Mar 11, 2020 | Vol. 15 | No. 11
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 March 11 Coronavirus Update
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Click to visit the City's
Coronavirus webpage
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His order
bans gatherings and events of more than 250 people in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. The ban covers social, spiritual and recreational activities, which includes, but is not limited to: "community, civic, public, leisure, faith-based, or sporting events; parades; concerts; festivals; conventions; fundraisers and similar activities."
The ban extends through
March 2020, but is very likely to be extended. The ban does not include transit, airports, or schools, but the Governor told schools to prepare now for an extended closure, which could be announced in the coming days.
King County took additional measures, prohibiting smaller gatherings of less than 250 people unless they can meet the standards of social distancing, cleaning, employee screening, and other preventative measures. Check the Public Health - Seattle & King County website for exact details at:
www.kingcounty.gov/covid
The City of Mercer Island will follow these new recommendations and enact measures in support, which may include further closures of City facilities and more staff telecommuting where feasible. The Police and Fire Departments will continue to provide full service.
The City has already canceled City meetings through March 20, and Community Center and Park programs through April 12; check the City's coronavirus webpage for a closure summary
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How you can help slow the spread of the coronavirus:
- Do not go to the emergency room unless essential. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your regular doctor first.
- Stay home and self-quarantine when sick.
- Practice excellent personal hygiene habits, including handwashing, coughing into tissue or elbow, avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth; do not shake hands.
- Stay away from people who are ill, especially if you are 60 and older or have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or a weakened immune system.
If you want to know more about the City's response, tune in to a live video conference on Thursday, March 12, at 3:00pm, available on Cable Channel 21, or on the City Council's You Tube Channel. The presentation will be archived for future viewing; questions can be submitted in advance to CityManager@mercergov.org for possible inclusion.
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Census 2020 Arrives Soon
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Click to view an official factsheet
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The City of Mercer Island encourages all residents to participate in the
United States 2020 Census, and is committed to helping achieve a full count.
Every 10 years, the U.S. Constitution requires a count of the nation's population to determine the number of congressional representatives for each state. The government also uses census data to distribute an estimated $660 billion dollars in federal funding annually.
The official 2020 Census Day is April 1. In March 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau should begin to mail letters to every household with information on how to complete the census. In May 2020, U.S. Census field staff (called enumerators) will visit households who have not yet completed the census.
It is possible these dates may be adjusted due to the coronavirus outbreak.
When it's time to respond, most households will receive an invitation in the mail. Depending on how likely your area is to respond online, you'll receive either an invitation encouraging you to respond online or an invitation along with a paper questionnaire. Every household will have the option of responding confidentially online, by mail, or by phone.
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Transportation Improvement Program Comment Period
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Click to learn more and submit your comments
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Mercer Island and other cities in Washington State are preparing annual updates to their six-year
transportation improvement programs, known as a "TIP." The
TIP includes roadway, pedestrian, and bicycle projects planned for the six-year period beginning in 2021. The process of updating Mercer Island's TIP includes opportunities for the public to provide input. The public comment period runs from March 16-March 31, 2020 and comments can be
submitted online.
Those who are interested in learning more about the TIP, viewing the TIP adopted by the City Council last year, or submitting an online comment for consideration in the 2021-2026 TIP, should visit the 2020 TIP page on the
City's public engagement portal:
Let's Talk Mercer Island.
The City Council will also hold a public hearing on the draft TIP at a spring Council meeting, with the purpose of receiving public testimony. Interested individuals may appear and provide input at the hearing. The TIP is then scheduled for adoption by the City Council in early summer.
If you have questions, please contact the Public Works Department at
PublicWorks@mercergov.org
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Statewide Plastic Bag Ban
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Click to view Mercer Island's bag ban webpage
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Back in 2014, on Earth Day (April 22), the City enacted a
ban on plastic carry-out bags for most locations on Mercer Island. By limiting wasteful single-use plastic bags, the City's ordinance was designed to:
- reduce plastic litter in the cherished aquatic environment that completely surrounds the island
- minimize harm to fish and other marine animals which eat, or get tangled in, plastic bags
- encourage consumers to purchase more sustainable, long-lived, reusable bags.
The City distributed thousands of bright green reusable bags for free, many of which are still in use today!
Six years later, on Monday, March 9, 2020,
Washington state lawmakers passed a similar statewide ban on plastic grocery bags and added an 8-cent fee on paper bags to encourage reusable alternatives. The bill is awaiting the Governor's signature, and will make Washington the ninth state with a bag ban.
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