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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020_09_08 - eComments ReportCity Council on 2020-09-08 6:00 PM Meeting Time: 09-08-20 18:00 eComments Report Meetings Meeting Time Agenda Items Comments Support Oppose Neutral City Council on 2020-09-08 6:00 PM 09-08-20 18:00 25 54 34 18 0 Sentiments for All Meetings The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown. Overall Sentiment City Council on 2020-09-08 6:00 PM 09-08-20 18:00 Agenda Name Comments Support Oppose Neutral 5.A. ORD 20-019 Second Reading and Action on Ordinance 20-019, an Ordinance to Revise Certain Measures Which Have Been Deemed Necessary to Slow the Community Spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the City of Brookings, South Dakota. 32 21 10 0 5.B. RES 20-076 Action on Resolution 20-076, an Emergency Resolution of the City Council of the City of Brookings, South Dakota, to Address a Public Health Crisis. 19 10 8 0 5.C. ORD 20-016 Second Reading and Action on Ordinance 20-016, an Ordinance Waiving Sidewalk Café Permit Fees during the COVID-19 Pandemic. 2 2 0 0 6.A. RES 20-074 Action on Resolution 20-074, a Resolution Awarding Bids on 2020-04STI, Traffic Signal Improvements Project, 8th Street South & Medary Avenue South. 1 1 0 0 Sentiments for All Agenda Items The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown. Overall Sentiment Agenda Item: eComments for 5.A. ORD 20-019 Second Reading and Action on Ordinance 20-019, an Ordinance to Revise Certain Measures Which Have Been Deemed Necessary to Slow the Community Spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the City of Brookings, South Dakota. Overall Sentiment Rachel Harmon Location: Submitted At: 8:47pm 09-08-20 Businesses, restaurants, and bars don't matter if we have sick people in our hospitals. It doesn't matter if you think God gave you a right to not wear a mask, we are not trying to be a hotspot, like Sioux Falls a couple of months ago. Might I add we are predicted to become an outbreak city because we have failed to do the least, which is to wear a mask and comply with CDC recommendations. This is predicted by COVIDACTNOW.org. I am for mandated mask-wearing. Donna Andrews Location: Submitted At: 7:20pm 09-08-20 I already commented on it the last time Tom Stenvig Location: Submitted At: 7:15pm 09-08-20 As a registered nurse with a graduate degree in public health and as a retired US Public Health Service commissioned officer, I continue to monitor evidence concerning efficacy of masks. Study evidence shows masks are 40% to 80% effective in reducing transmission. The public should be willing to make a small sacrifice and mask up when indoors in public space. It is not asking too much to prevent the spread of this disease and the eventual need for more restrictive control measures. Jody Owen Location: Submitted At: 6:56pm 09-08-20 Now more than ever we need to take action to protect each other. Hundreds of Brookings residents have publicly stated their resolve to avoid wearing masks, social distancing, and other actions known to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Because of this, we rely on our City Council to provide leadership that protects the health of our community. We follow city laws and ordinances every day, but few are as important as this one that has the power to save lives. Ashley Plueger Location: Submitted At: 6:46pm 09-08-20 Follow the lead of our state governor. Follow the lead of the CDC! Masks should be a recommendation, not a mandate. Janice Nielsen Location: Submitted At: 6:45pm 09-08-20 My son had a headache today. I figured he was lying and not wanting to go to school. I was ready to send him to school today(with a mask of course) but was advised by their dr to get tested. I am currently awaiting his test, at home, unable to work. I also want to point out that masks don't protect the wearer but to protect others incase the wearer is infected. I feel people are looking at this the wrong way. Semhar Michael Location: Submitted At: 5:12pm 09-08-20 Wearing a mask will help protect the most vulnerable, keep our schools and town open. This is the least we can do. Jennifer Wingate Location: Submitted At: 4:27pm 09-08-20 These ordinances are about thinking of others. Our youngest residents are successfully wearing masks when they are indoors because they want to remain open, and it is working. SDSU's college students, faculty, and staff are also successfully complying to mask ordinances, and their initial surge is successfully slowing as a result. These ordinances only asks for the rest of us to meet those same requirements. I think the rest of us can and should make that small sacrifice as well. MELODIE LICHTY Location: Submitted At: 4:14pm 09-08-20 This is not about Civil Rights. It's about loving your fellow human being. It's about taking care of those who can't protect themselves. If you choose to not wear a mask, you could kill someone. We make laws all the time to protect the health and safety of our citizens because not all individuals make the safe choice. For example, you don't smoke in businesses in SD. You are required to have a valid driver's license to drive, to wear a seatbelt, have insurance. Be excellent to everyone. Jake Farmen Location: Submitted At: 3:54pm 09-08-20 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has backtracked on previous comments he has made on a national mask mandate, and now says a federal mask mandate is unconstitutional. Now that both sides of the political aisle agree that a mask mandate infringes on peoples' rights, it's foolish to waste time and resources mandating this at the local level. Please allow the citizens of Brookings to make responsible decisions for their own health. Jacob Wallace Location: Submitted At: 3:47pm 09-08-20 I strongly support these small resolutions to help keep our community safe. Current scientific studies show that masks, even non-medical cloth masks, reduce the large particle droplets and aerosolized particles that transmit COVID-19. Although wearing a mask is inconvenient and provides challenges in our lives, widespread community adoption of them in public spaces would greatly reduce our numbers and help us keep our families healthy and our students in school. Steve Myer Location: Submitted At: 3:43pm 09-08-20 I'd like to keep our children in school for in-person learning. I'd like to protect our elderly as best we can. I think the mask mandate is a right step to that end and we should wear them until we get our Community Spread back down to Minimal. I agree that it will be difficult to enforce, but if there is a mandate, less of our population will feel that it is taboo to wear them. I believe the scientists and doctors when they say that masks work. Jessica Kirkham Location: Submitted At: 3:18pm 09-08-20 The substantial level of increase of cases in our county warrants action. Although I'll admit that this will be difficult to enforce, I feel that asking individuals to help protect their fellow citizens while in close proximity with each other is the least we can do. Jared Larson Location: Submitted At: 3:03pm 09-08-20 Why is that only Covid-19 deaths are unacceptable? Over 690,000 people die from heart disease per year. If you focus on Brookings County the death rate is around 259 people per 100,000. That would be around 80 people a year in Brookings. Apparently those deaths are acceptable because there is no mandate on banning junk food. Heart disease causes more of a strain on a fragile health care system and raises costs for everyone. Making it difficult for people to obtain and afford care. Tabi Stewart Location: Submitted At: 2:55pm 09-08-20 My family and I are happy to take the step to wear a mask to protect our most vulnerable citizens. We also support those businesses that feel safest with masks in use and hope that a mandate can take some of the stress off folks who worry about being boycotted. We believe together is the best way to get through adversity! Lewaynr Erickson Location: Submitted At: 2:21pm 09-08-20 The adoption of the ordinance is in the best interest of all persons in the Brookings community as well as for visitors to the community Teresa Binkley Location: Submitted At: 2:10pm 09-08-20 We need to support the mask mandate to protect the vulnerable populations in our society. We should not put elderly people or those with pre-existing health conditions at risk of getting covid. We don’t know long term effects of the virus in younger healthy people either. Wearing a mask is a small sacrifice that will protect all of our community members. Bonny Specker Location: Submitted At: 1:56pm 09-08-20 Mask mandates work. Brookings has substantial community spread. It is only common sense to require masks. Unfortunately, trusting citizens has not worked as evidenced by the small percentage of individuals who wear masks while out in the community and the disrespectful and dangerous behavior of citizens at last week's city council meeting. Lora Berg Location: Submitted At: 11:03am 09-08-20 This seems like a simple, sensible step to take to protect our fellow citizens during a time when community spread is increasing. The reckless behavior of the folks who chose not to be respectful of social distance and mask requests at the City Council meeting last week clearly shows how people disregard the safety of those around them. Why would we not take this simple step to potentially protect the lives of others? Emily Abele Location: Submitted At: 10:36am 09-08-20 Masks are a simple way to effectively decrease the spread of virus especially during the period of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic spread. When we wear masks we are caring for those around us, protecting those who are most at risk of complications or death from COVID. I look like a young, healthy person, but I take care of a lot of vulnerable people, so appreciate others wearing their mask to protect me, as I do for others. Tom Manzer Location: Submitted At: 8:41am 09-08-20 Council members, as you very likely have seen the CDC has validated research that says masks can reduce transmission of the coronavirus by as much as 50 percent, and those who refuse are putting their lives, their friends, and their communities at risk. The choice is really quite simple. Please help save lives and approve Ordinance 20-019. The Council has done an excellent job protecting us during this pandemic. Keep it up. Thank you. Amy Hockett Location: Submitted At: 6:32am 09-08-20 It is time to protect our health care workers who have been working 24/7 on the frontlines of this pandemic. Now that our community is in substantial spread of COVID-19 as well as the start of an influenza season, we need to take measures to keep our doctors and nurses healthy as they continue to provide care to the citizens of Brookings. Listen to the medical community. This won't last forever if we act now. What happens if the doctors, nurses and the those testing patients get ill? Jessie Kuechenmeister Location: Submitted At: 10:08pm 09-07-20 We've had an ordinance in place for months and cases have still increased. Instead of government mandates, trust your citizens to make good choices, to love and care for their neighbor (however that looks for individuals). Let's promote kindness, acceptance and personal responsibility. We can be cautious, do our part to reduce the spread of COVID19 and be responsible citizens without the restrictions in place with this ordinance.The mask mandate especially will create more division and discord. Jennifer Anderson Location: Submitted At: 9:07pm 09-07-20 These are very reasonable and minimally obtrusive measures that can save lives, especially those who are most vulnerable in our community. It makes sense to enact these now, rather than having to shut things down in a few weeks when the cases get completely out of hand. Natalie Thiex Location: Submitted At: 8:53pm 09-07-20 Brookings cases are at an all-time high, and face masks reduce virus spread from people who don't realize they are infected. Face masks are worn to protect those around you. Rebecca Barber Location: Submitted At: 6:40pm 09-07-20 This is classic government overreach Cable Hardin Location: Submitted At: 2:27pm 09-07-20 Covering the face and nose is one if the easiest ways to prevent infectious spread, especially when combined with other ongoing methods. Please support this in the interest of those most at risk. Kelly Crevier Location: Submitted At: 12:19pm 09-07-20 Let people decide for themselves if they feel the need to wear a mask in public. We also have the freedom of choice to stay home if we feel unsafe in public spaces. The virus is here to stay. We have to figure out how to do normal without living in and promoting a culture of fear. Howard Wey Location: Submitted At: 12:17pm 09-07-20 Brookings is now in substantial community spread for COVID-19. Masks do help reduce the respiratory spread of infectious disease. I think Ordinance 20-019 is a public safety necessity and fully support it at this time. I think it will be difficult to fully enforce, but the ordinance will help enough citizen to wear a mask to make a difference. Aaron Ragsdale Location: Submitted At: 12:35pm 09-06-20 The Brookings school district is requiring masks of our youngest residents when they are indoors. The Board of Regents is making the same requirement of our college students, faculty, and staff. This ordinance only asks for the rest of us to meet those same requirements. I think the rest of us can and should make that small sacrifice as well. Sarah Wilson Location: Submitted At: 10:29am 09-06-20 Your data looks convincing but you cannot use the mitigation and suppression numbers to justify your stance if you are not doing enough testing. Your own data states you are not doing enough testing and very little research would show you are not using those metrics properly. https://www.npr.org/sections/health- shots/2020/06/30/883703403/as-coronavirus-surges-how-much-testing-does-your-state-need-to-subdue-the-virus Open up free wide spread testing in Brookings before any new restrictions Travis Bortnem Location: Submitted At: 9:19am 09-05-20 These amendments will be totally unenforceable. Look at Walmart, they came out stating MASKS ARE REQUIRED as of July 20th.Where did that get them? Backpedaling just days later, because they could not mandate masks in their stores. Where do you think Brookings will stand if your favorite large box store cannot make it stick. People do not have to wear a sign that points out what illness they have that prevents them from wearing a mask.Go ahead wear one if you want to wear one! Don't live in fear! Agenda Item: eComments for 5.B. RES 20-076 Action on Resolution 20-076, an Emergency Resolution of the City Council of the City of Brookings, South Dakota, to Address a Public Health Crisis. Overall Sentiment Rachel Harmon Location: Submitted At: 8:47pm 09-08-20 Businesses, restaurants, and bars don't matter if we have sick people in our hospitals. It doesn't matter if you think God gave you a right to not wear a mask, we are not trying to be a hotspot, like Sioux Falls a couple of months ago. Might I add we are predicted to become an outbreak city because we have failed to do the least, which is to wear a mask and comply with CDC recommendations. This is predicted by COVIDACTNOW.org. I am for mandated mask-wearing. Jody Owen Location: Submitted At: 7:03pm 09-08-20 We have a moral responsibility to protect the vulnerable and a civic responsibility to protect the well-being of our community. Wearing a mask is a simple step we can take toward both of these actions, and a mandate will ensure that most residents participate in a basic activity that can save lives. Let’s make decisions to keep our K- 12 kids in school and our college students in the classroom and community. Doing so also supports the financial well-being of the City of Brookings. Ashley Plueger Location: Submitted At: 6:49pm 09-08-20 There is no need for a resolution when you already have an ordinance. And this resolution should not go into effect immediately. Citizens deserve a grace period. This should be a recommendation only. Cole Sartell Location: Submitted At: 6:37pm 09-08-20 Please issue a mask mandate! The numbers are going up, and ALL citizens should be protected. Their may be a lot of blue their tonight, but the green people are trying to be smart and stay out of crowds. We can either do nothing, or take action based on science to save lives. Cole Sartell Jennifer Wingate Location: Submitted At: 4:37pm 09-08-20 These ordinances are about thinking of others and staying open. This pandemic has already had economic impact on our community. We should be doing everything possible to minimize the spread so that we can enjoy keeping businesses open. Wearing masks indoors when 6 ft. distance cannot be maintained is a consistent practice of communities that have successfully rebounded from significant spread of Covid-19. If we keep the rate of spread low, our hospitals won't overflow, and we remain open. Simple Tabi Stewart Location: Submitted At: 2:56pm 09-08-20 My family and I are happy to take the step to wear a mask to protect our most vulnerable citizens. We also support those businesses that feel safest with masks in use and hope that a mandate can take some of the stress off folks who worry about being boycotted. We believe together is the best way to get through adversity! Teresa Binkley Location: Submitted At: 2:19pm 09-08-20 We need to support the mask mandate to protect vulnerable populations. People with pre-existing health conditions and the elderly need to be protected. Also, we do not know the long term effects covid may have in younger populations. Wearing a mask is a small sacrifice that will help protect all members of our community. Bonny Specker Location: Submitted At: 2:01pm 09-08-20 This resolution will help curb the spread of this virus. It is a small thing to ask of people in order to protect others. Lora Berg Location: Submitted At: 11:08am 09-08-20 I cannot get the picture of the people who attended last week's City Council meeting without masks and disrespectfully ignoring social distance suggestions out of my head. Nor can I forget the comments made by Dr. VandeKop, a trained healthcare provider in our own community. Why would we not take the relatively simple step of wearing masks to potentially save lives, slow the spread and give us the ability to keep our businesses open as opposed to closing due to a surge of cases? Amy Hockett Location: Submitted At: 6:28am 09-08-20 It is time to protect our health care workers who have been working 24/7 on the frontlines of this pandemic. Now that our community is in substantial spread of COVID-19 as well as the start of an influenza season, we need to take measures to keep our doctors and nurses healthy as they continue to provide care to the citizens of Brookings. Listen to the medical community. This won't last forever if we act now. What happens if the doctors, nurses and the those testing patients get ill? CARLA DIETER Location: Submitted At: 9:49pm 09-07-20 I am urging you to amend Resolution 20-076 to read “recommend” instead of "require". The virus is too small to make masks effective and people do not use them correctly. You have not outlined how this would be enforced. To quote US Attorney General Bill Barr “The constitution doesn’t take a holiday, neither do civil liberties during a health crisis. Measures have to be balanced and tailored to meet the governments interests while still putting the least burden on rights” Jessie Kuechenmeister Location: Submitted At: 9:45pm 09-07-20 How will this mandate be enforced? How will the people charged with determining if individuals are exempt be able to carry out that task? Will individuals not wearing a mask have to disclose their medical condition, mental health condition or disability? Or will they have to disclose they are deaf or hard of hearing? Right now in our community, people who don't wear a mask for valid reasons are ridiculed and shamed. Please do not cause further harm, discrimination and division. Vote no. Jennifer Anderson Location: Submitted At: 9:07pm 09-07-20 These are very reasonable and minimally obtrusive measures that can save lives, especially those who are most vulnerable in our community. It makes sense to enact these now, rather than having to shut things down in a few weeks when the cases get completely out of hand. Natalie Thiex Location: Submitted At: 8:55pm 09-07-20 Wearing masks helps reduce shedding from people who don't know they are infected. I attended a city council meeting last week, and very few took the "personal responsibility" to wear a mask. If people don't feel safe wearing a mask in public, then they can stay home. Rebecca Barber Location: Submitted At: 6:42pm 09-07-20 This is a personal decision not a government one Hayli De Jong Location: Submitted At: 4:20pm 09-07-20 I oppose this resolution. Citizens should be able to decide for themselves if they wish to wear a mask. Businesses can chose to require masks, this should not be a government decision. Kelly Crevier Location: Submitted At: 12:21pm 09-07-20 Let people decide for themselves if they feel the need to wear a mask in public. We also have the freedom of choice to stay home if we feel unsafe in public spaces. The virus is here to stay. We have to figure out how to do normal without living in and promoting a culture of fear. Aaron Ragsdale Location: Submitted At: 12:43pm 09-06-20 The Brookings school district is requiring masks of our youngest residents when they are indoors. The Board of Regents is making the same requirement of our college students, faculty, and staff. This ordinance only asks for the rest of us to meet those same requirements. I think the rest of us can and should make that small sacrifice as well. Travis Bortnem Location: Submitted At: 9:25am 09-05-20 It always states that staff supports this measure. Who is staff? Have you asked all the staff? Or, is this just coming from the City Manager's office? After sitting on one of the Boards, that was always a question I had. Was it one person that put the resolution/action item together...or was it the leadership team? Also crazy, Covid doesn't spread when you are eating or drinking, at places of educaton, or worship...but all other places look out! No to Mask Mandates! Agenda Item: eComments for 5.C. ORD 20-016 Second Reading and Action on Ordinance 20-016, an Ordinance Waiving Sidewalk Café Permit Fees during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Overall Sentiment Rachel Harmon Location: Submitted At: 8:47pm 09-08-20 Businesses, restaurants, and bars don't matter if we have sick people in our hospitals. It doesn't matter if you think God gave you a right to not wear a mask, we are not trying to be a hotspot, like Sioux Falls a couple of months ago. Might I add we are predicted to become an outbreak city because we have failed to do the least, which is to wear a mask and comply with CDC recommendations. This is predicted by COVIDACTNOW.org. I am for mandated mask-wearing. Jennifer Wingate Location: Submitted At: 4:42pm 09-08-20 I have visited other cities that have expanded sidewalk cafes and it is a great way to increase business traffic while remaining safely outdoors. Encouraging these kinds of creative ideas can be a great boost to our local economy. Waiving fees makes this option more affordable for small businesses, many of which are already struggling due to the pandemic. Agenda Item: eComments for 6.A. RES 20-074 Action on Resolution 20-074, a Resolution Awarding Bids on 2020-04STI, Traffic Signal Improvements Project, 8th Street South & Medary Avenue South. Overall Sentiment Jennifer Wingate Location: Submitted At: 4:47pm 09-08-20 Thank you for this! 8th Street South is such a dangerous street for school age kids. I wish a cross walk at Christine could be added too. I often see students trying to rush across, looking like a live action game of Frogger (trying not to get squished by the passing cars). I don't have an opinion on who should get the bid, but hope that selection will involve not just price, but also local dollars, and a strong track record for completion on time. Thank you all for what you do!