The rich people in Menlo Park can afford to drop off the face of the map for a while , but not the rest of us .

This was a wise and courageous decision that other communities will soon find that they need to follow.

The objective now is to slow the spread of the disease in order to lessen the peak demand on our health care system.

Every day that other jurisdictions delay taking actions like the City of Menlo Park has taken will mean more infected people and more demand on a very fragile health care system.

The building department, engineering, public works, and planning should continue to work but, possibly with paperless applications. Closing these departments stops all construction activity in the city which is probably overkill. Many lively hoods are at stake.

Having attended the Council meeting last night I am certain that there will be a lot of fine tuning to this shutdown.

The essential first step was to shut down all non-emergency functions NOW and then to evaluate how to bring back on-line other non-emergency functions when possible to do so in a manner that does not increase the risks of disease transmission.

I'd highly recommend watching at least the first 45 minutes of the 2 hour Menlo Park City Council meeting, held Wednesday, March 11, 2020 In it, staff clearly explains the current status and the steps needed to deal with it head on.

Web Link

If it saves lives, an interim inconvenience is a small price to pay.

What about Little House? Is that facility closed?

I wonder if there’s some wAy to more easily share online library materials with residents and to advertise that? With fewer things to do outside the home, reading and movies become more valuable.

Now if only someone could explain it all to Trump so he finally realizes the danger.His denials and inactions will sicken and kill i told numbers.

Many local schools are closing for 2-4 weeks, moving to on-line learning, and planning to reassess the closures every couple weeks.

Epidemiologists are predicting peak cases in a couple months, then a decline in the summer, and then a resurge in the fall. We need to prepare for long-term closures or challenges.

The City of Menlo Park needs to keep the Building Dept and Community development depts. OPEN. They are way behind on the work load as it is. By electronic communication if no other way. If unable to perform their required inspections and function properly, then turn it over to the private sector for management. Last time I checked the world is still turning.

At the City Council meeting Wednesday night, City Professional staff indicated the Planning Division will move to electronic communication. Building inspections are continuing to take place at this time for projects already in the pipeline.

Strongly agree with David Terpening. I appreciate Ray's comment BUT inspections are not enough. Expensive permit applications are in process and permits that have been issued need to have their revisions processed. Other building departments HAVE NOT CLOSED.This action unnecessarily brings construction activity in the City to a halt.

The City very much cares about serving it's residents and also the health and safety of it's residents AND it's employees.

The building and planning department are working on all projects in the pipeline and are moving it's operations to electronic format.

Additionally the City is determining how best take accept new plans going forward.

The first priority is quite properly to slow the spread of the virus. That trumps everything except emergency operations.

In the days ahead I am confident that SOME other functions will come back on line - when a safe way of doing business has been established.

People who need non-emergency services from the City should think carefully about how they can interact with a particular city function in a safe manner.

Peter Carpenter, your knowledge, leadership and clear awareness are much appreciated.

Hmmm - Thanks. I needed that.

I am getting very frustrated with my failure to get our local political leaders to start speaking out daily, to provide us with guidance and inspiration, to calming the waters and to mobilizing our efforts.

When this gets really nasty we will need local leaders who have established themselves as leaders beyond sitting at the dais.

Hmmm: I agree, PC has been posting frequently, far and wide. Peter - thank you.

(and that is something I wouldn't have expecting scribbling here in the past...)

;)

The next couple weeks are huge.

re: local pols - they're like most pols, they don't start a parade, but as soon as one forms to sufficient size, they'll jump to the front (and make the most noise, not unlike bandwagon sports fans.)

Relates a bit to the Preparation Paradox. If they were in front of the line screaming "PANDEMIC!", and we prepare, and thus avoid the pandemic thru preparation and actions, then a not insignificant number of posters here would be screaming for their heads (You scared us! You wasted tax money! It never happened! Another Big Government boondoggle!)

Anywho - thanks again.

Anyway -think Italian: we distance now - so we can embrace later.

I am not sure its a right page but did any of MP city officials are closley looking at FB facility where thousands of contractors are forced to work in this emergency situation. They come from all parts of bay-area with mixed background and it needs only couple of cases to errupt the pendemic in any area. I think the city counsil should take proper action for not allowing thousands of people working same facilities during this emergency.