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06-02-2020 COVID-19Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 1 Overview Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 2 Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 3 Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 4 Stay Home, Stay Healthy ended on May 31 replaced by Safe Start – Washington’s Phased Reopening In this new approach, counties will now have more flexibility and the ability to apply to the Secretary of Health to demonstrate they can safely allow additional economic activity based on target metrics and a holistic review of their COVID-19 activity and ability to respond. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 5 Safe Start – Washington’s Phased Reopening Each county will be required to comply with the requirements of their respective phase, with any differences approved by the Secretary of Health. Each county would start June 1 in their current Phase but would be able to apply to move between the phases or add new business activity as outlined below. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 6 How will the county-by-county approach work? Starting on June 1, any county can apply to the Secretary of Health to move to the next phase. The application process will include target metrics set by the Secretary of Health below. The application must be submitted by the County Executive, in accordance with the instructions provided by the Secretary of Health. If the county does not have a County Executive, it must be submitted with the approval of the County Council/Commission. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 7 The Secretary of Health will evaluate county application based on how their data compare to these targets and their ability to respond to situations that may arise in their county, including outbreaks, increased deaths, health system capacity and other factors. These metrics are intended to be applied as “targets,” not hard line measures. The identified actions each contribute to reducing risk of disease transmission, and are to be considered in whole. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 8 Where one target is not fully achieved, actions taken with a different target may offset the overall risk. A final decision on whether a county is ready to implement a variance program rests with the Secretary of Health. The secretary may approve a county moving in whole to the next phase, or may only approve certain activities in the next phase. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 9 COVID-19 activity --Target of <25 cases/100,000/14 days --Flat or decreasing --R number < 1 Healthcare system readiness (80% or under) Testing: 50 times the number of cases (or 2%) Case/contact investigations (% reached 24-48 hrs) Protecting high risk populations Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 10 What if it becomes necessary for a county to move to an earlier phase? Counties can identify when they need to return to an earlier phase by submitting a rationale and relevant data to the Secretary Alternatively, the Secretary has the authority to return a county to an earlier phase if the county chooses not to do so on its own, and the Secretary has identified a need to do so and must notify a county in writing and provide a rationale for it being moved.. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 11 King County Phase 1.5 approach: On Friday, May 29, King County Executive Dow Constantine, in consultation with Public Health – Seattle & King County leaders, announced that pending state approval, King County will begin to re-open some business activity with limited or modified openings for a number of sectors. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 12 Once submitted, it will likely take several days to be approved by the state. We will issue updates as we have them once the application process is underway. NOTE: As of 1:30 p.m. on June 1, King County has not yet submitted our application for the modified phase of the Safe Start reopening plan. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 13 Working with community, business, and government partners – including the County Council and Board of Health leadership – King County Executive Dow Constantine announced that the county is prepared to move forward to allow limited or modified openings for several business sectors and personal activities. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 14 As King County has not yet met key criteria to enter Phase 2 of the Safe Start plan and case counts are still unstable, the will move forward with a modified approach of partial re-opening of the following businesses and activities: Gatherings: Only allowed outdoor of 5 or fewer people outside the household Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 15 In-store Retail -15 percent of building occupancy -Indoor services limited to 30 minutes Personal Services --25 percent of building occupancy Professional services --25 percent of building occupancy --Indoor services limited to 30 minutes for customers Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 16 Pet grooming --25 percent of building occupancy Restaurants --No indoor dining allowed- --Outdoor dining is permitted but seating at 50% of existing outdoor capacity Recreation and fitness --Only allowed outdoor with 5 (less instructor) or fewer people outside of household Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 17 Real estate (residential and commercial) --25 percent of building occupancy --Indoor services limited to 30 minutes Additional construction (Phase 2 guidance) Manufacturing operations (Phase 2 guidance) Photography (Phase 2 guidance) Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 18 New updates from the King County Council Committee of the Whole Meeting this afternoon: Phase 1.5 may begin this Friday, June 5 Phase 2 is possible in two weeks Home and domestic services allowed Indoor fitness allowed for 1 on 1 personal trainers 30 minute limit on personal services is no longer Cities may allow more outdoor restaurant seating Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 19 King County will continue monitoring progress over the course of two weeks. If metrics are more stable and meeting the state’s criteria, more businesses and activities will reopen in accordance with Phase 2. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 20 Draft of letter asking for a “sub-area” and city by city approach in counties. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 21 As the Mayor and the City Council of the City of Federal Way, we share the disappointment of many of our citizens that our City, along with all other cities in King County, will not be able to completely proceed safely to Phase 2 of the “Safe Start Washington” plan on June 1. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 22 We are grateful for the option that will allow King County to apply to have some businesses to open under the new “Safe Start—Washington” plan, called Phase 1.5. However, we would like consideration of a proposal as we are concerned that it does not go far enough so that cities and “sub-areas” be allowed to proceed in an accelerated fashion into Phases 2, 3 and 4. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 23 We commend both of your efforts in guiding our region and state through the last four months. We are well aware that both of you sympathize with citizens who have not been able to work since the “Stay at Home” took effect March 25. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 24 Phase 1.5, once King County applies and the State approves, allows the safe reopening of personal services, professional and office-based services, in-store retail, pet grooming and other small businesses and activities. However, while this phase allows for outside seating for restaurants, it leaves this important business sector in critical shape. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 25 Through the extraordinary and ongoing efforts of our citizens to socially distance, the heroic efforts of our healthcare institutions and workers, and notably, the guidance of King County Public Health and State Department of Health, together we have made continued progress to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 26 The health of our citizens, especially our vulnerable populations, healthcare workers, and first responders, comes first. The measurements being used by both the State and the County have provided guidance and have been successful in lowering the risk to our citizens. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 27 However, it is time to re-examine the geographical application of the measurements as many individual communities in areas of our large county have succeeded in qualifying for subsequent phases. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 28 As you know, King County’s population is so vast that it would be the 36th largest state in our nation. Unfortunately, the individual hotspot areas on the county dashboards are holding back communities that are ready to move on to Phase 2 and beyond. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 29 Of note is the fact that if the positive cases from the locked down long-term care facilities are taken out of the equation, many areas of King County would qualify for moving on to Phase 2. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 30 Therefore, we propose that it is time to adopt a regional, “sub-area” and city by city approach to the opening of King County. To quote President Lincoln, now is the time to “Think anew and act anew.” Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 31 We call on the King County Executive to immediately convene a joint emergency meeting of the King County Council and the King County Board of Health to discuss and adopt a regional “sub-area” city by city focus and apply to the Governor to let those areas of the county apply to proceed to Phase 2. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 32 In addition, we are asking the member cities of the Sound Cities Association to join in advocating for this effort to adopt this sub-area and city approach versus the current “one-size- fits-all” rationale that would allow them to proceed to Phase 2, 3 and 4. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 33 We are also asking that the Governor carefully consider modifying your “county approach" and consider acceptance of a county “sub-area” and city approach so that many more areas may safely proceed to Phase 2 of the “Safe Start Washington” plan that would allow more affected citizens and businesses begin the task of safely rebuilding their lives and livelihood. Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 34 Thank you in advance for your consideration and we appreciate our continued partnership. Jim Ferrell, Mayor Susan Honda, Council President Lydia Assefa-Dawson, Councilmember Gregory Baruso, Councilmember Hoang V. Tran, Councilmember Mark Koppang, Councilmember Martin A. Moore, Councilmember Linda Kochmar, Councilmember cc: Mayor Dana Ralph, President, Sound Cities Association Deanna Dawson, Executive Director, Sound Cities Association Council Letter to Governor Inslee and Executive Constantine regarding a plan to reopen businesses 35 Discussion