City Manager's Update, 8-12-21

Aug. 12, 2021

Greetings! Depending on your point of view, this update is coming either a day late or a day early. Let me explain … The county releases COVID-19 data on Wednesday evenings, so I am going to provide my City Manager’s Update to you on Thursdays now. I’m also including information we’d normally share on Fridays. So, for the time being, you’ll get all the news we have to share in one email. Let me know how this works for you.

COVID-19 update

We are continuing to closely monitor increases in COVID-19 cases, both in the region and here in Carlsbad. Here is a link to the most recent “COVID Watch” data from the county, and below are some highlights, starting with the original “triggers” dashboard:

I originally planned to share the charts above, but as I was getting ready to send this update, I saw this graphic that was shared by the county.

It’s the same information as the chart on the right, but it leaves a much bigger impression.

Carlsbad cases

Here in Carlsbad, we monitor active cases, meaning people who are estimated to have COVID-19 currently. You can see this number has gone up quite a bit.

Even though cases are increasing, we continue to have the lowest case rates in the region, among cities with 50,000 or more people. This is due to our collective efforts to follow health guidance and slow the spread. Thank you!

New testing sites opening

Yesterday the county announced four new testing centers, one of which is in North County:

North County Lifeline – Opens Aug. 12

200 Michigan Ave., Vista CA

Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

This is in addition to the six county sites opened last week. As you might recall, the county had been scaling back testing sites or turning them into vaccination sites. As we have all learned by now, adaptability is key during COVID.

Here is a link to the county’s testing webpage.

And here is the CDC’s guidance on who should get tested and when.

Vaccination progress

Here are the latest stats from the county on vaccinations:
Doses administered: More than 4.4 million.
Received at least one shot: About 2.33 million or 83.1% of San Diegans 12 and older are partially vaccinated.
Fully vaccinated: Over 2.04 million or 72.8% of the population.

More vaccination information can be found coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine.

New health precautions in place

Because of all this, and based on the latest health recommendations from the county, California Department of Public Health and CDC, we have decided to make two changes in city operations:

Masks: Starting this week, everyone coming into a city facility must wear a mask. We had already required all city employees to wear masks indoors, but this additional step will help further reduce the chance of COVID-19 spread, protecting our workers and the community.
Virtual meetings: For the month of August, all public meetings will be held virtually, including City Council meetings.

I know this might feel like a step back, but it won’t be forever. We will continue to monitor health data and adjust as needed, with the health of our community and workforce always remaining the highest priorities.

As we continue to respond to COVID-19, the city remains very busy with our usual business. Here are some highlights:

Housing sites to be discussed

City planners have created two maps showing where the community thinks about 3,900 new housing units could be located to satisfy the state’s requirement that cities accommodate their fair share of the region’s housing needs. The maps will be presented to the City Council Aug. 17 with a request to begin the public input process.

One map shows potential housing sites based on criteria prioritized by the public during a 2020 online survey that garnered nearly 5,000 responses.
The other reflects the priorities of a citizens advisory group formed by the City Council to help update the city’s overall housing plan.
The main difference between the two maps is that survey respondents wanted to see vacant industrial land converted to housing while the advisory committee favored increasing minimum densities on residential properties.

The staff report with the maps will be available tomorrow on this page when the agenda is posted. If you want to get notified about next steps in this process, you can sign up online (select Housing Plan update). I’ll also be sure to share links in these weekly updates about the online survey and other ways you can provide comments.

Yesterday was the application deadline for the District 1 City Council vacancy. A total of 13 residents applied. At its next meeting Aug. 17, the City Council will finalize the public interview process, which is scheduled for Aug. 24 at 3 p.m. Find out more information about the process, who applied, and how you can provide input.

Strong relationships and two-way communication are both critical components of public safety. That’s why we encourage you to stop by one of our upcoming Meet the Chief get-togethers for incoming Police Chief Mickey Williams.

Starting next Wednesday, these casual outdoor meet and greets will give residents of all four Carlsbad City Council districts a chance to meet Chief Williams in person, ask questions and share ideas.
District City Council members and officers assigned to your neighborhood will also be on hand.
Stop by with the kids, pop by for a quick hello or bring a picnic and make an evening of it.

New recruiter app helps find jobs in Carlsbad

This week the city is launching a new recruiting tool as part of our Life in Action economic development program.

The free, digital service matches residents with local companies looking to hire candidates with a wide variety of skills and backgrounds.
Visit our Life in Action website and click on “Get Recruited” to get started.
Then, answer a few questions to join the city’s list of interested candidates.
You can also upload your resume, view open positions, access regional job boards and read up on the latest news about Carlsbad companies.

Upcoming meetings

I mentioned a couple of topics that will be discussed at next week’s City Council meeting. Here is the full list of topics planned. (Please note that virtual City Council meetings in August will start at 3 p.m. not 6 p.m.)

An update on the city’s investments
Revising city pay schedules to accommodate two new positions, including part-time emergency medical technicians
Accepting an incentive payment from SDG&E for the energy-efficient design of the new Fire Station 2, now under construction
Hiring a company to begin design and engineering work for the missing section of College Boulevard between El Camino Real and College Boulevard.
Changing the city’s code (laws) with a simplified permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations
Reviewing potential sites for new housing in Carlsbad and approving the process to get input from the public.
Approving the questions, interview and appointment process for applicants for the City Council’s vacant District 1 seat.
Appointments to the Traffic & Mobility, Housing and Arts commissions

City Council subcommittee meetings

No boards or commissions are meeting next week, but we do have two City Council subcommittees scheduled:

Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting

Aug 16, 4 p.m.

Legislative Subcommittee Meeting

Aug. 17, 9 a.m.

These meetings will be held virtually. More information on agendas, how to participate and how to watch the meeting can be found here.

That’s it for this week. I know for many of you the start of a new school year is right around the corner. For others, this time means Carlsbad’s weather is warm and beaches have a little more elbow room. Either way, please continue to do what you can to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help us all get back to enjoying the many things that make this place so special.

Scott Chadwick

City Manager