Last week Public Health - Seattle & King County launched an online dashboard that provides daily updates on COVID-19 cases and deaths: www.kingcounty.gov/covid/data

 

The dashboard provides data on how many people have been tested, numbers of positive tests in each city or zipcode, age ranges of those who test positive or who have died, and more.

 

King County will update the dashboard daily in the early afternoon, pending the receipt of data from key sources, including the Washington State Department of Health; the dashboard includes a timestamp of the most recent updates.

 

Due to delays in reporting data from various laboratories, case totals are commonly reported two or three days later. While a graph showing the trend of COVID-19 cases may appear to be flat or declining, King County notes that we must assume that this does not actually represent a decline at this time.  Online users can hover over key data points to reveal important information and a  mobile version  is also available.

 

To learn more about the City of Mercer Island's ongoing coronavirus planning and response, residents are also invited to watch the City Manager's Thursday afternoon videoconference updates on YouTube or MITV Cable Channel 21; questions may be Emailed in advance (by Thursday Noon) to: [email protected].  

Last week, the City launched a new hotline and Email for all your questions related to the coronavirus response and plans going forward...

If you can't find the information on our Let's Talk website pages, or you're just not not sure where to start, please call 206-275-7626 (Monday-Friday, 8:00am-7:00pm) to get answers from our staff.  If you receive a voice message when you call, feel free to leave a voicemail and staff will call you back. Alternatively, Emails can be sent to the call center a t this address: [email protected]. 

Next week, the City Council will be experimenting with a whole new way of conducting its twice a month meeting using live videoconferencing. In order to hold the meeting while still following Governor Inslee's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order, staff have been testing various meeting platforms for feasibility.

 

On Tuesday, April 7, secure video conferencing technology provided by Zoom will allow staff and Councilmembers to participate from a number of remote locations. Starting at 5:00pm, the live feed of the video conference will toggle between speakers and will be relayed on the City Council's YouTube Channel and on MITV Cable Channel 21.

 

In addition to the livestream, there is also an option to simply listen to the meeting by phone by calling (253) 215-8782 and entering the Webinar ID: 509 061 969 when prompted. The Meeting Agenda will be available as usual in advance on the City website. 

 

According to the Governor's Proclamation, topics on the agenda can cover areas that are necessary and routine. For this meeting, those items include accounts payable, payroll certification, minutes, and grant applications. Additional agenda items that are necessary in response to the COVID-19 outbreak include City Council Line of Succession, an ordinance providing for an extension on B&O tax payments, and a financial status report.

 

Public comments will not be included in the agenda for this first meeting, but residents with feedback for Council on current issues or agenda items are invited to submit them in advance at the Let's Talk Council Connects page.  

As part of its evolving response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and following various clarifications related to Governor Inslee's " Stay Home" Order (issued March 23), the City last week announced adjustments to some fees, programs, and services.

Public Records Requests: will be delayed due to limited staffing and the closure of City Hall, per Governor Inslee's Proclamation 20-28. The City's online records portal remains available anytime. 

Permitting and Construction: most residential and commercial construction (with some exceptions) is now prohibited by the Governor and staff are actively reaching out to the MI building community to encourage compliance. The City continues to perform technical review of large and complex commercial applications, but has suspended the issuance of final permits due to the postponement of necessary public hearings. To lodge a complaint about ongoing construction work, please first review the list of exceptions ( see Memo here), then call the City's coronavirus hotline: 206-275-7626.

Business Licenses: the State Business Licensing Service, which issues the licenses for Mercer Island, announced that it will temporarily suspend automatic terminations of expired business licenses, and will also waive late penalties. 

For the next several weeks on Tuesdays, the City and the Chamber of Commerce are highlighting the many Island eateries that are still o pen for take-out or delivery. Take-Out Tuesday encourages residents who are getting tired of cooking at home to take a break and order from a local restaurant one night per week.

 

Diners who have enjoyed a tasty meal from a favorite local spot are asked to share pictures on their social media network, and invite their friends and family to do the same. Up to date information on hours and availability can now be found on a great new online map (thank you Fexy Media!) or view a clickable list on the City's Let's Talk site.

 

Contact Sarah Bluvas, the City's Small Business Liaison at [email protected] with questions.

 

Thank you for supporting ALL local businesses during this uncertain time!

A few months ago, the City announced the arrival of the newest member of its heavy equipment fleet: our Vactor/Jetter Truck that cleans out sewer pipes. In combination with closed-circuit TV cameras, this high-tech tool can identify and repair clogs due to roots, grease, pipe defects, and more.

 

Unfortunately, with so many people now working from home due to the coronavirus outbreak, sewer systems across the region are seeing a lot more items that don't belong, especially sanitizing wipes. 

Please DO NOT flush wipes, despite what the packaging may claim, as they can cause significant clogs. No one wants that! All wipes must go in the garbage.

 

Learn more: www.mercergov.org/Sewer