The week of May 15-21 is National Public Works Week, with the theme of “Ready and Resilient,” which highlights the ability of public works professionals to carry out their duties as first responders during storms and natural disasters. The Pacifica Public Works Department will be holding an Open House on Wednesday, May 18, 9:00 a.m. to noon at the public works yard at 155 Milagra Drive. Come on out to meet staff, see equipment on display, and enjoy some interactive learning about each division/function of public works.

It has been a while since I’ve highlighted COVID-19 variant information. Note that today twelve Bay Area health officers are stressing the importance of taking safety precautions, such as masking indoors, because the region now has California’s highest infection rates with a new swell of cases and hospitalizations fueled by highly contagious Omicron subvariants, press release here.

While our Police Officers are trained to assist those experiencing a mental health crisis, they strive to help community members connect to mental health resources before the crisis. San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services will be hosting events and promoting services throughout the month of May to help support mental health. Follow this link for more details.

Looking for a summer job? Part–time work? New career path? Extra spending money? Join us! Click here to view current job opportunities and participating Pacifica employers. Meet employers directly, and interview on the spot! Hiring experts will be on-site to provide real-time resume and interviewing tips. Many positions require NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE!

Preregistered attendees will be entered into a drawing for valuable prizes including a $100 gas card, 3-month membership to Anytime Fitness, and 2 tickets to Spindrift's Spring Show "Chicago".

Register here. If you have any questions, please email EDC@pacifica.gov.

The public is invited to join us at the Public Works Corporation Yard for an open house event at 155 Milagra Drive. Public Works staff will be showcasing equipment and giving tours of the yard. Field Services, Wastewater, and Engineering will have booths set up for attendees to learn more about the work they do for Pacifica. Hope to see you there!

Restaurants in Pacifica should consider registering for Peninsula Restaurant Week & gain exposure through multiple platforms including the San Mateo Daily Journal! Click here for more information.

There are still a few hours left to donate to the Pacifica Education Foundation which raises much-needed funds to support elementary music, middle school band, SPARC Poetry, and other programs in the Pacifica School District. Visit the Pacifica Education Foundation website to find out other opportunities show your support.

The North County Fire Authority has a few safety tips. Please see the infographics, below.

Pacifica Senior Services is offering two upcoming day trips to the Jim Henson Exhibition on May 19 and to the Charles Schulz Museum on June 14. Click on the flyers below for more information or contact Senior Services at 650-738-7384.

Effective, transparent policing in any community involves continual, robust communication between community members and their Police Department. Seeking to increase the communication between the Pacifica Police Department and the incredible, engaged community we serve, the Pacifica City Council has authorized the formation of the Police Chief’s Advisory Panel.

The Panel will consist of no more than ten community members that represent a diverse cross section of the community. Panelists will meet as a group once per month with the Chief of Police to discuss policing and issues in the community. The Panel will serve as a conduit for a back and forth flow of communication with the Chief of Police and the community.

Click here for an informational packet containing a panelist application.

Pre-pandemic, Bike to Work Day (BTWD) was a celebration of bicycles as a fun and healthy way to get to work, as well as an opportunity for those who don’t usually bike commute to try it out! It’s also a time to advocate for improved bicycle infrastructure and safety.

The Bike to Work Day celebration will take place on Friday, May 20^th 6:30am-9:00am at the corner of Reina Del Mar and Highway 1. Come out to receive your 2022 commemorative bag! Everyone on two wheels is welcome!

More information on other engagement opportunities during bike month can be found here.

2022 is Our Year of Ending Homelessness Together in San Mateo County. Ending homelessness is the highest priority for the County of San Mateo and the Board of Supervisors, but we can’t do this alone.

Please join Supervisor Don Horsley at upcoming virtual events:

And if you missed it, watch a video invitation from County Executive Mike Callagy here. Visit smcendinghomelessness.org for more information and to view the recording from the April 22 Event.

The City of Pacifica’s anticipated Tree Ordinance Community Outreach and Benchmarking Study is ready for public review here. The study is a report that summarizes the City's extensive efforts to receive public input to assist in the update of the City’s current Heritage Tree Ordinance. The City hired Davey Resource Group (DRG) to conduct several meetings to facilitate discussions, obtain community comments and input, and provide information on best industry standards.

DRG performed a benchmarking study analyzing eight other regional cities’ Heritage Tree Ordinances. In addition, the City and DRG held a joint Planning Commission/Parks, Beaches, & Recreation Commission/Beautification Advisory Committee meeting, a virtual community meeting, Pop-up events at the Farmer’s Market, presented to the Rotary Climate Action Team and conducted on-line polling with the community to receive input.   This input helped guide DRG with the preparation of the report and recommendations on updating the current ordinance.

As the City in now releasing the report, interested parties will have a month to review and provide any additional comments. City staff will present the report to the City Council on May 23, 2022 at a Study Session to receive Council input related to revisions and updates to the current Heritage Tree Ordinance. Based on Council input, City staff will then introduce the updated Heritage Tree Ordinance for the City Council’s consideration, tentatively anticipated for June 27, 2022.

The City is encouraging the public to e-mail any comments related to the report to engineering@ci.pacifica.ca.us and to attend the above meetings to provide any additional public input. Thank you for your participation in this important process!

After two long years, the City of Pacifica is reintroducing summer programming at the Jean E. Brink Pool. Wet and Wild Camp is a weeklong aquatic recreation camp for your child to polish off their swimming skills, learn about water safety, beach safety, play water sports, field games, introduction to surfing in the pool, explore the Pacifica pier, hike the coast, and make new friends! Don’t let your child miss out on this great opportunity. Register here.

Please click here to view the County's COVID-19 webpage for more information and read the latest San Mateo County Health Chief Update regarding COVID-19.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 8 AM to 8 PM, there will be a COVID-19 testing site located at 1900 Francisco Boulevard (on the City parking lot, south of the Little Brown Church). To find other testing sites in San Mateo County, visit www.smcgov.org/covid-19-testing.

Visit CalOpps to learn about the different recruitment opportunities. Apply for a position on our City Team, today!

Please note: This newsletter is sent weekly on Friday and content is current at that time. Those who have not opened the email by Monday receive a reminder email, and some content may no longer be current.

Recent City of Pacifica and Pacifica Police Department press releases are available on the City of Pacifica website under City Government - Press Releases & Media Bulletins.