Archived News Release: March 27, 2020 - The City of Ann of Ann Arbor is asking residents to work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and follow all of the directives in Governor Whitmer's “Stay Home, Stay Safe" Executive Order issued on March 23, *and extensions thereafter.
“The virus is still spreading, so I am urging all residents – children, seniors, and everyone in between – to stay at home. Stay at home unless you need essential services such as food, medicine, or other essentials. Exercising outside is healthy, but as you do so, be safe. Avoid gatherings of any kind and places of congregation, like playgrounds," said Mayor Christopher Taylor. “Limiting our interactions to meet our essential needs is critical to slowing the spread of the virus. Your attention to detail will help a nurse on her shift or a doctor on her rounds. Your attention to detail will save lives."
Per the order, all Michigan businesses and operations must temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life, and all Michiganders must stay in their homes unless they are part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.
This order does not impact the city's ability to continue to deliver critical services such as drinking water, police, fire, emergency operations, waste and recycling collection, however, some city functions have been modified to heed the order and keep city employees and the community safe.
City Services:
Per the State of Michigan's “Stay Home, Stay Safe" executive order, City of Ann Arbor nonessential operations and all city buildings are closed through *May 28. These measures will not impact critical services such as drinking water, waste water, police, fire, emergency operations and waste and recycling pickup.
All permitted events through the city have been cancelled *at least through May 28.
All parks facilities are closed and usage of city parks and natural areas is limited to activities that do not involve direct contact with others. Activities such as walking, hiking, running and cycling are still permitted. Please make sure while engaged in any of these activities to remain at least 6 feet from others who do not live with you in your household. And if you are sick, please do not visit the parks until you are well. Public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons not part of a single household are prohibited, and in an attempt to make every effort possible to stop the spread of COVID-19, the following park amenities are closed until further notice: playgrounds/play structures, game courts (basketball, tennis, pickleball), groomed and ungroomed athletic fields, golf courses, the skatepark, disc golf courses, dog parks, BMX course and pavilions/shelters.
All in-person advisory board and commission meetings have been cancelled *at least through May 28. Please check the city's meeting calendar for the most up-to-date information.
The April 6 City Council meeting will be held in a digital format. Residents can still view the meeting live on CTN cable channels or via live webstreaming. City residents are encouraged to give feedback on agenda items via eComment. Details on other ways to participate electronically and via telephone will be on the city's website soon. Please check the published agenda at http://a2gov.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx for more information. All special and electronic meeting notices are online.
To pay parking tickets, water bills, property taxes, apply for permits as well as other customer service options, residents and visitors are encouraged to take advantage of online services by visiting www.a2gov.org/services.
Enforcement Update:
Following the announcement of the Governor's “Stay Home, Stay Safe" executive order, law enforcement agencies have received many questions related to how citizens can report a business or individual that is violating the order. Originally, the public was directed to the Attorney General's office. However, due to the overwhelming response, local law enforcement agencies are asking residents to report complaints directly by contacting 9-1-1.
While all aspects of the executive order are to be followed and law enforcement is interested in responding appropriately to reported violations, callers are being asked to report only those behaviors that pose a credible and serious risk to public safety and that may exacerbate community spread.
Public safety leaders from each agency within Washtenaw County, including the Ann Arbor Police Department, have aligned response protocols to include the following:
Upon calling 9-1-1, dispatch will relay the complaint to local police agency.
Each agency will determine the severity of the violation and respond appropriately.
Initial response will focus on education in order to gain compliance with the order.
The intent is not to arrest, but enforcement action will be taken as deemed appropriate.
The city will continue to monitor this evolving situation and coordinate with local and state partners. City information is shared via the city's website www.a2gov.org/covid19 and via social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and NextDoor.
For the latest COVID-19 Washtenaw County Health Department information, please visit www.washtenaw.org/COVID19 or the Centers for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/coronavir us/2019-ncov/about/.
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