Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the passing of former Fresno State baseball coach Bob Bennett:

“The Central Valley has lost another legend and college baseball has lost a visionary.  His impact on the Fresno State program and indeed, on our university, can be measured not just in wins and championships, but in the people he touched by showing them the value of loyalty, respect and humility.  

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Bennett and his family, along with the entire Fresno State community.  He was the epitome of what it means to be a mentor and he will be missed.”

Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020 and the varying reactions to this national tragedy:

“The killing of George Floyd was senseless and unjustifiable, and I condemn both the actions and the inactions of the police officers in Minneapolis who caused it and didn’t stop it.  The death of yet another African-American man at the hands of people sworn to protect him is one more example of the deep wound in our nation that continues to weep in spite of our sincere attempts to bring healing and understanding to this problem.

“Instead of choosing to let this latest outrage deepen the racial, political and economic divides in our country during this most challenging time, I call on our community to join together to unite against injustice.  It is natural to feel pain, anger, bitterness and frustration.  Every community, including Fresno, should express those strong emotions and demand that we all do better, and I support the right to come together as one voice to march and demonstrate and pray for justice, just as our community did last night, in peaceful and respectful ways. 

“But we can’t let this simply fade away.  Let us join together and focus on supporting what is objectively right and denouncing what is objectively wrong, whether it is racism or intimidation in any form.  Let us keep the conversation going in the weeks and months ahead because Fresno has an amazing history of uniting to care and connect with each other during the worst of times.  My hope is that this injustice will strengthen our resolve to end these kinds of senseless tragedies once and for all.”

Mayor Lee Brand today announced that yard sales and other sales of personal property conducted by residents on their premises are considered an authorized activity, under State and Fresno County health and safety guidelines.

As part of the announcement, the City of Fresno reminds residents that all current public health protocols, including wearing personal protective equipment and using existing social distancing and disinfecting protocols, are to be followed by anyone choosing to hold a yard or garage sale at this time.

Here are the recommended protocols and restrictions:

• No combined yard sales or mixing of personal property from multiple households.
• No more than 10 people on the residential property at the same time.
• Members of the household and their visitors should wear personal protective equipment (PPE), such as protective facial coverings and disposable gloves, to avoid contact with materials being handled and sold.
• Homeowner or resident host must provide receptacle for disposal of PPE.
• Surfaces must be sanitized and disinfected frequently.
• All residents and visitors should practice social distancing and homeowner or resident host should have a checkout line marked off in 6 foot increments.

When exchanging paper and coin money:

• Do not touch your face afterward.
• Ask customers to place cash on the counter rather than directly into your hand.
• Place money directly on the counter when providing change back to customers.
• Wipe counter between each customer at checkout.

For the latest information on all City-issued emergency orders and other coronavirus-related decisions, call 3-1-1 or visit the City of Fresno website at www.fresno.gov.

We encourage you to visit www.cdc.gov to learn more about COVID-19 nationally, https://covid19.ca.gov/ for information on coronavirus in California and to follow the Fresno County Department of Public Health website for regular updates.

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand today announced that he is submitting a continuing resolution (CR) budget to City Council that would “roll over” the amended appropriations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 into the first quarter of FY2021 to provide a bridge that would allow the City of Fresno to continue to provide essential services to the community and pay its employees until the fiscal picture becomes clearer.  The Administration will submit its official documents requesting a CR to City Council for its review and approval by the end of the City’s fiscal year on June 30, 2020.

A continuing resolution is a temporary measure a legislative body can enact to fund a governmental entity for a limited amount of time.  This is the first time a CR has been used for a City of Fresno budget during the 23-year history of Fresno’s strong-mayor form of government.

“The decision to propose a continuing resolution was not an easy one and was taken with a great deal of thought and consideration, with the overriding concern to minimize the impacts of this crisis on the critical services the City provides to our residents and our employees,” said Mayor Brand.  “I believe this is the correct path to ensure the City of Fresno can fulfill its responsibilities, and I firmly believe that as a community we have demonstrated that we have the courage and dedication to weather this storm and emerge a better and safer city.” 

The CR is necessary due to the uncertainty over the full financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the City’s operational funds, making it virtually impossible to estimate revenues for the next fiscal year around which a budget can be built.  The Administration anticipates returning to City Council in the fall of 2020 with revisions that reflect actual revenue receipts and steps to address any shortfalls, with the plan that the City would conduct its traditional department-by-department budget presentations to Council at that time.  That would also be the earliest the Administration and the Council should consider tapping into the City’s emergency reserve fund.

The Administration has already taken steps to mitigate the potential impact of the pandemic on City of Fresno revenues, including hiring restrictions, alternate funding sources for capital projects, and restricting all operational expenses except those that are most necessary to maintain core services or health and safety related.

The City of Fresno today announced that hair salons and barbershops in the City of Fresno can open immediately as long as they follow the health and safety measures directed by the Fresno County Department of Public Health, as well as the guidelines for hair salons and barbershops recommended by the State of California and measures listed in the Modified Appendix A: Social Distancing Protocol described in the City’s Emergency Order 2020-17.

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand joins Councilmembers Miguel Arias, Esmeralda Soria, and Mike Karbassi to announce the City of Fresno’s second phase of joint economic relief action to help small businesses in Fresno affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The second phase, approved by City Council on May 14, 2020, appropriates $2 million in federal relief funding received from the CARES Act and aims to help local economic recovery with funding for those small business owners who need it most.

On March 25, 2020, Fresno City Council passed the “Save Our Small Businesses Act” that established a $750,000 small business relief program that provided $5,000 and $10,000 loans-to-grant to 118 small businesses impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) during the month of April.  Over 2,600 local businesses applied for the program and the money was awarded by a random selection process. For the second round of emergency assistance, the City has set aside two and a half times its original funding amount in order to help almost three times as many businesses than the first round of funding.

“We have already provided a measure of relief to a number of our small businesses that have experienced unprecedented disruption due to COVID-19, but the need is still great and our responsibility to offer assistance is still crucial to their survival,” said Mayor Brand.  “We must all continue to look out for each other during these challenging times and offer encouragement and support whenever we can.  I’m so proud of our great city because we’re still thinking of others in the midst of our own concerns.”

“I am thrilled the Mayor and Council have prioritized finding funds to help small businesses weather this storm. This is another critical step helping our local mom and pop shops as we’re rebuilding Fresno’s economy and securing thousands of important jobs,” said Councilmember Karbassi.

Under the terms of the new ordinance, businesses impacted by COVID-19 with 1 to 5 employees can apply for a $5,000 grant while businesses impacted by COVID-19 with 6 to 25 employees are eligible for a $10,000 grant.  The business must have a valid City of Fresno Business License Tax Certificate, have been in business no later than February 15, 2020, cannot have any outstanding code enforcement or conditional use permit (CUP) violations or have received relief funding at the local, state or federal level.  The City’s Economic Development Department will manage the program.

Councilmember Soria added, “The small businesses which are essential to our local economy are struggling from COVID19-related loss of business.  The grants approved today and funded through federal CARES Act money will assist those business owners with ongoing expenses and in retaining jobs.” 

The application portal for the Save Our Small Business Program will be available on the City of Fresno’s website with links on both the front page and the Economic Development Department’s page, and will be open starting Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. until 11:59 p.m., Friday, June 5, 2020.

If there are more applications than available funding, there will be a random drawing to determine which businesses get the grants.  Potential applicants can call Lupe Perez, Economic Development Director for the City of Fresno, at (559) 621-8350 for more information.

Save Our Small Business Program

City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, 2020.  The delivery of some City services may be affected.  Normal operations will resume on Tuesday, May 26.  Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports:  Administrative offices closed;  Terminal, concessions and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Business License:  Office closed.  The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT (only) and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the Memorial Day holiday.

City Clerk’s Office:  Closed.

City Hall Offices:  Closed.

Code Enforcement:  Closed.

Dog License Division:  Closed.

Finance Offices:  Offices closed.  Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the Memorial Day holiday.

Fire/Police Departments:  Administrative offices and public counters will be closed.  Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express:  Administrative offices closed.  Sunday bus routes/schedule in effect.  Call (559) 621-7433 for details.  FAX route maps and schedules are available on the City’s website.

Parking Division:  No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on Memorial Day.  Office closed for citation payments.  Online services available at www.fresno.gov/parking.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS):  Administrative offices and recreation centers are closed.  All parks, including Woodward and Roeding regional parks, will be closed Saturday, May 23 through Monday, May 25.

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Planning and Development:  Office closed.  Permit applications can be submitted, and progress can be monitored, online through our FAASTER portal at any time during the Memorial Day holiday.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing:  Office closed; Bid opportunities and updated information are available on the City’s website, under the “For Businesses” tab, then click on bid opportunities.

Rental Housing:  Closed

Residential Solid Waste:  Administrative offices closed.  Normal residential and commercial collection schedule; for questions regarding residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments/Business Tax:  Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center.)  Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the Memorial Day holiday, please call 3-1-1 or use our FresGO mobile app.

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand today announced that Emergency Order 2020-16 has been modified extensively to rename business categories and announce a new phase of businesses to re-open in a safe and responsible manner.  The new emergency order, 2020-17 signed by City Manager Wilma Quan this afternoon, becomes effective at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 and supersedes the previous Order.  It officially ends the City’s shelter-in-place order and reverts automatically to the State of California’s current stay-at-home orders, which have no set end date.

In addition, Emergency Order 2020-17 eliminates the categories of “Essential Businesses” and “Non-Essential Businesses,” and establishes all Fresno businesses as either “Authorized” or “Non-Authorized” to describe their status for public operations and access.  The second phase of the re-opening of Authorized Businesses begins May 26 and all businesses that are not specifically prohibited by the State may open their doors if they follow the state guidelines and the City of Fresno’s Appendix A: Social Distancing Protocol.

Restaurant dining rooms may open once the State of California approves Fresno County’s variance, which we have heard is happening today, and Fresno County publicizes the date on which they may open.

“I’ve heard you.  I’ve been working day and night to get businesses open and people back to work, but in the safest and most responsible manner possible.  I believe that our new Order allows the vast majority of businesses in the City of Fresno to open safely and responsibly,” said Mayor Brand.  “Our next job is to now figure out how to get the rest of our businesses open and people back to work and we’re starting that work today.”

All Authorized Businesses will be required to comply with the City’s new social distancing protocol to protect the health of their employees and the health of the vendors and customers who visit and shop there.  The Order also eliminates the guideline of allowing only one customer per 500 square feet and requires each business to determine safe occupancy that provides sufficient space to allow for social distancing, according to the updated Appendix A. 

Residents will only be required to wear cloth face coverings when entering businesses and government buildings, with the exception of children under the age of two (2) and individuals with disabilities and respiratory illnesses.  The City strongly recommends that residents wear cloth face coverings outside in public spaces where you can’t social distance.

The City of Fresno will continue to monitor public health indicators in the community and adjust the Authorized Business program as necessary.  If public health indicators substantially worsen, the City will take appropriate action.  If public health indicators stay flat or improve, the City could accelerate this program.

Emergency Order 2020-17 will be available on the City’s website at www.fresno.gov/coronavirus/.

For the latest information on all City-issued emergency orders and other coronavirus-related decisions, call 3-1-1 or visit the City of Fresno website at www.fresno.gov.

We encourage you to visit www.cdc.gov to learn more about COVID-19 nationally, https://covid19.ca.gov/ for information on coronavirus in California and to follow the Fresno County