|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
LETTER FROM MAYOR EISEN. June 9, 2020 – Letter from Mayor Adam Eisen.
Mayor Eisen on Law Enforcement, Count vs State Orders, Covid Testing
Dear Half Moon Bay Community (Para ver esta carta en español, oprime aquí),
I’d like to offer my best wishes to all in the community – I hope you are doing well, staying healthy, and keeping your families safe.
Sheriff’s Department/Law Enforcement Discussion:
I think most of you know that Half Moon Bay has contracted with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services for the past nine years. Next Tuesday evening, the City Council will hold a special meeting (online) starting at 6 p.m., to open a discussion around law enforcement and police services (the regular meeting starts at 7 p.m.).
We felt it was crucial to have a public dialogue – the first of several, I’m sure – about law enforcement and police services in Half Moon Bay. We all need a chance to share our thoughts and ideas on this, in light of the national focus on racial injustice, and the indefensible excessive use-of-force in the death of George Floyd, and others.
Sheriff’s Captain Saul Lopez, who is our top law enforcement officer on the Coastside, will be at the meeting. This is as an opportunity for us all to hear each other’s voices around the wider law enforcement and social justice issues which are rightly of such great concern to each and every one of us. A constructive discussion on these issues can only help us to improve, to be more cognizant of the realities of social inequality and racial injustice, in relation to our everyday lives and our local law enforcement.
I know I can count on my Council colleagues, and you – our thoughtful community members – to have a productive conversation. Let’s look at this as a starting point for an improved understanding and connection with the full range of diversity that comprises our community, and how we can be the change that we want to see (to slightly paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi).
As a City, we intend to expand our engagement with local policing issues, toward ensuring that law enforcement focuses on community policing, while protecting our residents, our businesses, and our visitors. I hope that many of you will be part of this discussion.
Last Week’s Protest:
I was honored to be part of last week’s Coastside protest commemorating George Floyd, and speaking against systemic racial inequality. Our Half Moon Bay community, and the rest of the Coastside, showed what it means to take a stand, peacefully protest, raise awareness, and bring focus to this critical issue. I’m proud of our community, and humbled by the many, many thoughtful people who are giving their time to be involved. I am also very thankful to the protest organizers – I expect and hope we will see further momentum for this cause in the coming weeks and months.
Assemblyman Berman’s Statement on Systemic Racism:
District 24 State Assembly Member Marc Berman recently sent out a very thoughtful, and brutally honest, statement which he entitled, “Some are guilty, but all are responsible.” I found it to be a moving, candid assessment of where we are today, and how we all must share responsibility for how we got here. I encourage you to read it on the City’s website, where we posted it along with some of my recent statements concerning this painful issue.
County vs State Orders – Where Do We Stand?
As we posted on our social media on Friday, the County’s order was revised to allow for additional sectors to open. This included outdoor dining, church services, and outdoor museums, among others. The County’s news release regarding the order modifications is available online. The City continues to work with local businesses to help them navigate as they move toward reopening.
The State also released guidance that will allow for the opening of additional sectors for those counties that have met certain readiness criteria. Some of these sectors include bars, wineries, movie theaters, museums, gyms, and others. However,… as a reminder, the County of San Mateo has NOT met those State readiness criteria, and therefore only the sectors allowed under our County-specific order are permitted to open at this time.
Half Moon Bay COVID-19 Verily Testing Site:
Now in its second week, COVID-19 testing will be available at Cunha Intermediate School this Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Residents can sign up 72 hours before the testing site opens by visiting the Verily “Project Baseline” website. Those who’d like to get tested must register in advance and must be 18 years of age or older. The testing site will move to another location in the county for two weeks, then return to the coast. Remember that testing, tracing, and containment is of extreme importance as move through the phases of reopening. Please do take advantage of this free resource.
Sustainability Update:
It is time to take climate action in your kitchen! This month in recognition of Earth Year, the City is helping you find ways to fight food waste. Reducing food waste is something that we can all do to fight climate change, right now at home, and without new technology or buying something new.
Did you know, for example, that tossing leftovers from the back of the fridge or letting those berries get moldy has a big cumulative climate impact? When we waste food, we are wasting ALL the energy, water, and resources that went into producing that food. So, this month, we’re focusing on helping you find ways to reuse your leftovers and food scraps in exciting new ways! Visit our Earth Year web page for a fridge reality checklist to help you get a handle on your household food waste, along with other tips and tricks to get started.
Pacific Coast Beach Coalition’s Street to Beach Cleanup:
As residents in Half Moon Bay, we are all energetically protective of the coastline, the bluffs, and the beaches. I want to encourage you to use some of that energy and sign up for the Pacific Coast Beach Coalitions’ Street to Beach Cleanup program.
This is an activity that this organization is publicizing, since their regular monthly group cleanups can’t presently be scheduled due to the shelter-in-place order. In the meantime, you’re encouraged to go out in your neighborhood, favorite park, around your block or to your favorite beach to pick up litter.
Visit them online for all the details and to sign up.
And, this is called a Street to Beach cleanup for a very good reason: keeping our streets clean keeps trash from entering storm drains, which in turn helps keep our waterways and beaches clean, too.
Poplar Beach Stairs Re-Opening:
Many of you know about a much-needed construction project we started last month, to repair and improve the so-called “vertical” access to Poplar Beach. That’s the well-used pedestrian access from the bluff top down to Poplar beach, which has continued to erode leaving the slope and pathway bare, steep, and difficult to navigate. This project created stepped access and added handrails for safety, along with improvements to the drainage along the staircase to ensure proper runoff flow away from the bluff.
I’m happy to report that this project is completed and we will officially re-open the stair access to Poplar Beach on Monday, June 15 with a small ribbon cutting ceremony – complying with all appropriate physical distancing protocols of course. If you happen to be near there, on the beach or on the Coastal Trail, at 3:30 on Monday, feel free to show your support by waving or clapping – from a distance.
Repairing and improving this access at Poplar Beach has been a City and community priority, and it supports both the Infrastructure and Environment and Public Safety elements of the City Council’s Strategic Plan. We’re happy to have been able to get it done during the last month, and I hope you can come enjoy the wonderful results soon.
PG&E Frenchman’s Creek Project:
Starting in July, PG&E will begin replacing all gas mains and laterals in the Frenchman’s Creek Subdivision. Field investigations start June 15, with a tentative project start date of July 6. Residents will receive mail notification and automated calls from PG&E. The contact for this project is Alexandra Piredda, PG&E Gas Outreach Specialist, who can be reached at 650-598-7416.
June 16, 2020 City Council meeting:
Next week’s Council meeting will include a few items that may be of interest to you. Take a look at the list below, and if you’re interested, watch for our agenda packet to be published Friday evening.
- Law Enforcement Annual Contract (Sheriff’s Department)
- Adoption of the FY 20-21 Annual Budget
- Revisions to Master Fee Schedule
- Purchase Financing for 880 Stone Pine Road
As always, feel free to email me with any comments or concerns. And be sure to stay informed by visiting the City’s COVID-19 Daily Updates webpage, and our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Nextdoor feeds.
Together in partnership,
Adam Eisen
Mayor
Author: Coastside Buzz
Me
