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By Miriam Raftery
March 13, 2020 (El Cajon) – El Cajon City Manager today declared a state of emergency for the city. The City Council must meet to ratify the declaration. A special meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 16 at 11:30 a.m. and will be livestreamed so that people can attend the meeting remotely.
The city has also implemented these measures through the end of March:
1) The City’s recreation dance recital scheduled for this weekend has been canceled;
2) Rentals at City facilities with attendance greater than 250 or that do not allow for social distancing of 6’ are cancelled or postponed;
3) All non-essential programs, as defined by the State and County directives, are canceled including City organized recreation classes, the Safe Routes to School community workshop, and fire station visits;
4) Handwashing stations are being secured for gathering places or where the public may come in contact with each other.
Mitchell’s action aims to keep residents and visitors safe during the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) situation. His declaration notes that the city has a large homeless population as well as elderly residents most vulnerable to COVID-19 infection.
“The City has been carefully watching world, U.S., and regional trends relating to COVID-19, coordinating with public health experts at the County of San Diego, and communicating with other government partners,” a press release issued by the city states. The action also follows the California Dept. of Public Health recommendations for essential and non-essential gatherings as well as guidance issued by the County of San Diego.
5) The City has activated a limited Emergency Operation Center (EOC) to ensure the City stays informed with the latest information, to plan for contingencies, and to implement plans if warranted; and
6) The March 24th City Council meeting is subject to change.
The city may modify these measures as needed to respond to this fluid situation.
The City encourages its residents to stay informed from reliable sources. The following sites are recommended:
San Diego Public Health COVID-19
Ready.gov Pandemic Page
CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019
Heartland Fire and Rescue Alert Page
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