill James Hovland
City Administrator, City of Mendota Heights Mayor, City of Edina
President, Metro Cities President, Municipal Legislative Commission
�r
Mary McComber
Mayor, City of Oak Park Heights
President, Minnesota Association of Small Cities
From: Lenczewski,Ann T.
To: nnarvnncconnber(ubaol.com
Cc: Eric Johnson
Subject: 4/29/20 Legislative Update
Date: Wednesday,April 29,2020 2:33:13 PM
Happy Wednesday! Hope you are well and staying healthy.
Legislature Fully Functioning Now
The House and Senate are having many remote hearings and are forming their
separate positions for the final weeks of the session. They have figured out how to implement
a process to get to adjournment. Its clunky, but mostly works.
The House looks to be wrapping up all of its committee bills for the year by May 1. The Senate
appears to be doing the same but more likely to complete their committee bills by May 6 or
7. Please note the Tax Committee bill and Capital Investment Committee bill are not usually
included in this process and are often only released in the final few days.
Once the House and Senate Committees have their Omnibus committee bills together, they
will be voted out of committee to the floors. Next, the House and Senate will need to pass
their committee bills out of their separate bodies before conference committees can be
named and negotiations between House and Senate can begin.
This means the House and Senate will spend the week of May 4 - May 8 debating the bills and
passing them. This sets up the Senate Republican majority and House Democratic majority
separate positions heading into the end of session.
An updated forecast will be released on Monday, May 4. These new numbers will set the stage
for how much the Legislature will be able to do in the area of tax cuts, spending and bonding.
Governor Walz and Stay at Home Decision Tomorrow
Governor Walz will announce his decision on whether or not he will extend the May 4th Stay
at Home order tomorrow at 2pm. Most expect he will extend the order but with some new
flexibility on a few items. We will keep you posted and send you the notes.
Governor Walz in Worthington today
Governor Walz had an press event in Worthington today with Congressman Peterson. Here
are the notes and answers to the press:
Congressman Collin Peterson, Seventh Congressional District, Chair of U.S. House Agriculture
Committee
• JBS has been great to work with.
• Potential to get things worked
• Setting out working group. Someone form gov office, union, plant, Ag, Health.
o Group that provides access to secretary of Ag to figure out what we need to
make this work.
• I'm all in.The governor is all in. We want to make this happen.
• Until the plant gets open, we have to figure out a way to deal with these hogs who
have no place to be.
• I've asked JBS asked whether they can do this. It started operating this morning. Not
as many hogs as we though, but it's working.
• Need some trucks.
• We're on a path to get this thing resolved.
• They tested all the workers last weekend.
• We have to test everyone going into the plant to make sure they're not positive.
• Company is putting in more shields.
• People won't be shoulder-to-shoulder. Can't produce as much as before, but
hopefully we'll get it open.
• Been on the phone constantly for 2 weeks.
• This won't happen again on my watch as chair of Ag Committee.
• Whatever it is, we won't be caught flat-footed.
• USDA can pay to get rid of sick animals, but not healthy animals.
• Secretary of Ag said that if we can't deal with backlog, they can put in part of the
Defense Authorization Act, they can pay for de-population if necessary.
• We've been talked to the governor a lot. Appreciated his leadership.
Governor Tim Walz
• I had privileged to serve on Ag Committee for 12 years
• Recognized Congressman Hagedorn and King (IA) in attendance
• We feed the world.
• Grateful for Peterson to be able to navigate the federal system
• Each state is trying to get feet underneath them on testing, tracing, and isolation.
• The lessons learned is that we saw this in Smith Field is to get on the front end of
this.
• State legislators like Senator Weber and Representative Hamilton have been working
on this since the beginning.
• This community has been hit hard by this.
• Two groups hit hard:
o Farmers—have been hit incredibly hard by this. Horrific choice to humanly
depopulate hogs. We know you're in a tough spot financially and
emotionally.
o Processors
• Special thank you to Farmers Union and Farm Bureau.
• We need to be processing food for this country. We need to get plants up and
running. Only we way can do that is to ensure worker safety.
• No executive order is going to get hogs processed if the people who know who to do
it our sick.
• This is not a false choice. We can and will protect the workers and get the plant up
and running and get things processed.
• MN is set to highest capacity to testing, tracing, isolating in the country. With those
changes that are made, places will be clean and people will take proper precautions.
• Safety of workers and economic vitality reverberates to all communities.
• Looking at safety in near term and make sure this never disrupts us again. We have
to be smart and get our way out of this.
• Grateful for Ag Department
Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen
• We've had 5 years of trouble before this. It started to look good at beginning of year
with trade agreements, but this happening is a gut punch.
• We've been doing everything we can.
• We've been moving the hogs to other plants.
• We continue to have staff on hand that can assist producers through Farm Advocate
program and livestock program
• Working with Board of Animal Health to deal with euthanizing animals.
Dr. Thompson, Board of Animal Health
• This isn't just a MN issue. As a state, we work every day with our producers on
diseases emerging.
• Our farmers are very resourceful. Very resilient.
• Right now, we are coming together to support our farm community in MN and
across the Midwest.
Congressman Jim Hagedorn, First Congressional District
• Testing is a big part of this
• Hog farming is a big part of this district.
• We have a system of agriculture that provides an array with choices for Americans.
• Food supply is fragile.
• When restaurants closed down, that impacted production plants too.
• We want to protect our employees.
• Food supply is a national security issue.
Questions
• Question: Can you offer more specifics on JBS plant and what it will take to reopen?
o Peterson: Secretary said this morning it should be open to 2-3 days. I agree
with him but not sure that's what will happen.
• Question: What does this do for a community like Worthington like everyone has
been devastated?This impacts every business. What happens to Worthington to
keep things running?
o Walz: You're right.This is the key for most of us to know. Peterson is talking
about this. If we just magically said everyone go back, they won't because
they don't feel safe. Biggest outbreak happen in congregate work settings.
We are going to have to social distance until therapeutics or a vaccine. We
can't shelter in place until we get a vaccine. We have to use best practices
that slow rate of infection.Then making sure as we learn that we roll
workers back into the work place we use best practices.This is going to
happen over next 12-18 months. If we put out forest fire, there will be
embers. We can't shut everything down again. We test, isolate, get the
infected people with serology tests and get back there. Some of the
therapeutics are showing promise.This is one of our test runs. We need to
make testing more available. We hear you. I feel the sense of urgency of
doing this smartly. We're doing it differently than most other states. Slowly
rolling things back into the workforce. I have to be honest.Those large
gatherings—football stadiums and packed bars—those will be some of the
last things. If we can make a large plant function without infecting people,
we should be able to open Ace Hardware. We make sure people feel safe
and secure. We can get things rolling.That's how we feel about this plant. It
needs to run and run safely.
o When we hit our peak and it's about a month away, if you need an ICU bed
and ventilator, you'll get it. We can roll in non-essential businesses. We have
still flattened the curve for infections for every 100,000 better than any state
in the country. It won't stay that way.The business community is the one
saying we need to feel secure to open back up again.Throwing the doors
open again won't do it.
• Question: What will happen next?
o Peterson: I want to give a shout out to JBS.They have been fantastic. 3,000 a
day is what we're shooting for. We're having logistical problems with trucks.
We're not getting as much done as we thought. I'm hoping we can use
existing plants to help with backlog of hogs. 3,000 a day, but better than
nothing.
• Question: What's the process?When is it going to happen?
o Peterson: Animals are not sick so there isn't authorization to euthanize
healthy animals. I'm going to give authority to Secretary to retroactively pay
farmers for euthanizing animals. It's going to be in there. I guarantee you.
Last Thursday, I was so frustrated. No one was doing anything. I took the bull
by the horns. Now the secretary wants to move to get these plants open.
The initial idea was dig a trench and bury hogs over there.Then we talked
about composting, but it's very expensive.There is no good answer. We're
doing the best we can. I wish I could say to you that we had the money like
we did for the turkeys. We don't have that situation.The Secretary has been
good, but he keeps saying I don't have any money.That's true.The extra
money he was given has to be spent by first of July. I don't know when we're
going to get another bill passed out of Congress because we're in partisan
territory now.
o Walz: In so many of these things, we've tried to approach this not to re-
litigate the problem, but to try to break through that barrier.There are some
things to work out.This is a top priority.This is an unpleasant conversation
for producers.This is all about safety of workers and that solves a lot of
problems.This has to be a top priority. It's causing an immense problem. We
are going to push the limit on how to do things. We can figure this out and
do so quickly, but we need to be thoughtful
• Question: Government bought out diseased pigs previously. Is that a program we can
resurrect from 20 years ago?
o Peterson:The problem is that they have to get authorization to do that
(USDA). We have to change the statute. We don't have that authority.That's
part of what I want to do. I want this to be up to date every year so we can
deal with things like this immediately. I'm going to do it.
• Question: Can you explain to people at home why this waste is happening?Why do
we have to euthanize?
o Peterson: 70%of bacon consumed occurs in restaurants. That market went
away. We've had bacon stored up and there no market for it.That was the
first canary in the coal mine. Now you have a system where you're moving
the system through—various pigs. When these hogs get 300 pounds, they
can't process them in the plants. It's probably hard for someone to think
that there food comes from the grocery store to understand this. We are
about 3 weeks away from not having pork on the shelves in grocery stores.
This is a national security issue. If people don't have food, we're going to
have lines.
• Question: We're about 3-4 days away from Stay at Home order expiration. Is there
going to be an extension?
o Walz: We did that at the end of March. Scheduled to end on Monday.The
worst part of this is the uncertainty. When I asked the stay at home order
was to build up medical capacity and testing capacity and prove we can do
social distancing.There are a lot of positive signs we've been doing.The
problem thing is that this thing is like gravity—how steep the peak will be
and how quickly it will come. We've been able to push this out. Laying out
the dials of what it takes to get back to normal and how to get there.This
morning, I went through the data—how many masks, how many gloves. If
we are burning at a low rate, I have 87 days of masks. If we hit a peak, we
have about 17 days. The hospitals are the ones who said we need to suspend
elective surgeries due to PPE situation.That situation is changing. How many
people are skipping routine physicals? How many people are hobbling
around on a knee that can't be replaced?We're seeing the economy, mental
health issues. What you'll see tomorrow afternoon is continuing on pace to
more opening if we can social distance and the state stepping up the testing.
When we get to 20,000 tests and 15,000 serology tests, we have a great
opportunity to do a whole lot of things at that point—test, isolate, trace. We
will continue to evolve.Trust me, if you're the governor of MN, shutting
down your businesses is the last thing you'd want to do—except for shutting
them down, opening them up, and shutting them down again.The ability of
the legislature to be a co-equal branch is absolutely critical.The Constitution
makes clear that the legislative branch needs to be part of this. I will be
partners with them, partners with the community. We're learning from this.
Things that happen here and applying them. If we learn from each one of
these, it should be less problems for the next time it comes because the
response will be better.Tomorrow we'll have more detail.Thank you for
producers and processors of food.The President was right in calling this as
part of national defense.This is one the most critical things we need. We'll
see here in the next few days how you get a plant up and running and keep
it running and keep food supply solid.
• Question: What will it take to get the plant reopen?
o Peterson: Part of the problem is that we didn't have CDC guidelines but now
we have them. We'll test the employees. There won't be 2,000 people in the
plant. You have my commitment and the governor's commitment that it
won't open up unless it's safe. Secretary Perdue said they aren't going to
open unless it's safe.
• Question: How many workers are sick?
o Peterson: 200-some workers tested positive. I'm told the number of people
who have COVID-19 in Nobles County is the same per capita as New York
City. It's more in the community than the plant.
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From: Lenczewski,Ann T.
To: nnarvnncconnber(ubaol.conn
Cc: Eric Johnson
Subject: 4/30/20 Legislative Update
Date: Thursday,April 30,2020 7:41:36 AM
Good Morning. Today will be a busy one with both House and Senate debating bills on the
floor followed by a number of committee hearings in both bodies.
The Senate will take up their Omnibus Tax bill this morning. They will be rolling out several tax
cuts.
Yesterday the Senate had a Capital Investment informational hearing on bonding for
transportation needs. This was only their third hearing in two years. No bills were heard -just
a discussion on transportation.
The Governor will cover the Stay at Home order extension late this afternoon. It is expected
he will both extend the order for a few more weeks and allow more flexibility and guidance
for some businesses to reopen.
We will keep you posted.
This e-mail may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you
are not the intended recipient or otherwise have received this message in error, you are not authorized to read,
print, retain, copy or disseminate this message or any part of it. If you are not the intended recipient or otherwise
have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, discard any paper copies and delete
all electronic files of the message.
From: Mary Mccomber
To: Eric Johnson
Subject: Fwd:LGN Federal Coronavirus Update:April 27
Date: Tuesday,April 28,2020 9:04:51 AM
I don't know if this is something for weekly notes????
-----Original Message-----
From: Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P. <rfsherman@locklaw.com>
To: marymccomber@aol.com<marymccomber@aol.com>
Sent: Mon,Apr 27, 2020 1:29 pm
Subject: LGN Federal Coronavirus Update:April 27
View • F—]Forward
logo image
FN
II
J. Kanninen
Partner
load image Democrats Eye Further Direct Payments in Next Stimulus Round
Congressional Democrats are considering proposing a new round of
direct cash payments to U.S. households and extending a similar
benefit to the smallest businesses, as they struggle to get federal
loans. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)and Representative Richard Neal
(D-MA-01), the top Democrats on Congress's two tax committees,
want to include the payments in the next round of stimulus spending
that Congress is likely to take up in May.
Lianne M. Endo
Federal Relations Their effort is likely to face objections from key Republicans, such as
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell,who say they want to put the brakes
load image on more deficit spending. But some GOP lawmakers have complained
that small local businesses are getting shut out from small business
aid. Long waits at state unemployment offices and high demand for the
Paycheck Protection Program have left many people and small
business owners unable to claim swift relief.
Senator Wyden's plan, and a similar proposal in the House,would give
small businesses up to$75,000 as they struggle with closures and
drop-offs in economic activity. Those payments would be limited to
Megan G. Knight companies with $1 million or less in revenue and up to 50 employees.
Federal Relations The payment would be capped at 30%of the business's gross
load image receipts.
That provision is aimed and addressing a key criticism of the Paycheck
Protection Program: that the smallest businesses aren't able to claim
the loans because banks are giving priority to larger eligible companies
that have existing relationships with those institutions and generate
larger fees.
HHS Stocking Up on Drugs at Risk of Shortage Due to Covid-19
Nicholas F. Kowalski The Department of Health and Human Services is spending $256
Senior Strategist million to secure drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients that are
load image needed during the Covid-19 outbreak, according to the General
Services Administration website. "Due to this outbreak, the supply
chain for such items has been nearly depleted and oftentimes items
must be sourced directly from the manufacturer or distributors with
existing stock,"the HHS said in an official document.
HHS said it first plans to use pre-existing contracts with McKesson
Corp. and LogMet to source pharmaceutical items, according to the
GSA website. When those contracts run out of funds, the agency plans
Robert F. Sherman to spend up to $250 million to source drugs from Medline Industries
Federal Relations Inc.,AmerisourceBergen, Grainger, and Cardinal Health Inc.
The Food and Drug Administration has only announced one drug in
shortage due to the pandemic, but didn't specify the name. The FDA's
tracker of drug shortages includes about 100 drugs, but doesn't specify
if Covid-19 is the cause.
USDA Boosts Effort to Support Virus-Hit Meat, Poultry Producers
load image
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will establish a
"coordination center"to help livestock and poultry producers hurt by
Vince M. Spinner coronavirus-induced meatpacking plant closures. The USDA's Animal
Federal Relations and Plant Health Inspection Service will offer"direct support to
load image producers whose animals cannot move to market"and work with state
veterinarians and other public officials"to help identify potential
alternative markets"as plant shutdowns increase, according to a
release posted on the agency's website.
Senator Joni Ernst(R-IA)said the state's pork industry, the nation's
largest, "is in dire straits"with producers facing "difficult and
devastating decisions"about their livelihoods but that the USDA's
action was a good step. "With a system designed for just-in-time
delivery, this important sector of our state's economy has been turned
Emily J. Tranter on its head due to meat processing plant closures across Iowa, and the
Federal Relations Midwest,"Senator Ernst said in a statement on Saturday.
load image
Smithfield Foods Inc., the world's top pork producer, said Friday it was
closing its Illinois operations after some workers tested positive for
Covid-19. The news came less than an hour after Hormel Foods said it
was idling two of its Jennie-O turkey plants in Minnesota, and a day
after Tyson said it was shutting its beef facility in Pasco, Washington.
CMS Suspends Doctors' Loan Program in Favor of Relief Grants
Doctors' offices, clinicians, and medical equipment suppliers now will
Randy Kelly receive emergency funds through the recent rescue packages
Senior Advisor approved by Congress rather than a loan program that requires them
load image to repay the money within a year. The Centers for Medicare&
Medicaid Services announced Sunday that it won't accept applications
for its Advance Payment Program,which is typically used to address
cash flow issues for health providers other than hospitals when there is
disruption in claims submission or claims processing.
CMS will continue to accept applications for loans for its companion
program for hospitals, the Accelerated Payment Program, but will
reevaluate new and pending requests in light of the direct grant
payments already available through the agency's Provider Relief Fund.
Significant additional funding will continue to be available to hospitals
and other healthcare providers through programs that don't require
repayments, CMS said.
Congress appropriated $175 billion for health-care providers in the last
two aid packages. The Department of Health and Human Services has
already distributed $30 billion to health providers and is in the process
of allotting another$20 billion,with more grants anticipated soon.
Warning From FDA Deals New Blow to Hyped Covid-19 Therapy
The Food and Drug Administration warned of potential serious heart
risks from malaria drugs touted by President Trump for Covid-19,
becoming the latest U.S. agency to dial back hopes of a quick
pharmaceutical solution to the coronavirus pandemic. President Trump
has looked for off-the-shelf fixes to stem the pandemic's risks to the
U.S. and restart the economy, at times publicly discussing unproven or
medically-unsound treatments.
The president has also been a proponent of giving coronavirus patients
the antimalarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. Those
medications emerged as possible treatments around the time a small
and controversial French study showed early promise. The FDA said
on Friday Covid-19 patients shouldn't take the drugs unless they're
carefully monitored in a hospital or as part of a clinical trial. The
advisory follows similar warnings from other major U.S. medical
groups.
From: Mary Mccomber
To: Eric Johnson
Subject: Fwd: MAOSC Weekly Session BULLETIN-April 24, 2020
Date: Saturday,April 25,2020 9:55:39 AM
For weekly notes
-----Original Message-----
From: Minnesota Small Cities <cap@maosc.org>
To: marymccomber<marymccomber@aol.com>
Sent: Fri, Apr 24, 2020 5:31 pm
Subject: MAOSC Weekly Session BULLETIN -April 24, 2020
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
BULLETIN
Weekly Session Update
April 24, 2020
Dear Oak Park Heights Leaders and/or Staff
Thank You to those who responded to our COVID-19 Small Cities Check-In&Community Impact Survey this
week. Your insight was very helpful and we are sending a letter to the governor and legislative leaders raising
many of the issues that you addressed. Mainly, we are making it clear that small cities want to find a way for their
small businesses to safely open up! ... We heard this,time and time again in the survey results and we will work
with legislative leaders to find a way.
Governor Walz yesterday, issued two additional Executive Orders:
EO 20-41 calls for schools being closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
EO 20-40 allows offices, industrial and manufacturing business sectors to open again, beginning Monday,April 27-
as long as they have a social distancing plan in place.
Most retail businesses are still not being allowed to open up.
Meanwhile, it seems the legislature has begun slowly getting back to addressing some of the business they had on
their plates before the state shut down. Rather than limiting bill hearings to those with support from all caucuses
(the practice of recent weeks), both the Senate and House began hearing their own bills. Many bills still have
COVID19 implications but other, non-COVD related bills are also beginning to move through the process again.
Next week there are a number of bills that are slated for hearings, related to city issues.The Senate tax bill will
also roll out next week and there are indications there may be more discussion about bonding legislation. Local
Government will hear legislation that allows cities to accept electronic filings of many documents during a
peacetime state of emergency.
Election Bills
With an election on the horizon and given the current state of things,there has been growing discussion about
what an election would look like during a pandemic. Over the weekend a bipartisan group of legislators worked to
find some agreement on election changes to account for the COVID19 Outbreak and the mitigation (safety)
measures that will likely still be needed.The agreement they reached allows more time to process absentee votes,
allowing cities more leeway to relocate polling places,and allows for medical personnel to administer absentee
voting. This bill, however,seems to have been tabled for the time being in the House and instead, leadership
wants to move forward with another bill that does not have GOP support. The agreed-upon language DOES NOT
allow for expanded use of mail-in ballots,although the Governor reiterated his support of allowing mail-in ballots
during a call today with city officials.
Vote-by-mail issue could be hurdle to bipartisan deal on 2020 election assistance
MOASC Business
You may or may not be aware that organizationally,each of MAOSC's 14-16 Board seats represent either: one of
12 Minnesota"REGIONS"; or 2-4"At Large"seats. Each Region consists of a determined"grouping"of adjacent
counties. Due to changing demographics over the years,the Board of Directors has recently undertaken a project
to redraw MAOSC's Regions-making them more equitable by total population and likelihood of having similar
legislative issues, needs or concerns. As a result, current regional Board Member representation will also change
slightly,which requires a change to the organization's Bylaws.Watch for an upcoming announcement when an
official 30-day MEMBER NOTICE is posted,with details. For your reference,we've included a MAP of what the new
Regions would look like,at the end of this bulletin.
Since we're on the topic-and assuming the above measure is passed -this is a good time to segue into a CALL for
new/additional MAOSC Directors. Our annual meeting will be coming up in July and we have/will have a few OPEN
BOARD SEATS that need to be filled. Please contact Executive Director Cap O'Rourke if you are interested in
representing your city and/or region, by serving on the MAOSC Board of Directors.
This leads us to one additional segue ... Usually, MAOSC's annual meeting takes place in conjunction with the
League of Minnesota Cities'annual summer convention. Because of COVID-19 the League has cancelled the annual
convention for 2020. MAOSC will likely conduct some sort of electronic annual meeting instead. Watch these
newsletters for additional information about that in the coming weeks.
Keep up the great work,small city leaders!We continue to be inspired by the way in which many of
Minnesota's small cities and communities are dealing with the pandemic. If you have any questions for
me or MAOSC please feel free to reach out and ask. We're happy to assist in any way we can.We're thinking
about you every day and we HOPE that your community is staying safe and healthy!
Here are some timely resources,should your city need them:
City-Specific Coronavirus Information From League's News and Resources Page
Things to consider when closing city facilities
Map of MN Cases: track the current spread in Minnesota
Governor's COVID-19 related executive orders
Mn Dept of Health
MN COVID-19 Dashboard (stats in real time)
Stay SAFE and BE WELL!
PS: Remember to follow MN Small Cities on our new Twitter page!: @mnsmallcities.
Sincerely,
Cap O'Rourke
0 Executive Director
MN Small Cities
612 483 1863
cap1amaosc.org
Minnesota Association of Small Cities I maosc.ora ,8 A ,0 0
MAOSC 1 145 University West, St. Paul, MN 55103
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Metro Cities Annual Meeting is Next Week:Mark Your Calendar!
Meeting
Senate Taxes Committee Hears Bill that Includes 4D.TIF Modifications Category'Metro CitieseoardofDir—rs
Federal Guidance for Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund Thu Aug 20,2020
• Pandemic Unemployment Payments Metro Cities Board of Directors
Housing Assistance Bill Heard in Senate Committee Meeting
Small Business Assistance Funds Approved by Jobs Committees Category:Metro Cities Boardof Directors
Contamination Cleanup Applications Due May Thu se,n,2020
Governor's COVID-19 Briefings Metro Cities Board of Directors
House Committee Passes Elections Bill Meeting
Livable Communities Program Housing Goals Survey Category:Metro Cities Boardof Directors
Metropolitan Traffic Update View Full Calendar
Regional Advisory Committees Jointly Discuss Metropolitan Water Supply
Assistance for Minnesotans Applying for Stimulus Payment
House Environment Finance Hears DNR Policy Bill,Includes MRCCA Regulation Our Tweets
Tweets by MetroCitiesMN
Metro Cities Annual Meeting is Next Week:Mark Your Calendar!
Metro Cities Annual Meeting will be held next Thursday,April 30,2020 at 4:00 pm.The meeting will be
conducted remotely.Elections of Metro Cities Board officers and Board members will be conducted,
and Metro Cities'President Mark McNeill and President-elect Myron Bailey will provide remarks.The
Nominating Committee's recommendations for officers and Board members was emailed to city
officials.A quorum of members is required to conduct elections.Call-in instructions to this meeting as
well as a meeting agenda will be provided next week in advance of Thursday.Please plan to attend!
RSVP to Jennifer Dorn at menniferC@metrocitiesmn.org.Questions?Call 651-215-4000.
Senate Taxes Committee Hears Bill that Includes 41),TIF Modifications
The Senate Taxes Committee heard legislation,SC7523 Thursday,that would expand the class rate for
4D low income rental property at 0.25%.Under current law,the class rate is 0.75%on the first tier of
value(currently$162,000)and 0.25%for values exceeding the first tier for each unit.SC7523 also
modifies the uses of tax increment financing(TIF)increment during a peacetime health emergency to
allow a TIF authority to provide loans or other assistance to private businesses.The bill would mandate
forgiveness of any loans by the authority to a business.
Metro Cities provided a letter to the Taxes Committee that expressed the organization's support for an
evaluation of the 4D program prior to expanding it,and expressed support for TIF increment flexibility,
and concern about mandating the forgiveness of any loans by a local TIF authority to a private
business.Metro Cities'letter encouraged the committee to consider broader temporary flexibility in the
https://www.metrocitiesmn.org/index.php?option=com_dailyplanetblog&view=entry&year... 5/1/2020
Metro Cities New 04/24/20 Page 2 of 6
use of increment to assist local officials as they address critical revenue challenges resulting from the
COVID-19 pandemic.Metro Cities is working with other city organizations on possible legislation to
provide this flexibility,as well as temporary flexibility in the uses of special local taxes.Questions?
Contact Patricia Nauman at 651-215-4002 or patriciaZmetrocitiesmn.org
Federal Guidance for Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund
This week,the US Treasury released long awaited federal guidance on the distribution of federal CARES
Act funding.Minnesota has received roughly half of its allocation under the Federal CARES Act.Metro
Cities'understanding of this funding is that a portion of these funds should be distributed to local
governments,although there is no direct allocation to local governments beyond those with over
500,000 in population.In Minnesota,qualifying local governments for that funding are Hennepin and
Ramsey counties.
Metro Cities has been asked by state policymakers to provide feedback on local costs that could be
eligible for funding under the CARES Act and has provided information in support of a portion of this
funding for local governments,in a manner that addresses a range of local COVID-19 costs,and for any
funds to be distributed efficiently.Funds under the CARES Act must be used for direct COVID-19
expenses,cannot be used for expenses previously budgeted for,and is for costs incurred between
March 1,and December 31,2020.Funds cannot be used to address revenue shortfalls.Stay tuned for
further updates.Metro Cities is continuing to advocate for federal and state support for cities,including
federal bills under consideration that would address revenue shortfalls.
The information provided by city officials to the Metro Cities'survey has been useful to the
organization's efforts in advocating for local government needs associated with the pandemic and is
greatly appreciated.
Pandemic Unemployment Payments
DEED announced it has begun making payments to people who are self-employed,independent
contractors,and other eligible recipients not eligible for regular unemployment benefits.Pandemic
Unemployment Assistance(PUA)is a new program authorized by Congress in the federal CARES Act.
If your city is hearing from residents who applied and were denied,DEED advises them not to do
anything else.Payments will be made unless a request for additional information is needed.Applicants
will receive information about benefits in their online account,by email,and by mail.Applicants who
receive PUA benefits will also receive the$600/week additional payment.More information can be
found here and here.
Housing Assistance Bill Heard in Senate Committee
The Senate Agriculture and Housing Committee debated a bill on April 22 that would provide$30 million
for housing assistance.A House committee debated a similar proposal earlier in the week to fund
assistance at$100 million.More information on that hearing can be found in the April 22 Metro Cities
News.
The Senate bill,SF 4495-Westrom also includes a 60-day moratorium on evictions and foreclosures,
beginning March 24,2020.The bill allows the Governor to extend the eviction moratorium an additional
30 days.Eligibility for housing assistance is for households affected by COVID-19 with a reduction in
income of 15 percent or more and with a current gross income under 300 percent of federal poverty
guidelines.The bill funds the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program;funds can be used
for rent payments,mortgage payments,lot rent in manufactured home parks,property taxes,
homeowner association dues,homeowner insurance payments,contract for deed payments,and utility
payments.
Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho also discussed the governor's language in Executive
Order 20-14 that states the eviction suspension does not relieve a tenant's obligation to pay rent.
No vote was taken.Metro Cities policies support state funding for housing assistance and staff
provided a letter to the committee to this effect.Contact Charlie Vander Aarde at
charlie(o)metrocitiesmn.org or 651-366-7564 with any questions.
https://www.metrocitiesmn.org/index.php?option=com_dailyplanetblog&view=entry&year... 5/1/2020
Metro Cities New 04/24/20 Page 3 of 6
Small Business Assistance Funds Approved by Jobs Committees
The House and Senate Jobs Committees debated proposals to replenish funds for the Small Business
Emergency Loan Program.The DEED-administered program was funded by the state in March with a
$30 million appropriation for businesses impacted by Executive Orders 202004 and 202008.The program
utilizes the state's Emerging Entrepreneur Loan Program network of lenders to distribute loans across
the state.$17 million has been loaned,with the number of awards evenly split between the metro and
greater Minnesota.
The House proposal,HF1507 as amended by the DE2 amendment,would resupply the Small Business
Emergency Loan Program with$50 million.The$50 million would come from the state's CARES Act
appropriation from the federal government,or,if that money is not available prior to May 15,2020,the
state general fund.The House bill tailors the aid to various sizes of small businesses.Of the$50
million,the following specific allocations are in the bill:
$11 million is available only to businesses employing no more than the equivalent of six full-time
persons in Minnesota.The terms of these loans will be the same as those under Executive Order
No.20-15,except that:
(1)the maximum loan amount is$15,000;
(2)payments on loans are deferred for 12 months instead of six;and
(3)up to 100 percent of the loan may be forgiven if the commissioner approves and the business
continues operating in the community at substantially the same levels for two years following
loan disbursement.
$8 million is available only to businesses employing the equivalent of at least seven but not more
than 20 full-time persons in Minnesota.The terms of these loans will be the same as those under
Executive Order No.20-15,except that:
(1)the maximum loan amount is$20,000;
(2)payments on loans are deferred for 12 months instead of six;and
(3)up to an additional 25 percent of the loan may be forgiven if the commissioner approves and
the business continues operating in the community at substantially the same levels for a third
year following loan disbursement.
$10 million is available only to:(1)minority business enterprises,as defined in Minnesota
Statutes,section 116M.14 subdivision 5;or(2)operators of permanent indoor retail space that
has a strong ethnic cultural orientation and is leased primarily to very small businesses.The
terms of these loans will be the same as those under Executive Order No.20-15,except that for
loans under clause(2):
(i)there is no maximum loan amount;
(ii)payments on loans are deferred for 12 months instead of six;
(iii)up to an additional 25 percent of the loan may be forgiven if the commissioner approves and
the business continues operating in the community at substantially the same levels for a third
year following loan disbursement,however,no part of the loan may be forgiven unless the loan
recipient has offered forgiveness of at least 50 percent of rent due from existing vendors during
the COVID-19 peacetime emergency;and
(iv)loan funds must be used primarily for maintaining existing vendors as tenants,such as
through full or partial forgiveness of rent during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency.
The Senate proposal,SF4481 —P.Anderson expands the Small Business Emergency Loan Program to
businesses that were directly and adversely affected by the COVID-19 peacetime emergency under
Executive Order 20-04,20-08,or 20-09.The business must demonstrate its eligibility to the lender.
The bill is funded from two sources:$20 million in fiscal year 2020 from the general fund and$10
million from the federal CARES Act.If the federal money is not available by May 1,2020 then$10 million
in fiscal year 2020 is appropriated from the general fund.
The bill requires of the$10 million appropriated,$5 million is for grants to be awarded in greater
Minnesota by the Minnesota Initiative Foundations and$5 million is for grants to be awarded to
businesses in the seven-county metropolitan area.Grants to individual businesses may be up to
$10,000 to a business that is located in Minnesota,employs the equivalent of ten full-time employees or
less,and can demonstrate financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The bill sets aside$2 million($1 million for grants in the metro,$1 million for grants in greater
Minnesota)to be used to make grants to individual businesses located in Minnesota that employ four
full-time workers or less,have a combination of assets and annual sales for the most recent calendar
year of less than$250,000,and can demonstrate financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19
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outbreak.Grant funds should be used for working capital to support payroll expenses,rent,mortgage
payments,utility bills,and expenses that occur in the regular course of business.
The House bill passed the committee and was sent to the House Ways and Means committee.The
Senate bill passed the committee and was sent to the Finance committee.Contact Charlie Vander
Aarde at charlie(a)metrocitiesmn.org or 651-366-7564 with any questions.
Contamination Cleanup Applications Due May 1
The DEED Brownfields and Redevelopment Unit is accepting applications for grant funding for
contaminated site projects through the Contamination Cleanup and Investigation and RAP Development
grant program.Approximately$4 million is available.The grant notification can be found here.Program
details here.The deadline for submission of applications is 4:00 p.m.,May 1,2020.No late proposals
will be considered.DEED is accepting applications through the mail as well as drop-offs at its
downtown St.Paul office.Contact Kristin Lukes at Kristin.lukes(a)state.mn.us or 651-230-3274.
Governor's COVID-19 Briefings
Below are highlights from this week's Wednesday,Thursday,and Friday briefings from Governor Walz.
See the state's COVID-19 web page for the latest specific health data.
Wednesday.
The briefing Wednesday focused on a new"Minnesota Model"partnership between the State,the Mayo
Clinic and the University of Minnesota to increase testing capacity.Jakub Tolar,Dean of the U of M
Medical School and Dr.William Morice II from the Mayo Clinic spoke about their roles in this process
and Andrea Walsh,CEO of Health Partners,offered some perspective from the health provider's point of
view.
A goal is to have a central lab to process tests.Often health care providers have testing supplies but
nowhere to send samples with the assurance of receiving timely results.By using the Mayo Clinic's lab
there is a central location for samples to be sent.In addition,local providers with the capacity to run
tests and process results will be encouraged to do so and the Mayo/U of M team will be working to
support those efforts.There will be a virtual command center established to facilitate the coordination
needed to run a statewide testing system and to help officials have a better idea on the number of
infected individuals and locations.The group hopes to be able to reach 20,000 molecular and 15,000
serologic tests a day.A website will be launched showing locations where people can be tested if they
are symptomatic.
Thursday.
Governor Walz announced two new Executive Orders.Click HERE for Thursday's slides.Executive Order
20-40 allows workers in certain non-critical sectors to return to work,and Executive Order 20-41 extends
distance learning in Minnesota's schools until at least the end of this school year.
Executive Order 20-40 allows certain industrial,manufacturing,and office-based businesses to return to
work under a certain set of requirements.The business cannot be customer-facing and they must
develop a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.The order maintains that that anyone who can work from home
must continue to do so and that employees reporting for on-site work undergo health screenings to
prevent sick workers from entering the workplace.Other measures like social distancing and
appropriate cleaning and disinfection protocols should also be included.See the text of the Order and
the DEED website for more information.
Friday.
The briefing focused on the decision to extend distance learning for Minnesota schools through the end
of this school year.Lt.Governor Flanagan spoke about the exacerbation of certain disparities as
instruction has moved online.Students with limited or unreliable access to broadband internet are
having difficulties connecting with their teachers and peers.The briefing also included contributions
from a 5th grader,a senior in high school,and two teachers.The students and teachers shared their
experiences with distance learning as well as their hopes and concerns for the remainder of this school
year and beyond.
The Governor also provided general updates and discussed a phone call with Vice President Pence and
a number of other governors from across the country.On the call Vice President Pence commended
Minnesota for its efforts and ingenuity.The Governor also participated in a webinar hosted by the
League of MN Cities Friday to address the concerns of city officials around COVID-19 funding.Finally,
the Governor confirmed the launch testing specific resources on the state's COVID-19 website where
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the public can use a self-screening tool to determine whether or not they need a test.If a test is needed,
individuals can use a map to find the nearest testing location.
House Committee Passes Elections Bill
The House State Government Finance Committee heard HF 3499 Nelson,a bill to appropriate Help
America Vote Act(NAVA)funding.The bill,which was amended,allows local governments to adopt the
following practices:
1. designate new polling places,up until July 1,2020;
2. deputize employees of health care facilities and hospitals to administer absentee voting to
residents or patients of those facilities.Under current law,only trained election judges are able to
perform this task;and
3. adopt an extension of the period during which absentee ballots may be processed,to include up
to 14 days before the election,and a period of three days after the election,to accommodate
expected increases in absentee voting activity.
The bill also appropriates$6.9 million in federal HAVA funds for 2020 and provides for$1.3 million in
2021 in state funds as a local match for federal funding.The amended bill codifies the allowable uses
of the HAVA funds,which include ensuring the health and safety of election officials and voters,public
outreach on social distance guidelines related to voting,facilitation and support for absentee voting and
preparation of new polling place locations.
The bill also creates grants to local governments,including cities,for up to 75%of the total costs of
purchasing electronic roster systems and up to 80%of costs related to costs related to polling changes
related to health and safety.
The bill was passed to the Ways and Means Committee on a vote of 11-7.The Ways and Means
Committee is scheduled to hear the bill on Wednesday.
Livable Communities Program Housing Goals Survey
To be eligible for Livable Communities Act(LCA)funding,cities are required to adopt affordable and
lifecycle housing goals,a process for which is established and negotiated between the Metropolitan
Council and cities every 10 years.Cities must adopt new goals to continue participation in the Livable
Communities Program(LCA).Current LCA participation will expire at the end of 2020,and the
Metropolitan Council is in the process of establishing affordable and lifecycle housing goals for the next
decade.
Earlier this year,Metro Cities participated on an advisory group to examine and make recommendations
for housing goals.During this work,Metro Cities recommended that a new process largely mirror what
was established during the last negotiation process,which used both the allocation of need housing
numbers and the level of existing resources for affordable housing,which during the last process was
around 60%of available need.Metro Cities supports negotiated housing goals that balance regional
and local housing goals and needs and account for the lack of adequate resources and funding.
The Council is also conducting outreach to cities and other stakeholders and has asked city officials to
complete a brief survey:Comments will be aggregated,and no individual comments will be attributed.
The survey will close May 4.The survey is open to elected officials and staff.The survey can be
accessed here:httos://www.surveymonkey.com/r/councilLCAgoals
Metropolitan Traffic Update
The Metropolitan Council released updated regional traffic data that shows the effects of the state
emergency order related to COVID-19 on traffic levels,with decreases per day that range from a daily
decrease of 70%in late March to a recent regional decrease of 45%percent.These rates are daily
comparisons using March 1 st as a baseline with measurements taken by MnDOT.Updated financial
impacts from COVID-19 are expected early next month.Traffic declines are also creating opportunities
for MnDOT to move more quickly on some road projects.For more information,click here.
Regional Advisory Committees Jointly Discuss Metropolitan Water Supply
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Last December,members of the Land Use Advisory Committee(LUAC),the Metropolitan Area Water
Supply Advisory Committee(MAWSAC)and the Water Supply Technical Advisory Committee(TAC)
conducted a joint meeting related to shared work on water supply.Metropolitan Council staff this week
released a summary of the meeting and outcomes.Participants heard presentations on water supply
data related to local comprehensive plans,regional climate data,and the 2020 Environmental Quality
Board state water plan and held small group discussions.These outcomes will be used to direct
discussions at future meetings.To view the meeting summary,click here.
Assistance for Minnesotans Applying for Stimulus Payment
Assistance is available for residents who won't be automatically getting stimulus payments directly
deposited but rather will need to get checks and must apply for them.Legal Aid's Low-Income Taxpayer
Clinic is a statewide program and can help people fill out the required form if they need help.
Minnesotans can call the Taxpayer Clinic's intake number at 612-334-5970.More information about the
Taxpayer Clinic can be found on LawHeIpMN's website.
House Environment Finance Hears DNR Policy Bill,Includes MRCCA Regulation
The House Environment Committee passed HF 3657-Hansen,the Department of Natural Resources
(DNR)policy bill,on Friday.This bill includes policy changes related to fish,wildlife and natural resource
statutes.This legislation also includes two provisions related to local governments,including cities,that
are within the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area(MRCCA).
The bill exempts local units of government,including cities,within MRCCA from requirements
applicable in critical areas that require them to send regulations and plans to the Environmental Quality
Board.Instead,the bill makes the DNR responsible for local government plan and regulation reviews
and approvals affecting land in the MRCCA and makes the Metropolitan Council responsible for duties
required of regional development commissions for other critical areas.A 60-day timeframe when
reviews must be completed is established.The legislation requires the DNR to either conditionally
approve the plan/regulations or return them to the local government for modification.The local unit of
government is then directed to revise and resubmit the plan/regulation within 60 days.The local unit of
government or Metropolitan Council is allowed to request a meeting which can extend this deadline.
The bill states that only plans and regulations receiving approval have the effect of law.The bill also
establishes conditions for approving the plans/regulations and requires a local unit of government to
enforce the approved plan/regulation when they take effect.
An amendment to the bill that was adopted includes a change to the groundwater sustainability
standard and requires the DNR to determine that the level of recharge to an aquifer is sufficient to
replenish groundwater supply.The amendment also requires the DNR hold public meetings on the
potential impacts of a water use permit or plan before issuing one,if there is a consumptive use of
more than one-quarter of a million gallons per day average in a 30-day period.The bill passed 11-7 and
was referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
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Return to the biog Upcoming Events
Metro Cities News 04/29/20 by:Jennifer Dorn I Thu May 21,2020
Category:Newsletter Metro Cities Board of Directors
Meetina
Category:Metro C ties Board of Directors
Apr Thu Jun 18,2020
29 Metro Cities Board of Directors
In This Issue: Meetina
Category:Metro Cities Board of Directors
• Housing Assistance Bill Passes Senate Committee Thu Jul 16,2020
Metro Cities Board of Directors
4d Expansion Bill Passes Senate Taxes Committee
Meeting
Senate Committee Passes Bills Relating to City Commissions and Documents Category'Metro Citieseoardof Directors
House Ways and Means Passes Tobacco 21 Thu Aug 20,2020
Elections Bills Heard in the House Metro Cities Board of Directors
Bill Establishing a COVID-19 Relief Account Passes Senate Meeting
Bills of Note Category:Metro Cities Board of Directors
Governor's COVID-19 Briefings Thu se,11,2121
Metro Cities COVID-19 Page Metro Cities Board of Directors
Meeting
Category:Metro Cities Board of Directors
View Full Calendar
Housing Assistance Bill Passes Senate Committee
A bill providing$30 million in housing assistance passed the Senate Agriculture,Rural Development and Our Tweets
Housing finance committee on April 27.SF4495—Westrom was amended so landlords would not be
Tweets by MetroCitiesMN
prohibited from charging late fees.The bill awaits action by the Senate Finance committee.The House
proposal for housing assistance,HF4541 —Hausman,includes$100 million and awaits a hearing in the
House Ways&Means committee.Contact Charlie Vander Aarde at 651-366-7564 or
charlieCo)metrocitiesmn.org with any questions.
4d Expansion Bill Passes Senate Taxes Committee
Expanding the current 4d low-income rental housing program was part of a larger bill debated and
passed by the Senate Taxes committee on April 28.The proposal,in SF3843—Chamberlain,would
eliminate the 0.75 percent first-tier tax rate and set the class rate for all low-income rental properties
qualifying as Class 4d properties at 0.25 percent.
Metro Cities supports the current 4d property tax program but prior to expanding it,supports an
evaluation of the effects an expansion would have for local property tax bases.City officials are
concerned that an expansion of the 4d program could have consequential effects on local property tax
structures and that these effects should be evaluated before expanding the program.
A bill to study the 4d program was introduced earlier this session.HF4497—Her requires the
Department of Revenue and Minnesota Housing to produce a report on the 4d property tax
classification,to determine the impact on local property taxpayers and local governments.Neither the
expansion nor study bill have been heard in the House.Metro Cities supports the study bill.Contact
Charlie Vander Aarde at 651-366-7564 or charlie0metrocitiesmn.org with any questions.
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Senate Committee Passes Bills Relating to City Commissions and Documents
The Senate Local Government Committee passed two bills related to City Charter Commissions and
how documents can be received by local governments.SF 3298-Senjem changes current laws related
to the appointment of charter commission members.A district court judge may now reappoint a
commission member within 60 days rather than 30 days.The bill eliminates the authority of a city
council to appoint a replacement if the district court judge fails to do so within the allotted time.In MN
107 cities are charter cities.Chairs of the Rochester and the Brooklyn Park charter commissions
testified in support.The bill passed and was referred to the Senate Floor.The House companion is on
the House Floor.
The committee also passed SF 4525-Kiffineyer,that allows local governments,including cities,to
accept documents and signatures electronically,by mail or fax during a peacetime public health
emergency.The filings include documents for planning and zoning,land use,documents that require
the signature of an architect,engineer,or landscape architect,birth and death certificates,and
recording a notary commission.This authority would expire January 6th,2021 or 60 days after the
peacetime public health emergency is terminated,whichever is earlier.The bill was passed and referred
to the floor.
House Ways and Means Passes Tobacco 21
The House Ways and Means Committee passed HF 331-Edelson,a bill that would raise the legal age to
purchase tobacco in MN to 21.The bill will make MN in compliance with federal law and includes
changes to penalties for selling tobacco or other regulated products to those under 21.The bill includes
a provision that allows local units of government to consult with interested persons to develop
alternative penalties for using a fake ID to buy tobacco,tobacco-related devices,electronic delivery
devices,or other products.An amendment was adopted that removed a reporting requirement of
licensing authorities to the commissioner of Human Services.The bill was passed 17-11 and was
moved to the House Floor.
Elections Bills Heard in the House
The House State Government Finance Committee heard HF 1603(Dehn),the elections omnibus bill.The
bill as amended grants the Secretary of State the authority to direct all jurisdictions to conduct 2020
state primaries and the general election through mail-in balloting.A Secretary of State directive could
also include directives related to the closure of polling places.Secretary of State Simon testified in
support of this bill and described this as one of two tracks the state could consider addressing safety
concerns during the upcoming elections.MN Association of County Officers(MACO)also testified in
support of an all-mail-in balloting approach.Both testifiers said there are several jurisdictions that are
currently all mail-in balloting jurisdictions.Some members expressed opposition to this bill,noting
concerns of giving the Secretary of State excess authority.The bill was passed 10-7 and was referred to
the Ways and Means Committee.
A separate elections bill was heard in Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday morning.HF 3429
(Dehn)makes several technical changes to election administration for the 2020 state primary and state
general elections to respond to COVID-19.Included in the amended bill are deadlines for absentee
ballots and when they can be counted.The goal of the legislation is to provide local elections
administrators the time they need to count an expectedly high number of absentee ballots.The bill also
appropriates money through the Help America Vote Act,this includes the federal money given to
Minnesota and the required 20 percent state match.The bill was passed 27-2.
Bill Establishing a COVID-19 Relief Account Passes Senate
SF 4486(Sen.Rosen)passed the Senate this week,on a vote of 42-25.The bill creates an account for
federal COVID-19 funds,from which the Legislature would appropriate funding from the federal
Coronavirus Relief Fund.When funds are spent,MN Management and Budget(MMB)would close the
account.See the April 22 newsletter for a detailed discussion on the bill from when it was heard in the
Senate Finance Committee.
Members opposing the proposal expressed concern that a legislative process would be more
cumbersome.Arguments in favor of the bill centered on the legislature's ability to have a more
deliberative,inclusive,and transparent process when deciding how the money should be spent.Senator
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Metro Cities News 04/29/20 Page 3 of 4
Rosen noted that there is no pre-defined mechanism to get local units of government a share of the
funds.There is no companion bill in the House of Representatives.
Bills of Note
HF 4593,Hertaus/SF 4518,Anderson,P:Bill authorizes property tax payment delays for Class 3A
properties until July 15,2020.
HF 4595,Elkins/SF 4501 Franzen:Bill allows for tax increment financing pooling by up to 35 percentage
points for expenditures outside of the geographic area of the TIF district for certain housing projects.
SF 4528,Anderson,P.:Bill extends the due date for first half property tax payments for 3a and 4c(1)
properties.
SF 4525,Kiffineyer:Bill authorizes counties,cities,and townships to accept certain documents or
signatures electronically,by mail,or by facsimile.
Governor's COVID-19 Briefings
Below are highlights from this week's Monday and Tuesday briefings from Governor Walz.MN
Department of Health and other administration officials spoke at the briefings.See the state's COVID-19
web page for the latest specific health data.
Monday.
The state has ramped up outreach and education efforts with the food processing industry after COVID-
19 outbreaks in the Smithfield plant in South Dakota and the JBS plant in Worthington,MN.
Commissioner Petersen of the Department of Agriculture and Commissioner Leppink of the Department
of Labor and Industry were also on the call.Petersen spoke on behalf of concerned farmers from
across the state and said that while the food supply in MN is stable there may be some disruptions and
higher prices as other plants experience their own outbreaks.The state is working closely with local
public health departments to respond to reports of symptomatic employees at these facilities.
Commissioner Leppink elaborated on the collaboration across departments and their desire that
employers continue to seek out guidance from the state.
Tuesday.
The increase in lab-confirmed cases from Monday to Tuesday was the largest since the beginning of
the pandemic(365 new positive cases in a day).MDH Commissioner Malcolm and Director Ehresmann
said that the state will continue to see cases rise as testing capacity is increased.State Epidemiologist
&Medical Director,Ruth Lynfield was on the call to talk about serology testing.Dr.Lynfield explained
that antibody testing must be timed to an individual's exposure and it can take a week or longer for the
antibody levels to be detected using this method.Dr.Lynfield also made a point to say that research
has not been completed yet on the level of immunity individuals develop after recovering from COVID-
19.As it stands,a serology test that shows an individual has contracted and recovered from COVID-19
doesn't guarantee that person's immunity going forward.
Metro Cities COVID-19 Page
Metro Cities continues to update its COVID-19 resources page as information is available.On the page
you will find the Governor's Executive Orders and the latest information from the Department of Public
Health.Guidance from other MN state agencies such as the Department of Employment and Economic
Development(DEED)and the Department of Labor and Industry(DLI).You will also find the latest
information on federal action and what resources congress has made available to local governments.
Contact Metro Cities if there is a resource you are looking for not on this page.
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From: Mary Mccomber
To: Eric Johnson
Subject: Fwd:COVID-19: Pandemic Response Update I Issue 17
Date: Saturday,April 25,2020 9:54:29 AM
For weekly notes
-----Original Message-----
From: National League of Cities (NLC) <covid19@nlc.org>
To: marymccomber<marymccomber@aol.com>
Sent: Sat, Apr 25, 2020 9:28 am
Subject: COVID-19: Pandemic Response Update I Issue 17
If this message is not displaying properly,please view the online version.
National League of Cities
LEADERSHIP UPDATE
Colleagues,
I want to close out this week recognizing the extraordinary measures every one of us is taking to
respond to this pandemic. In just a matter of weeks, local leaders across this nation have created
supply chains, provided PPE for healthcare workers, procured testing, distributed food, housed
people experiencing homelessness, and so much more. We are meeting the needs of our
residents—but, we also know we can't do it alone.
While we were disappointed that the interim relief bill signed into law yesterday did not provide
direct support to local governments, we will not back down from our call for dedicated funding in
the fourth package currently in development. It will be an uphill battle, but it's one that we will fight
together!
Thank you for your unwavering service to your communities.
Sending you strength,
Joe Buscaino
® President, National League of Cities
President Pro Tempore, Los Angeles City Council
CEO FEDERAL ADVOCACY UPDATE I WATCH BELOW
101�
RESOURCES
UPCOMING EVENTS
WEBINAR I Protecting Local Government Cybersecurity During a Pandemic I Tuesday,
April 28, 3:00 PM ET
The sudden shift to conducting local government with a workforce and elected body working at
home has increased the risk of cyber threats for cities, towns and villages. Learn about the
increased risks to government operations, what steps you should take to ensure continuity and
defend against attacks, and what resources are available for communities. Register now.
MEMBER STATE CALLS I NLC is providing advocacy updates to members by state. Join
your state's call to learn how NLC is working to secure critical funds for cities, towns, and
villages in the fourth stimulus package. Calls can be found at NLC.org.
• Monday, April 27— Delaware at 11 am Et; West Virginia at 12 pm ET; South Dakota at
2 pm ET/ 1 pm CT; Colorado at 4 pm ET/2 pm PT
• Tuesday, April 28— New Jersey at 10 am ET; Oklahoma at 11 am ET/10 am CT; Idaho
at 11 am PT/1 pm ET; Ohio at 2 pm ET
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE I The American Planning Association NPC20 @ Home I April
29—May 1
The online conference explores rebuilding communities post-pandemic, local planning in the
digital era, and navigating the future of planning and economic recovery. Sessions include
keynote remarks from NLC CEO Clarence Anthony on Thursday, April 30 at 10 AM ET.
Register to watch live or via recordings. Please note this conference has a cost
associated registration.
ICYMI: TELE-TOWN HALL I Coronavirus: The Disparate Impact on Communities
Last week, NLC CEO Clarence Anthony joined AARP and thousands of their members for a
Tele-Town Hall to discuss why some communities and populations are being hit harder by the
pandemic and what local leaders are doing in response. Listen to the recording here.
BEST PRACTICES
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day during COVID-
19
April 22nd was the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Cities, towns
JR and villages are still committed to moving forward on climate
action, and the coronavirus gives local leaders the opportunity to
rethink how they achieve their ambitious goals. NLC experts'
reflect on how COVID-19 will change the way cities mitigate and
adapt to climate and environmental policy. Learn more.
What Cities Need to Do Now to Ensure Black Communities
Get Stimulus Payments
The federal government is sending money directly to people as
® part of the CARES Act. Some people have already received their
stimulus payment, some are waiting to receive them, and some
may never receive them unless they also receive guidance from
their city. Low-income Black individuals will likely face the greatest
challenges in receiving the stimulus payment. Read more.
Homelessness and the Critical Needs of Those Most At-Risk
For individuals who are housing insecure or experiencing
homelessness, stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders can be
®` near impossible to comply with. The big question local leaders
seek to answer: will the national response in this time of crisis lead
to long-term solutions for those living at the margins? Read more.
IN THE NEWS
Layoffs and spending cuts loom as coronavirus wallops state and city budgets
CNN Politics-April 24, 2020
Global climate battle shifts to once-in-a-generation government spending
Politico-April 23, 2020
Budget desperation deepens for local governments
Axios-April 22, 2020
From: Mary Mccomber
To: Eric Johnson
Subject: Fwd:COVID-19: Pandemic Response Update I Issue 18
Date: Tuesday,April 28,2020 8:47:28 AM
For weekly notes
-----Original Message-----
From: National League of Cities (NLC) <covid19@nlc.org>
To: marymccomber<marymccomber@aol.com>
Sent: Tue, Apr 28, 2020 8:35 am
Subject: COVID-19: Pandemic Response Update I Issue 18
If this message is not displaying properly,please view the online version.
National League of Cities
LEADERSHIP UPDATE
Colleagues,
For nearly two months, cities, towns and villages have been on the frontlines fighting this
pandemic. We have responded urgently with life-saving emergency measures, all while
experiencing devastating shortfalls in revenue. In fact, just in the month of April, state and local
governments have experienced a shortfall of$17.4 billion, according to the U.S. Department of
the Treasury.
As Congress and the Administration work on their next relief bill, we are in the financial fight of our
lives. Local governments—and the services we provide—are on the line. We need federal support
and we cannot take "no" for an answer any longer. We must keep on the pressure and fight for our
communities.
Stay tuned in the coming days and weeks for how you can get involved and make your voices
heard!
Sending you strength,
Joe Buscaino
®4 President, National League of Cities
President Pro Tempore, Los Angeles City Council
INTRODUCING: MAYORS ON THE FRONTLINES I WATCH BELOW
Mayors are on the frontlines during this novel coronavirus pandemic protecting the health and
welfare of their residents. NLC has partnered with IGNITE Cities to raise the voices of our mayors
doing this important work. Hear from Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot how she is protecting residents.
®w
RESOURCES
UPCOMING EVENTS
WEBINAR I Protecting Local Government Cybersecurity During a Pandemic I Tuesday,
April 28, 3:00 PM ET
The sudden shift to conducting local government with a workforce and elected body working at
home has increased the risk of cyber threats for cities, towns and villages. Learn about the
increased risks to government operations, what steps you should take to ensure continuity and
defend against attacks, and what resources are available for communities. Register now.
MEMBER STATE CALLS
NLC is providing advocacy updates to members by state. Join your state's call to learn how
NLC is working to secure critical funds for cities, towns, and villages in the fourth stimulus
package. Calls can be found at NLC.org.
• WEDNESDAY- New Hampshire (11 am ET); North Carolina (12 pm ET); Minnesota (1
pm CT); Montana (2:30 pm MT); Hispanic Local Elected Officials Member Call (1 pm
ET)
• THURSDAY-Connecticut (11 am ET); South Carolina (3 pm ET); Alaska (12 pm
AKDT); Women in Municipal Government Member Call (1 pm ET); Small Cities
Council (2 pm ET)
NLC/LEXIPOL VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE I Mitigating the Fiscal Impact of COVID-19 1
Wednesday, April 29, 1:00 PM ET
As the municipal response efforts to the COVID-19 crisis continues, municipal leaders must
begin to focus on the short-and long-term fiscal impacts and how to mitigate them. Join this
exclusive Virtual Roundtable with Lexipol. Participation is limited to ensure interaction and
assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign up by sending an email to bradley@nlc.org.
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE I The American Planning Association NPC20 @ Home I April
29–May 1
The online conference explores rebuilding communities post-pandemic, local planning in the
digital era, and navigating the future of planning and economic recovery. Sessions include
keynote remarks from NLC CEO Clarence Anthony on Thursday, April 30 at 10 AM ET.
Register to watch live or via recordings. Please note this conference has a cost associated
registration.
WEBINAR I Investing in Volatile Markets I Friday, May 1, 1:00 PM ET
ICMA-RC, NLC's exclusive retirement services partner knows many elected and local
government professionals are concerned about navigating through these challenging times.
This webinar can answer questions and help take a closer look at your current financial and
investment strategies considering the current environment. Register now.
FEMA Firefighters Grant Program
FEMA is accepting applications for the Fiscal Year 2020 the Assistance to Firefighters Grant-
COVID-19 Supplemental Program (AFG-S). AFG-S provides $100 million of financial
assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations
and state fire training academies. Visit the application portal here.
Public Results
Public Results uses SMS to help local elected officials and municipalities broaden their reach
and target constituencies not looped into existing alert systems and social media. They are
currently offering discounted pricing to be of service for COVID response. Please email
alan@publicresults.us for a free consultation.
BEST PRACTICES
The Supreme Court COVID-19 Slow Down
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is known for
its ceaselessness. After canceling oral argument for March and
JR, April, the Supreme Court is expected to issue about 56 opinions
this term—about the same number it issued in 1864, during the
Civil War. Amongst these 56 opinions, there are several significant
cases for state and local governments. Read more.
How Mesa is Using Data to Guide CARES Relief
Mesa is taking a proactive approach to learning about our
community needs. On April 6, Mesa, Arizona launched
JR, MesaCARES, a citywide initiative that assesses community needs
resulting from COVID-19. Councilmember David Luna shares his
city's proactive and on-going engagement with their residents,
non-profits and business community. Read more.
Rethinking Sidewalks and Streets in the Midst of COVID-19
In the long list of changes caused by COVID-19, how residents
move around their cities and towns has been one of the most
JR, pronounced shifts. Throughout the pandemic, cities are facing a
new demand from their residents: creating safe spaces for
residents to walk, run, bike, and get around while maintaining
social distancing. Read more.
IN THE NEWS
Across the Nation, Cities Hurry to Get Residents Connected
Governing-April 27, 2020
McConnell's bankruptcy suggestion boomerangs
The Bond Buyer-April 24, 2020
Why Coronavirus Is Disproportionately Affecting Minority Communities
The Kojo Nnamdi Show-April 21, 2020
National League of Cities
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660 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20001
Privacy Policy I @ 2020 NLC, All Rights Reserved
Powered by Higher Logic
From: Mary Mccomber
To: Eric Johnson
Subject: Fwd:COVID-19: Pandemic Response Update I Issue 19
Date: Thursday,April 30,2020 9:00:52 AM
For weekly notes-See Planning below
-----Original Message-----
From: National League of Cities (NLC) <covid19@nlc.org>
To: marymccomber@aol.com
Sent: Thu, Apr 30, 2020 8:55 am
Subject: COVID-19: Pandemic Response Update I Issue 19
If this message is not displaying properly,please view the online version.
National League of Cities
LEADERSHIP UPDATE
Colleagues,
As the fight for direct pandemic aid to cities, towns and villages stretches on, I want to take a
moment to talk about America's municipal workers and the plight they're facing. Based on new
data from the National League of Cities, between 300,000 and 1 million public sector workers
could be out of a job or without pay. The federal government must take notice: Our workers and
our critical systems need support, and they need it now.
These are real stories of real families with real implications. The local fight for funding is not over
until we see direct aid reach all communities on the frontline. Our goals and resolve remain
unwavering: We stand ready to partner with the federal government on an emergency funding
package to go directly to our nation's cities, towns and villages.
Sending you strength,
Joe Buscaino
® President, National League of Cities
President Pro Tempore, Los Angeles City Council
RESOURCES
UPCOMING EVENTS
MEMBER STATE CALLS
NLC is providing advocacy updates to members by state. Join your state's call to learn how
NLC is working to secure critical funds for cities, towns, and villages in the fourth stimulus
package. Calls can be found at NLC.org.
• Friday, May 1 —Maine (11 am ET); Florida (12 pm ET); Nebraska (2 pm ET); Wyoming
(3 pm ET); National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials
• Monday, May 4—Virginia (10 am ET); Georgia (3 pm ET)
• Tuesday, May 5—Vermont (10 am ET); Mississippi (12 pm ET); Illinois (2 pm ET);
Louisiana (3 pm ET)
Virtual Conference I The American Planning Association NPC20 @ Home I April 29—May
1
The online conference explores rebuilding communities post-pandemic, local planning in the
digital era, and navigating the future of planning and economic recovery. Sessions include
keynote remarks from NLC CEO Clarence Anthony on Thursday, April 30 at 10 AM ET.
Register to watch live or via recordings. Please note this conference has an associated
registration cost.
Webinar I Investing in Volatile Markets I Friday, May 1, 1:00 PM ET
ICMA-RC, NLC's exclusive retirement services partner knows many elected and local
government professionals are concerned about navigating through these challenging times.
This webinar can answer questions and help take a closer look at your current financial and
investment strategies considering the current environment. Register now.
OPPORTUNITIES
Bloomberg Philanthropies and the National League of Cities' COVID-19: Local Action
Tracker
The Local Action Tracker continues to highlight and uplift the efforts of local leaders. View the
updated Action Tracker and check back often as we continue to add more information from
cities, towns and villages.
OpenGov Enterprise Resource Planning Tool
OpenGov announces the launch of full-cloud ERP for local governments to streamline
financial management.
BEST PRACTICES
City Leaders Call for Data Disaggregation in COVID-19
Response
The COVID-19 crisis continues to exacerbate racial inequities in
health and healthcare access. We cannot know to what degree
this impact is being felt unless we have data on both disease
prevalence and death rates, as well as economic and social
impacts. Data must be broken down by race and ethnicity to show
differences between groups of people. Read more.
New Presidential Proclamation Limits Green Cards
Temporarily
When President Trump tweeted that he intended to temporarily
suspend immigration into the United States due to COVID-19 no
one quite knew what to expect. President Trump states he
adopted this proclamation due to the economic impact of COVID-
19. The State and Local Legal Center offers a closer look at the
proclamation. Read more.
On The Frontlines of COVID-19 with Chicago Mayor Lori
Lightfoot
Mayors are stepping up and making tough decisions during the
coronavirus pandemic to protect the health and welfare of their
residents. Local leaders are working to adopt and implement
strategies and best practices to combat COVID-19. Hear from
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on how she is slowing the spread in
her city. Read more.
IN THE NEWS
Mass layoffs begin in cities and states amid coronavirus fallout, threatening education,
sanitation, health and safety
The Washington Post-April 29, 2020
Democrats, tort lawyers pan McConnell's liability immunity idea
Roll Call-April 29, 2020
The Fed took a big step into the municipal market, but it won't be enough
The Bond Buyer-April 28, 2020
A LK
From: Mary Mccomber
To: Eric Johnson
Subject: Fwd:EMWREP Education Updates-May 2020
Date: Wednesday,April 29,2020 3:46:12 PM
Attachments: WaterPollution101 Toolkit impairments-20200203 RGBforPartners.pdf
For weekly notes?????
-----Original Message-----
From:Angie Hong<AHong@mnwcd.org>
To:Angie Hong<AHong@mnwcd.org>;algoodri@hotmail.com<algoodri@hotmail.com>
Sent:Wed,Apr 29,2020 3:32 pm
Subject:EMWREP Education Updates-May 2020
"All things seem possible in May."-Edwin Way Teale
Hello EMWREP Partners—
We're skipping through spring and almost to the start of the 2020 fishing season.We have one remaining"Planting for Pollinators'
workshop on May 14 and I've also added a new class about Wild Edibles on May S.In addition,we'll be offering this year's"St.Croix
Workshop on the Water'as a series of three webinars during the month of June.
Read on for quick updates on education happenings.
Angie
Program Updates:
1. Planting for Clean Water Workshops—183 participants so far.Two remaining workshops:May 5 and 14
2. St.Croix Virtual Workshops on the Water—Save the Date for June 3,10 and 17
3. Adopt-a-Drain—141 new adoptions.Viewing party on May 13.
4. MORE NEW MS4 Toolkit materials—Pollutants&Stressors;Household Waste Disposal;Small Scale Construction;and Stormwater
Management
Spring Workshops:Blue Thumb—Planting for Clean Water and pollinators...and wildlife
We've had great participation in our spring workshops,now being offered as webinars.During the months of March and April,we held four
workshops with a total of 183 participants.To find video recordings,presentation slides,and print resources from these and other
workshops,head to:www.mnwcd.org/planting-for-clean-water.
There are two remaining workshops scheduled in May:
• Wild Edible Plants:Tuesday,May 5 from 12:30-1:15pm—register here
• Planting for Pollinators:May 14 from 6-8pm—http://bit.ly/planting_4pollinators-afton
We also plan to offer two additional workshops during the late summer or early fall—hopefully in person.
� tt.
St.Croix Virtual Workshops on the Water
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,we will be offering a series of webinars for local community leaders in lieu of a summer
Workshop on the Water.Tune in during the month ofJune to learn about lakeshore and riverway rules,policies to protect pollinators,and
managing the impacts of high water.Each seminar will be 1hr long with 2-3 presentations per class.Save the following dates on your
calendars and look for a follow-up email with registration info soon.
Lake and Shoreline Management:June 3,2-3pm
*Offered in place of the June water consortium meeting
• Who's in charge?Understanding the different roles of state and local government
• Common scenarios:Can I do that with my property?
• Managing the impacts of high water
Landscaping and Habitat:June 10,2-3pm
• Planting for clean water and wildlife
• Policies to protect pollinators
• St.Croix virtual wildlife safari
St.Croix Riverway:June 17,2-3pm
• St.Croix Riverway land use regulations
• Enforcing vegetative cutting and clearing restrictions
These St.Croix Virtual Workshops on the Water will be offered in partnership by EMWREP,MN DNR,Washington County,and St.Croix River
Association.
Watershed Partners meeting&Adopt-a-Drain TPT`Viewing Party"
ADOlYT
May 13,9:30-11am online(https7//zoom.us/i/619932631,Meeting ID:619
p::ii` FOR
932 631)
ALONE-TOGETHEA 16 0r
EARTH DAY 0,CTION.
Join us to celebrate the launch of a new Adopt-a-Drain 90-second animated
DiRrHDAYLI
film that began airing on TPT on April 24.
1?70 202051
The meeting will also include a presentation by Leslie Yetka and Janna
Kieffer:Climate change and rainfall—where can/should/will all the water
go?
Adopt-a-Drain update:This spring,Watershed Partners launched a campaign encouraging Twin Cities residents to adopt a storm drain in
honor of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day.Read more here.The effort resulted in more than 1000 new sign-ups,including 141 new storm
drain adoptions in Washington County.Metro-wide,11,503 storm drains have been adopted since the Adopt-a-Drain program began.
NEW MS4 Toolkit Materials—May 2020 Update
Pollutants
The new MS4 Toolkit is now live on the MPCA Stormwater Wiki.Check out the website to find print &Stressors O
materials,videos,and training resources to help meet your stormwater education requirements.In
addition to the materials already on the website,EMWREP has produced dozens more that will
Bacteria
soon be added to the collection.
Pollutants&Stressors Phosphorus
Need help explaining the basic facts about common water pollutants such as phosphorus,bacteria
and sediment?Check out these new%page rack cards,attached and in this Roogle share folder.
The folder also includes a Spanish-language version and Illustrator files to edit and add your logo Chloride(salts)
and contact information.
Household Waste Disposal,Small Scale Construction,and Stormwater Management
Head to this gooele folder to find 1-pg fact sheets about Household Waste Disposal,Small Scale
Construction,and Stormwater Management.The folder also includes a Spanish-language version
and Illustrator files to edit and add your logo and contact information.
Please feel free to call(952-261-9599 cell)or email if you have any questions.Thanks!
Angie Hong
Water Education Senior Specialist
East Metro Water Resource Education Program
Representing Brown's Creek,Carnelian Marine-St.Croix,Comfort Lake-Forest Lake,Middle St.Croix,Ramsey -Washington Metro,Rice Creek,South
Washington and Valley Branch Watersheds,Cottage Grove,Dellwood,Forest Lake,Grant,Lake Elmo,Hugo,Newport,Oak Park Heights,Oakdale,
Stillwater,St.Paul Park,Willernie,West Lakeland,Woodbury,Washington County and the Washington Conservation District
C/O:Washington Conservation District
455 Hayward Ave.
Oakdale,MN 55128
anaie.ho na(o.mnwcd.ora
Phone:(651)330-8220x.35
Fax:(651)330-7747
www.mnwcd.ora/emwrep