Update on City Operations -- Stay Home, Stay Healthy Mandate

As a result of Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 20-05, enacting a Stay Home, Stay Healthy mandate for the next two weeks, the city is making the following modifications to city operations and recommendations to city residents:

Update on City Operations
The City of White Salmon continues to operate and do business. Employees are working from home but are ensuring that city business continues, and that critical infrastructure continues to operate. Messages on all city phones are being checked throughout business hours (M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), It is important that if you call City Hall (509-493-1133), please leave a message so that staff can respond. If you don’t leave a message, we cannot get back to you. Staff is checking messages throughout the day and will respond as quickly as possible. Also do not hesitate to email the appropriate staff member (emails are available on the city’s webpage) or email Jan Brending at janb@ci.white-salmon.wa.us.

Due to building inspections not being able to be done at this time and complying with the Stay Home order issued by Governor Insley, all city building permits, including mechanical, plumbing and roofing permits are on a temporary hold. This means that within the city limits, construction should not be occurring. If residents have an emergency, such as a leaking roof or leaking plumbing, the city will issue the necessary permits for repairs and make arrangements for inspections. Please call 509-493-1133 #209 and speak with Erika Castro-Guzman.

The City’s Jewett Water Main Improvement project will shut down at the end of the day on March 26. At this time the work has been suspended until June 24, 2020. However, that time period could be shortened or lengthened depending on state and local health risk assessments.

Garbage and recycling pickup are expected to continue on regularly scheduled days, however at this time Republic Services will not pick up any items that are not in a container or bagged.

City Council Meeting – April 1, 2020
The City Council will meet via teleconferencing at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2020. The agenda and directions on how to attend the teleconference meeting will be posted to the city’s website later this week. No hard copies of the agenda packets will be provided. No public comment will be taken at the meeting. The public will be invited to attend the meeting via teleconferencing. The meeting will be recorded and posted to the city’s website.

Stay Home – Stay Safe and Healthy
The City of White Salmon encourages all residents to follow Governor Inslee’s order to Stay Home. All Washingtonians must stay home unless pursuing an essential activity. Essential activities include obtaining food, medicine, fuel, health care, vet care, or an essential work duty. This is a critical intervention to reduce harm from the spread of the coronavirus in our community and is a mandatory statewide order. We need and appreciate the cooperation of everyone who lives and works in White Salmon to act immediately.

By staying home you are not only protecting yourself but others in the community. Currently the city is not closing any of the city parks, realizing that for many residents the greenspace provides an outlet for walking and exercise during the stay at home order. This may be revoked, however, if public gatherings are observed or social distancing protocols are not being followed. The city has closed the playground equipment (wrapped with caution tape) at Rheingarten Park, because the city is not able to sanitize the equipment.

We encourage everyone to practice good social distancing while out getting fresh air or obtaining essential supplies:

• We recommend that a single individual from a family make trips for essential services when possible.
• Check parking lots for the number of vehicles. If there are already a number of vehicles parked, consider going to a different location with less people. If you are at the post office, grocery store, or pharmacy again check the parking lot, consider waiting in your care or outside until an individual leaves the establishment.
• When purchasing essential supplies, be courteous – we have a whole community that also needs the same supplies. Grocery stores and pharmacies remain open and are receiving stock on a regular basis. If you have extra supplies, consider checking in with your neighbors (using good social distancing skills) to see if there is anything they need.
• Public and private gatherings are banned at this time.

Affected Businesses

• Stores deemed essential that will remain open must have rules for social distancing that are actively followed.
• Takeout or delivery of food is still allowed.
• Non-essential businesses with in-office personnel functions must be closed.
• Vacation/short-term rentals should not be accepting reservations during the duration of this order.

Economic Impacts
We encourage anyone who has become unemployed or partially unemployed (reduction in hours) to apply for unemployment immediately. This will help the State of Washington and the federal government understand the extent of unemployment related to COVID-19.

We also encourage businesses and private non-profit organizations to check the comprehensive Washington State COVID-19 webpage, coronavirus.wa.gov, which includes information from the Department of Commerce on programs that are becoming available to help businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.