March 24, 2020
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MARCH 24 UPDATE
A Message from Newcastle City Manager Rob Wyman
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Dear Newcastle Community,
Last night, Gov. Jay Inslee issued a
statewide order
that requires everyone to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Here’s what that means for you:
- Everyone must stay home unless you work at an essential business or need to pursue an essential activity. You can still go grocery shopping, go to the doctor, or pick up food.
- All public and private gatherings are prohibited. That includes everything from sleepovers for children to weddings and funerals.
- You can still go outside for walks and exercise, as long as social distancing of at least 6 feet is maintained.
- All grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and other things necessary for continued operations will remain open.
- All non-essential businesses must close. Restaurants are still open for takeout and delivery, so please, continue to support our local eateries. Our community has done a great job of rallying behind these businesses. Let’s keep it going. Visit our website newcastletogo.com for a list of ordering options from Newcastle restaurants.
Following the Governor’s order, I’m extending the closure of City Hall through at least April 10. While we’re closed to the public, our staff is still working from home, ready to serve you during regular business hours. I want to assure you that public safety is our top priority, so our police and firefighters are still on duty ready to respond to any need you have.
We’ve also closed all City park playgrounds, sports courts and picnic shelters. Parks and recreation provide a much-needed outlet for our community during this difficult time. However, we must enjoy our natural environment in a way that does not work against our efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.
All of these difficult decisions are made to protect the health and safety of everyone in our community. It’s on all of us to do our part to reduce the spread of the virus as best we can.
Now, more than ever, we must come together to get through this challenging time. I call on every Newcastle resident to follow the directives issued by our local health professionals. PLEASE STAY HOME TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19! Every face-to-face interaction is an opportunity for the virus to spread and impact those most at risk. Staying home saves lives.
Do it for the health of yourselves, your families and your Newcastle neighbors! The more we all make decisions for the good of the community, the quicker we can get through this thing together. Thank you for your assistance and understanding!
Thank you,
Newcastle City Manager Rob Wyman
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Newcastle City Hall Closure Extended
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Following Gov. Jay Inslee's Stay Home, Stay Healthy order, the City of Newcastle is extending the City Hall closure through at least April 10. During that time, Newcastle City Hall will be temporarily closed to in-person services and staff will be working from home. Staff will still be available by phone and email to provide assistance and answer questions during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- In the event of an emergency, please dial 911. For non-emergency police services or inquiries, please call 206-296-3311.
- For general questions, call City Hall at 425-649-4444 and leave a message. City staff will be checking the line frequently throughout the day and will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.
- Report issues such as parks/trails concerns, problems involving storm drainage, streets, traffic signals and trees or other vegetation online using YourGov yourgov.cartegraph.com.
- If you’re looking to chat with a specific staff member, you can view our staff directory at newcastlewa.gov/contact. All staff members will be available by email and will get back to you as soon as possible.
- The City is still accepting electronic permit application submittals during the closure. Submit all building permits online at mybuildingpermit.com.
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Planning Commission's March 25 Meeting
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The Newcastle Planning Commission’s March 25 meeting will be held via video conference as we all work together to follow the guidance of public health officials and implement social distancing. Members of the public will still have a chance to listen, watch and participate! You can make your voice heard and comment during either of the two public comment periods. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25.
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HOW TO PARTICIPATE
WATCH AND LISTEN
- Residents can watch and listen to the meeting online by using any web-enabled device using this link: https://zoom.us/j/938896270. Zoom will walk you through the setup. If you log-in through the Zoom app, it will ask for your name and email address. If you join the meeting from your browser, you will only be asked to submit your name.
- Participants will be placed on mute until any public comment periods, at which point everyone will be given a chance to speak, one by one.
LISTEN
- You can also join the meeting by telephone. Call 1-669-900-9128 and input the Meeting ID 938 896 270 to listen and participate. At that time, you will be prompted to enter a unique participant ID. This will not apply to the general public, so press # to skip.
- Participants will be placed on mute until any public comment periods, at which point everyone will be given a chance to speak, one by one.
WRITE
- Submit your comments to the Commission in writing. Email your remarks to cityclerk@newcastlewa.gov by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25.
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Park Playgrounds, Sports Courts and Picnic Shelters Closed
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Last week, the City of Newcastle closed park playgrounds in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. That closure has been expanded to include all sports courts and picnic shelters. The restrooms at Lake Boren also remain closed.
Parks and trails remain open for walking and activities that do not require close proximity. Please continue to practice social distancing and stay 6 feet away from others at all times. These decisions are made to protect the health and safety of everyone in our community. Please obey the installed signage and caution tape, and stay away from these areas of the parks.
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Information About Building Inspections and COVID-19
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The City of Newcastle will continue to perform requested inspections with the following limitations:
- Do not request an inspection if any occupant or contractor is displaying any symptom of illness, is currently sick, or has been sick within the last 14 days
- Postpone inspections in an occupied home or building where the inspection is not time sensitive. This could include installations or replacements of water heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, etc.
- Remote video inspections may be conducted where social distancing or inspector safety cannot be guaranteed, the type of inspection is suitable for video inspection, and where technological barriers do not become a hindrance
- Inspections may be canceled or postponed at the inspector’s discretion
Please note that issuance of new permits may delayed if all work will be conducted within an occupied home or building and it does not appear the safety of the inspectors can be achieved.
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Metro Transit Implements Temporary Service Reductions
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King County Metro Transit has put temporary service reductions in place. Under the new reduced schedule, buses will run less frequently throughout the day and may start later in the morning and end earlier in the evening. Both of Newcastle’s routes (Route 114 and 240) will see a reduced schedule. Metro has also discontinued fare collections and will now direct riders to board and exit at the rear doors, except for passengers with mobility challenges. These changes were implemented in response to the COVID-19 challenges.
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Our Newcastle school districts are stepping up and providing resources to students and families during the COVID-19 outbreak. These include free meal services and childcare. Click on your school district to see what services are available:
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How You Can Help in the Fight Against COVID-19
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You can help in the fight against COVID-19.
The connector helps bring together services, supplies and funding to healthcare providers, first responders and social service entities on the front lines against the coronavirus.
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COVID-19 is having a dramatic effect on local businesses. Our restaurants and service providers are facing especially difficult circumstances. Now, more than ever, Newcastle must come together as a community and throw our support behind these businesses. That’s why the City of Newcastle is launching “Newcastle To Go,” a new community initiative encouraging citizens to order their meals to go from local restaurants.
The City of Newcastle reached out to dining establishments across our community and collected information on their delivery and take out options. Peruse the options at
newcastletogo.com
and place an order! Use #NewcastleToGo to show us your favorite dishes and restaurants, and share your recommendations with neighbors. The website also lists important resources, such as information about business loans and relief, for our business community.
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Remember: Discrimination Has No Place in Newcastle
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Discrimination based on ethnicity or ancestry will make the situation worse. Having Chinese ancestry – or any other ancestry – does not make a person more vulnerable to this illness. Coronavirus doesn't recognize race, nationality nor ethnicity. Misinformation about coronavirus can create fear and hostility that hurts people and makes it harder to keep everyone healthy. Newcastle is stronger as a community when we stand together against discrimination.
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The Newcastle email newsletter is published before every City Council meeting. Learn more about the newsletter, see an archive of past newsletters and sign up to receive it at
newcastlewa.gov/newsletters
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