Mayor Donna D. Holaday
April 8, 2021
COVID-19 UPDATE
Good afternoon everyone, and thank you for joining me this afternoon for my latest COVID-19 update. This past week, The Lower Merrimack Valley Regional Collaborative distributed more than 11,500 vaccine doses, which included more than 1,500 doses given during an eight-hour workday on Easter Sunday. Our communities in the collaborative run the gamut from city agencies to small towns with open town meeting governments. This monumental effort shows that there is strength in numbers. We banded together to share ideas, time and resources to help our residents stay safe from COVID-19, which culminated into this ongoing vaccine clinic distributing the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. I cannot thank our public health directors and health agents along with their staff, our medical providers, first responders, and volunteers for all of their dedicated time to the clinic. An incredible amount of hard work goes into these clinics, and our public health departments are doing this on top of their normal workload, and on other COVID-19 related work in supporting their municipalities.
Now, in early April 2021, we are getting much closer to a return to the familiar with the state’s trudge to normalcy, which is gaining some traction even as new coronavirus cases continue to increase. We are fortunate in Newburyport as this is not the case. In the last week, we have had 7 known positive cases and still remain in a green “low risk”’ category. This week, about 1 million more residents became eligible for the coronavirus vaccine as the state rounds out Phase Two of the prioritization plan. People who are between the ages of 55 and 59 or have a certain medical condition can now book vaccination appointments. More people are getting vaccinated every week, and we are hopeful to look forward to a summer with gatherings and celebrations, even as those will still require attention to our public health guidelines. Now is not the time to stop being careful. I also would like to remind everyone that we still have a mask mandate in all public places, whether indoors or outdoors, and in particular a dedicated mask zone in the downtown. Your compliance is appreciated. Please stay safe, mask up, and get vaccinated when you can!
As the warm weather is arriving, thoughts are turning to spring and summer, and many organizations are navigating the possibilities of what they can do as restrictions are lifted, and vaccinating the public continues. I am excited about our outdoor dining which will be making a comeback in the city with significant improvements. If you’ve been in the downtown this week, you may have noticed that the city has started the installation of restaurant parklets, designed to expand outdoor dining for our restaurants. With a $260,000 grant from the state, we are able to convert parking spaces into outdoor seating areas. Restaurants will use planters and hand railings to block off sections of seating, and the parklets will also have flooring level with the sidewalks.
We are also in the beginning stages of participating in the Massachusetts Local Rapid Recovery Program to help our downtown and commercial district develop a post COVID economic recovery plan. The plan will include analysis and exploration of challenges, barriers, strategies, and actions, with a focus on developing tactical and strategic project recommendations to meet our recovery goals.
An important component to this program is to get the valuable input of our business establishments located in Newburyport, including all of our for-profits and non-profit organizations. We really need your help in completing a short survey about the impacts of COVID on your business, and your opinion regarding potential strategies to support your business and for making improvements in our city. Please go to cityofnewbuyport.com and click on the Downtown Business Survey link located on the home page to complete the survey. Newburyport is estimated to receive approximately $5.4 million dollars in funding through the American Rescue plan. We have many projects on the table. This rapid recovery plan will culminate in assisting with priorities for the future. The money will be provided in two blocks, this year and 2022. We will be coordinating with the state on all the different streams of funding which includes support for local communities, K-12 education, small businesses, restaurants, information technology needs and other responsibilities at the local level.
Our reopening of the Newburyport Public Schools continues with increased in-person learning from 2 to 4 days per week for Kindergarten through Grade 3 at the Bresnahan, and the Molin Upper Elementary school. The middle school opened this week, and the high school will open after school vacation on April 26. Last week the district tested over 1000 students, and all results were negative. This testing program is proving to be an incredible tool in assisting with the monitoring of COVID within the district.
We also anticipate that 90% of our faculty and staff will be fully vaccinated by April 26 when we are fully reopened. Having all of our kids back in the classroom is paramount, and my heartful thanks to our school district community – from the school committee, the administration, the faculty and staff, and our students and their families, it truly takes a village. Please check your child’s school website for more details and updates on reopening of our schools.
Some news to share from our sustainability office – our yard waste facility opened this week, and the hours are on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM. Resident stickers can be ordered on line at the city’s website. Stickers will be mailed within 3 to 5 business days. One can print a receipt or copy the confirmation number to use as proof of purchase until the sticker arrives. Leaf Pick-up curbside will happen on two Saturdays this spring, May 1 and May 15. Saturday, April 3 there will be drop off recycling from 8am-12pm at the 23 Colby Farm Lane Recycling Center. Also, our partner Toward Zero Waste is working with the city to increase residential composting through incentives and education. Starting April 22 and for a limited time, the city will pay for your starter kit when you work with a compost company. Or, collect your food waste, including all items for curbside and bring it to a free drop-off site, located at the wastewater treatment facility on Water Street, Cashman Park, or the Yard Waste Facility. For additional information on all of this, please go to the city website or call 978-465-4410, Extension 1.
The Water Division of the Newburyport is in the full cycle of flushing the city’s water system, and will continue the work through the month of April. The work will begin at the west end of the city and proceed eastward across the entire system. Flushing will take place between the hours of 8:00 am and 2:00 pm. Evening flushing of large mains will occur between the hours of 7:00 pm and midnight. The Business Park and Plum Island Turnpike will be posted at a later date on the city’s website. Residents and businesses may experience low water pressure, discolored water, air in pipe and temporary disruptions in water service. When flushing is complete in your area, running cold-water faucets will alleviate any air or discolored water. Thank you for your cooperation.
In closing, thank you to everyone in our community, the members of the city council, our boards and commissions, and the school committee, as we’ve partnered from the beginning of this pandemic, trying to anticipate and meet the challenges wherever possible, and quickly and decisively responding as more challenges have come our way. Thank you to our medical and business community and our community partners who’ve been with us arm in arm throughout this pandemic. Thank you to all the people of Newburyport as we have navigated the unknown and massive disruption to our lives, and the losses and missed celebrations and traditions of all types.
Let’s stay the course, we’re almost there. As I’ve said many times before, we will get through this together. Thank you, and have a wonderful weekend.