City of Benicia This Week
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In this edition: Vaccine Clinic a Success, Shop Online at Benicia Marketplace, Earth Day Cleanup, When Will the Library Reopen?, City Employee Spotlight, COVID Assistance
Message from the City Manager
Month Day, 2021

Hello Everyone,
There has been a lot of questions and concern lately regarding homelessness, with several very visible homeless in the downtown area. I hear concern about the increasing trends of homelessness across the Bay Area and worries about an uptick in homelessness in Benicia. Fortunately, despite the more visible individuals downtown, our homeless numbers have stayed fairly constant, while all around us numbers increase. I believe this has largely been due to our philosophy and response to homelessness. First, we make every attempt to assist homeless in our community to connect with services. We have an ongoing contract with Shelter Solano, where we have a guaranteed bed (and the ability to reserve more than one bed if needed and available). Shelter Solano is not what most people would think of as a traditional shelter. It is a place where clients get wrap-around services, with secured housing, a dining facility and mental health and addiction services. Often clients are there for months. The City of Benicia works very hard to get those experiencing homelessness a spot there, where they can get on the path to recovery and longer-termed housing solutions. We have an officer assigned as our homeless liaison, and she works tirelessly to try and get services to those in need. Our Family Resource Center will also step in and assist when needed, with occasional hotel stays, clothing, food and food gift cards. Officer Maricella Ticknor can be reached at mticknor@ci.benicia.ca.us, or through our dispatch center at 707.745.3411.
 
Another resource for temporary shelter is the Solano Dream Center, which houses homelesspersons overnight in churches across Solano County. This program has been vetted by our police department and is a part of the County’s continuum of care for homeless. Participants sign up and agree to abide by a set of rules. They are picked up at specific locations across the county and transported to various participant churches. They are fed and stay overnight with a host present. They are then transported back to the pickup location in the morning (www.solanodreamcenter.org/who-we-are).
 
Many homeless are resistant to receiving services. This is most frequently due to mental health and drug addiction issues. Sometimes its because they have had negative experiences in shelters, don’t want to have to abide by rules, are concerned about privacy, and many other reasons. That said, even with mental health issues and drug addiction issues we cannot force people into accepting services. Along with compassion as our primary principle in our response to homelessness, when we receive a complaint about homelessness we must adhere to the Constitution and the law. New case law has limited enforcement of some laws often associated with homelessness in certain circumstances. By providing access to shelter and bathrooms, the City of Benicia is able to enforce its laws. That said, the recent push towards decriminalization in California has made the enforcement and prosecution of low-level offences very difficult.
 
One important way the community can help is to provide assistance to those who provide services in Solano County, rather than providing money or other things directly to the homeless. Encourage them to reach out to our homeless liaison, who will get them to shelter. For many, the cycle will continue until they are stabilized in housing and have wrap-around services to address their mental health and addiction issues.
 
I serve on the board of directors of the County’s Joint Powers Authority for homelessness, the Community Action Partnership (CAP Solano – www.capsolanojpa.org). Please see our website for more information about the work we are doing on this important issue. Our vision – “Providing a pathway to housing for everyone in Solano County”.

Thank you for your interest in the City of Benicia This Week!

Erik Upson
City Manager
City News
Vaccine Clinic a Success
The City of Benicia hosted it's third vaccine clinic last Thursday. After the previous clinics where 1,500 first and second doses of Moderna vaccines were administered, this clinic was relatively small at 400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 236 of those doses went to Benicia residents.

Vaccine availability is expected to be reduced over the next week or so. Here is information to help locate a vaccine for you or those you love:


The City of Benicia hopes to host future clinics but often receive very short notice. Follow us on Nextdoor, Facebook or Twitter to receive the latest vaccine news for Benicia residents. For questions or comments, please email Teri Davena at tdavena@ci.benicia.ca.us.
Shop Online at Benicia Marketplace
Late last week, the City of Benicia announced the launch of Benicia Marketplace, an online shopping destination that makes it easy for people to browse and purchase from Benicia’s many charming and unique local businesses, all from the comfort of their home. 

The website offers a wide variety of items and services, including clothing & apparel, art classes and take out & delivery options from local eateries. In addition, visitors can purchase citywide eGift cards from the Shop Benicia program, which are redeemable at many Benicia businesses.

“We are thrilled to provide this service for our beloved businesses,” says Teri Davena, Economic Development Specialist for the City of Benicia. “With COVID, the past year has really transformed the way people approach retail shopping, with online browsing and shopping becoming a significant part of how people decide what to buy. Benicia Marketplace provides a modern and convenient way to support the small local businesses that define our community.” 

Benicia Marketplace offers online shopping for:
  • Fashion
  • Art
  • Home + Life
  • Food + Drink
  • Health + Beauty
  • Tours + Services
  • Classes
  • Event Tickets
  • eGift Cards

Shoppers can make purchases in a number of different ways: via PayPal through the Benicia Marketplace website, via the business’s current online store, or direct via email. Be sure to check the website frequently, as there may be one-of-a-kind items such as art, antiques and vintage clothing available for a limited time. New items are being added daily.

See it for yourself at: www.visitbenicia.org/marketplace
Earth Day Cleanup
In honor of the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, Solano Resource Conservation District, organizers for the annual Solano County Earth Day Cleanup, is hosting a week-long digital event April 19-24, offering simple, sustainable solutions (or daily tips), featuring local community cleanup groups each day. The week will culminate in a self-directed volunteer trash cleanup on Saturday, April 24. These activities and how to get involved are described on the Cleanup Solano website, www.cleanupsolano.org.

Benicia Litter Pickers is hosting the local cleanup event with support from the City in the form of donation of gloves and bags in addition to providing a drop off place for trash. Volunteers will pick up trash in small groups around town and in the industrial park. If you'd like to get involved, sign up at https://benicialitterpickers.org/contact-us-or-get-involved. They'll have litter grabbers and vests available, too.

Details:
  • Event Date: Saturday April 24, 8 a.m - noon. These times are flexible, you can pick up litter whenever you feel like it.
  • Litter Drop Off: Saturday April 24, noon - 2 p.m. at Benicia Corp Yard, 2400 East 2nd Street. 
When Will the Library Reopen?
Benicia Public Library staff look forward to a gradual re-opening of the library building to the public, beginning two weeks after the County’s entry into the orange tier. Meanwhile, Library staff continue to provide curbside pickup of materials, as they have since last June. The re-opening plans are based on the need to keep staff and the public safe, and have been in place since the tier system was implemented last summer.

Library workers were recently added to the list of eligible classifications for COVID vaccination and will soon enjoy the greater protection that comes from vaccination, increasing the safety for all. 

Initially, in-library open hours will alternate with curbside pickup days, with the library’s doors open for browsing, holds pickup, computer use, and in-person reference assistance Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Capacity will be limited and patrons will be encouraged to spend no more than one hour inside. Sanitation will be regularly scheduled throughout each day. Curbside pickup will continue on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Gradually, indoor hours and capacity will be increased, depending on the continued progress of the County overall, and staff will determine how long to continue offering curbside pickup for those who prefer it.
City Employee Spotlight
Della Olm, Benicia Fire Department Management Analyst, graduated from Benicia High School and then attended University of California Berkeley where she received a bachelor's degree in Public Health. After college, she was hired by the City of Benicia as an Administrative Secretary for the Community Development Department. In January 2020, she was promoted to Management Analyst with the Benicia Fire Department. Her normal fire department responsibilities include grant management, financial analysis, report writing, and executing various special projects.

Very shortly after transferring to fire, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Della took on a major role in the City's COVID response and assisted the City's COVID team with various responsibilities. These included drafting and updating the City's COVID website, implementing and communicating local, State, and Federal laws and guidelines, organizing the City's COVID response team meetings, and operating three major COVID-19 vaccine clinics.

In her free time, Della enjoys spending quality time with her 3 year old son, Rhys. As a local mom of a young child, Della is also very involved with the Benicia Moms Group.

The pandemic gave Della the opportunity to explore different parks and hiking trails within the City. She especially enjoys hanging out at Ninth Street beach and hiking the trail above Channing Circle Park. Getting outside during the pandemic has been so important for both Della and her son, and she is grateful to live in a beautiful community that values its parks and trails. Now that many businesses have reopened, Della loves going out to eat at One House Bakery or getting sushi from Izakaya. Rhys's favorite activity is biking along First Street and stopping at Double Rainbow to get an ice cream cone.
COVID Assistance
Find resources and information for seniors, local food access, basic needs and rental assistance, mental health, stress and coping, and more courtesy of Solano County Public Health. Benicia residents in need of help during these difficult times may find assistance through these local resources:
Press Releases


Recent City of Benicia Press Releases are available on the City of Benicia website under Main/Announcements.
Save the Date
  • Apr 12 - Human Services Board meeting, 6 p.m. via livestream. See the Full Agenda for more information.
  • Apr 13 - Board of Library Trustees meeting, 6:30 p.m. via livestream. See the Full Agenda for more information.
  • Apr 14 - Parks, Recreations & Cemetery Commission meeting, 6:30 p.m. via livestream. See the Full Agenda for more information.
  • Apr 15 - Public Arts Sub-committee meeting, 6:30 p.m. via livestream. See the Full Agenda for more information.
  • Apr 16 - City Offices closed for Alternate Friday.
Modified service due to COVID-19
City Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you require entrance to City Hall offices outside of these hours, please make arrangements with staff from the department that you will be visiting.

All visitors shall be required to enter City Hall from East L street through the door located on the left (East) side of the building closest to the Post Office. Please check in with the staff person at the designated Welcome Window.

You will be required to wear a face covering over both your nose and mouth for the duration of your visit to City Hall. Please maintain 6 feet of social distancing between other visitors and staff. Do not visit City Hall if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Appointments can always be rescheduled.
City of Benicia This Week is published each Monday morning. Previous editions are available here. We also communicate on Nextdoor.com and AlertSolano.com. Sign up now!