Weekly Report – August 29, 2020

Revised City Website.  A revised city website is up and running. Expect improvements over the next few months as the site becomes increasingly updated and topical. The website’s chief revision was to the economic development portion of the site, which was the model for the old site and, stood alone with its own address. Everything is now synthesized and accessible. Each city department will be responsible for its own regular updates, so in the future the whole site should be more up-to-date than in the past. Perfection may take a couple months. If something seems wrong, let us know.

Preschool. The preschool enrollment count stands at 26 students.

COVID-19 testing. Testing is still advised for people with symptoms and close contacts of confirmed cases.

The following is the Washington State Department of Health’s current guidance around testing. 

“If you have symptoms, you need to get tested. If you’re a close contact of a confirmed case, you need to get tested. Close contacts of confirmed cases also need to stay at home away from others (quarantine) for 14 days after the last exposure even if they test negative for COVID-19, because it is possible for people who test negative to still be incubating the virus, and become contagious later.

People with symptoms of COVID-19 or who have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 should make testing their first priority. 

Timing, however, is key. Testing too soon after an exposure may give you a negative result, even if you’ve been infected. If exposed and you develop symptoms, testing that day or the next is recommended. If exposed and you don’t develop symptoms, waiting 5-6 days after exposure to get a test is recommended. People must stay in quarantine for the entire 14 days even if a test is negative.

Getting a test is a lot easier to do now than it was several months ago. If you aren’t sure where to go to get tested, there are many options available: you may call your health provider to see if they can test you, or call your county health department if you don’t have a doctor. If you prefer another method, check your nearby pharmacies, or look online for a local clinic near you offering tests. These tests are free and you do not need insurance to get one if you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or have been a close contact of someone with COVID-19.”

Sound Transit Communication.  “The COVID-19 crisis is causing a severe disruption to Sound Transit’s budget. ST staff has estimated that cumulative fiscal impacts over the next two decades will range between $8 billion and $12 billion, or 12% to 18% less revenue than previously assumed. With depleted revenues, Sound Transit will not be able to deliver many expansion projects on their original timelines unless Sound Transit receives alternative revenue from federal or state sources or has an increase of the agency’s debit limit. Through realignment, the Sound Transit Board of Directors is working to determine which timelines for voter-approved projects will need to change due to lower revenue projections, absent receiving alternative revenue. In June, the Board established criteria and set a process for this capital program realignment that will move forward between now and summer of 2021. A link to that adopted criteria can be found here. The realignment process will establish clear expectations about project delivery timelines by summer 2021 after gaining input from the public and partner organizations. You can find up to date information about realignment here, https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/realignment.

Sound Transit is committed to staying the course on projects already in construction or under contract, including more than 40 miles of new light rail track and 28 new stations throughout the three-county service region. In the South Sound, major projects that are still moving forward right now, including Federal Way Link Extension, Tacoma Link Hilltop Extension, and parking and access improvements to the Puyallup Sounder Station.”

Normandy Park will be well-situated to help residents work and travel throughout the greater Seattle/Tacoma area.

“The COVID-19 crisis is causing a severe disruption to Sound Transit’s budget. ST staff has estimated that cumulative fiscal impacts over the next two decades will range between $8 billion and $12 billion, or 12% to 18% less revenue than previously assumed.”