Mequon Weekly Bulletin - November 25, 2020
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Board of Police & Fire Commission: December 1 - 8:00 A.M. (Agenda)
Joint Review Board: December 1 - 9:00 A.M. (Agenda)
Winter Festival Event Subcommittee: December 1 - 6:00 P.M. (Agenda)
Planning Commission Policy Subcommittee: December 7 - 6:00 P.M.
Public Safety Committee: December 8 - 5:15 P.M.
Public Welfare Committee: December 8 - 5:45 P.M.
Finance-Personnel Committee: December 8 - 6:30 P.M.
Public Works Committee: December 8 - 6:45 P.M.
Sewer Utility District Commission: December 8 - 7:30 P.M.
Common Council: December 8 - 7:30 P.M.
COVID-19 Update for the Week Ending Wednesday, November 25
The City of Mequon, in coordination with the Washington/Ozaukee Public Health Department and other state and federal agencies, continues to monitor the spread of COVID-19.
- As of this afternoon, the State has recorded 369,442 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,178 associated deaths. Of the cases in Wisconsin, 4,652 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 35 related deaths have been in Ozaukee County, based on information from the Washington/Ozaukee Public Health Department (WOPHD).
- On Friday, November 20, Governor Evers issued Executive Order 95, declaring a public health emergency, and corresponding Emergency Order 1, regarding face coverings in certain situations for people over the age of 5. Face coverings are required to be worn indoors or in an enclosed space when other people are present in the same room or space (other than a private residence) through January 19, 2021.
- The CDC updated its Thanksgiving guidance suggesting celebrations only include household members. The CDC also recommends against travel during the Thanksgiving holiday to help slow the spread of the virus.
Please help the City limit the spread of COVID-19 in the community by wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing, avoiding large gatherings, following proper hygiene practices and staying home when sick.
City Clerk’s Office Passes Election Audit
On Tuesday, November 24, the City Clerk’s Office conducted a successful Post- Election Audit of the Voting Equipment for City of Mequon voting Wards 16 & 17. Reporting units and contests are randomly selected by the Wisconsin Elections Commission for audit after each General Election. All ballots were hand-counted to verify that the election equipment performed properly on election day. Staff is pleased to announce that the results of the audit were successful and that the election results were verified.
2020 Update on Homelessness in Ozaukee County
United Way of Northern Ozaukee is working with local community partners to raise awareness about the growing number of Ozaukee County residents who are vulnerable to losing their homes. In October, the organization hosted a two-part virtual town hall series to discuss results from a recently completed needs analysis survey and new data about at-risk populations in Ozaukee County, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ozaukee families and housing. To access a copy of the report entitled Update on Homelessness in Ozaukee County: 2020, please click here.
Support Local Merchants this Weekend…and All Year Round!
Small Business Saturday falls on November 28 this year, and the 2020 holiday season looks a bit different than in years past. Social distancing continues as a part of protection from the COVID-19 pandemic, which means shopping for the holidays will be different for most everyone. American Express created this shopping holiday in 2010, on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, as a way to encourage support for small businesses who were still struggling in the wake of the 2008 recession. Small Business Saturday became a national holiday in 2011, with business groups, nonprofit trade groups, municipalities, and public officials nationwide uniting to form a Small Business Saturday Coalition to further encourage support for consumers to ‘Shop Small’. Small Business Saturday continues to grow, with 2019 being the largest year of sales on record.
Small businesses have created many ingenious methods to encourage customers during this pandemic. Gift card incentive promotions have been popular since the shutdowns in March as a way to boost immediate cash flow. Restaurants that cannot have their dining rooms open to the public have put a new emphasis on streamlining takeout and delivery options. Curbside pickup and delivery apps that make ordering out a smoother process for both customer and business. Retail shops are creating or expanding their online presence with social media and marketing campaigns so that patrons can shop like they typically would from brick-and-mortar locations. Many shops that do not have an online presence are offering items on Facebook Marketplace or Etsy as an alternative, and welcome customers to contact them to spread the word. Many small businesses are partnering with one another to create special promotions together as an incentive for patrons to visit several locations. Retail locations now offer curbside pickup as an option regularly, much like the restaurant industry, to attract business in these COVID times.
Supporting businesses on Small Business Saturday - and all year long - helps keep the local economy in Mequon vital and thriving. It is estimated that 62% of U.S. small businesses say they need consumer spending to return to pre-COVID levels by the end of 2020 to be able to stay in business. Shopping locally creates an impact – on average, for every dollar spent at a small business, 67 cents stays within the local community.
City Offices Close in Observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday
As a friendly reminder, all non-emergency City offices will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27. All offices will resume normal business hours on Monday, November 30.
