A message from Mayor Barbara Halliday

Dear Hayward community members,

As your Mayor, I want you to know that your City Government is working through the COVID-19 public health crisis to keep the Hayward community safe, limit the spread of the disease, and to maintain all vital City services, including emergency medical response services.

City Manager Kelly McAdoo and her staff have been working around the clock to implement policies and actions being recommended by our state and county public health officials. These actions include cancellation of non-governmental City events and meetings and alteration and reduction of non-essential services, both to reduce potential exposure to the virus in our community and to focus resources on meeting essential needs. Many of these actions are being taken pursuant to a declaration of local emergency by the City Manager that will be brought before the City Council for ratification at our next public meeting, tomorrow evening starting at 7 p.m. at City Hall.  Once it is ratified, this declaration also will help us access state and federal resources that are being made available to help those who are most vulnerable and impacted.

Pursuant to the stay-at-home order issued today by the Alameda County Health Officer, I am also directing that all non-essential business of the City Council and all City of Hayward commissions, boards and appointed bodies be postponed during the pendency of the order, which currently runs until April 7.  To that end, the agenda for the Council meeting tomorrow evening will be amended to include only items requiring immediate action.  The City Clerk will publish the amended agenda, which will be available here once posted.  Additionally, attendance at the meeting will be limited to Council members, City of Hayward staff and members of the news media.  Public comment will be confined to items appearing on the agenda and will be limited to written and telephone communication.  Written comments and questions may be submitted by email prior to or during the meeting at List-Mayor-Council@hayward-ca.gov or by calling (510) 583-4400.  Members of the public can view the meeting proceedings online at www.hayward-ca.gov or on Comcast Channel 15.  And for on-going news, information and updates on COVID-19 and how the City of Hayward is responding, go online here.

COVID-19 has become a pandemic that is threatening communities and disrupting everyday life, not only in Hayward but throughout the world.  We must all focus on defeating it now.  Your City Government will continue to provide vital services, but it also is up to all of us to abide by the stay-at-home order while doing whatever we can to help those around us.

Hayward is a resilient community.  Our resilience is rooted in our diversity of experiences, cultures, talents and backgrounds.  It is girded by the investments we have made in our public safety, emergency medical, utility, environmental and maintenance infrastructure and personnel. We are also a generous community, deserving of our moniker “Heart of the Bay.” We are strong, and we have what it takes to meet this challenge.

These are scary times.  But we are prepared.  Let us draw together, even as we practice the art of social distancing.

Sincerely,

Barbara Halliday