Update from Edgewater Mayor and City Manager: March 23, 2020

From the City of Edgewater:

Edgewater Residents,
During times of uncertainty, there is one thing we can count on and that is our community and the friendships that are stronger than any virus. The City of Edgewater is working closely with Jefferson County Public Health, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, State and Local Governments and many others to take precautionary measures. We thank you for your support and your dedication to this community.

What Edgewater is doing:
As we navigate this unique time in our history, our goal is to ensure the safety of Edgewater residents, staff and businesses to the best of our ability. We are following the recommendations of health officials and State mandates, as well as taking steps locally.

• Continuing all essential services including water, sewer and trash service along with Police patrols and enforcement. The City of Edgewater is safe, and the City will continue to provide services, without disruption. While many City staff are working remotely, our police and other emergency responders are there when you need them. For emergencies please call 911 all non-emergency police needs please call 303-980-7300.
• On March 17, 2020 the City adopted an ordinance declaring an emergency to ensure that we can act to protect the safety and property of our residents and businesses.
• Enacted closures to our Civic Center to deep clean as well as adhere to the limits of keeping groups to less than 10 people. While we are closed, many of our staff are working remotely and are dedicated to helping you. Please visit our website at www.EdgewaterCo.com for information on who to contact and for the latest updates.
• Cancelled all community events and meetings through April and will continue to monitor and cancel future meetings as necessary. We will follow the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) on gatherings and meetings through the crisis.
• Posted signs at many playgrounds informing people that our playgrounds are not actively disinfected, so anyone using them do so at their own risk.
• The Edgewater Municipal Court is temporarily closed, and all April court dates are being moved into May. We will continue to offer video arraignments as needed.
• Working with local businesses to create a list of what is available in Edgewater. This list will be available within the next week on the City of Edgewater website www.edgewaterco.com.
• Continue to hold City Council meeting virtually. These meetings are important to make sure we continue to provide the policy and direction the community warrants.
• Continue to update our website with relevant information and resources, www.edgewaterco.com. The City of Edgewater website is the central place for us to list all current information and resources.

How you can help:
We all have a part in the solution. In order to protect our community, state and country from the spread of COVID 19 we ask you to think of the following:

• Wash your hands regularly especially when you encounter anything outside of your home or anything that may not be disinfected.
• When you grocery shop, please get what you need. The stores have shipments on the way and there is no need to hoard. Please be patient and flexible in your purchases.
• Conduct only essential activities necessary to promote health and well-being, such as getting groceries, obtaining medical supplies or medication, and/or engaging in outdoor activities like walking, hiking or running, so long as social distancing practices including remaining 6 feet away from other people are strictly followed.
• Avoid playground equipment and gathering in local parks.
• If possible, stay at home and ask employers to implement remote work policies.
• Call or text your neighbors to see if they need anything, especially your elderly neighbors. If you don’t have phone numbers and are healthy, try leaving a note or see if you can talk with them from at least 6’ away.
• Support local businesses by ordering take-out or purchasing gift cards on-line.
•  If you would be interested in volunteering please email EdgeVolunteers@edgewaterco.com; as opportunities become available, we will reach out via email.

Resources available:
We will continue to add to this list on our website, but here are a few of the more important resources.

• Help Colorado Now – a statewide volunteer network to help at-risk individuals across our state get through the COVID-19 crisis: https://covrn.com/
• Jefferson County Resources https://www.jeffco.us/4019/Jeffco-Community-Resources
• Jeffco schools message: https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=627965&pageId=14224600
• Grab and go meals: https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_627881/File/Jeffco%20PS/District%20Services/Health%20Services/JeffcoMealSites.pdf
• Governor Polis’ News: https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news
• Edgewater businesses are eligible for U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Relief Loans. Businesses can apply here.

The City of Edgewater will continue to take precautions necessary to limit the spread of COVID-19 through policy, declaration and action. We want you to know that these decisions to limit interactions are not easy ones. This situation will continue to evolve, the City of Edgewater is committed to diminish impacts to our community. In the meantime, help your neighbors, reach out to your government and local health agencies. We all appreciate your patience and partnership as we support each other through this difficult situation.

Joel Newton

Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.