The Fresno City Council voted today to approve a grant agreement with UCSF Fresno to significantly expand testing for COVID-19, especially in underserved communities and vulnerable populations that have been particularly hard hit by the highly contagious virus.  The agreement, proposed by Mayor Lee Brand and City Manager Wilma Quan, appropriates $5 million from the City’s Coronavirus Relief Fund to support the project and improve Fresno’s response to the pandemic and help improve health in areas that would benefit mostCOVID-19 is responsible for a global pandemic with devastating impacts throughout the world. 

“The partnership with UCSF Fresno will facilitate economic recovery and disease control,” said Mayor Brand. “Both of these require a better understanding of the disease, especially in communities of color, which are disproportionately affected and whose community members hold many of the essential jobs in the economy. This project will begin to give us some critical insight.”

The agreement between the City and UCSF Fresno builds upon UCSF Fresno’s Mobile Health and Learning or Mobile HeaL.  Emergency medicine physician and assistant dean at UCSF Fresno Kenny Banh, MD, started Mobile HeaL in the fall of 2018.  It provides mobile health services to vulnerable populations.  Health care and remote testing for COVID-19 will be provided in underserved areas of the City through Mobile HeaL.  

The funding will allow Mobile HeaL to expand services with additional personnel, equipment and increase the number of mobile units from one to three.  Community connections will be developed to offer the services and testing in neighborhoods and at schools, churches and other locations throughout central, southwest, southeast Fresno.

In addition to providing remote, accessible health care for vulnerable population, Mobile HeaL offers learning opportunities for medical students and pre-health students under the guidance of experienced medical residents and faculty physicians at UCSF Fresno.

“As a branch campus of the UCSF School of Medicine, UCSF Fresno is focused on education, patient care, research and public service,” said Michael W. Peterson, MD, associate dean at UCSF Fresno. “We are happy to partner with the City and various community based organizations to put our experience and expertise to use for the benefit of the community.”

The partnership will be in effect starting later this month through the end of this year.

After further discussing the City of Fresno’s role in supporting the Black community, the street art event originally planned for Monday, June 15, 2020 has been postponed and revised to support efforts for community art and expression already planned by local radio personality and community leader DJ Kay Rich.

The City of Fresno is committed to supporting its residents and listening to what our community wants to see. This is a small, but meaningful step in that direction.

In lieu of Monday’s event, there will be a declaration of an annual proclamation of “Black Lives Matter Day” at the Fresno City Council meeting on Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.  Immediately following the ceremony, there will be an event on P Street in front of City Hall between Tulare and Fresno Streets.  DJ Kay Rich will be leading the community project to paint “Black Lives Matter” on the street, and residents are encouraged to come and express their own unique feelings on systemic racial injustice and support for our Black community and the Black Lives Matter movement in the area around the street painting,  

The City of Fresno will close P Street between Tulare and Fresno Streets on Thursday, June 18,2020 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  The event is co-sponsored by DJ Kay Rich, Fresno State NAACP, Mayor Lee Brand and Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi.  Participants can bring their own chalk or use chalk provided by the City’s Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services (PARCS) Department.  Personal protective equipment, such as masks, will also be provided if needed, and social distancing protocols among participants should be practiced.

P Street will be blocked off at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday at the crosswalk at Fresno Street, and just past the South entrance to the parking lot for State employees off of Tulare Street. Parking in downtown will be relaxed for those residents wishing to participate.

The City of Fresno today announced that dog parks at Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services (PARCS) facilities will re-open on Monday, June 15, 2020, with modifications.

Dog park visitors must follow social distancing recommendations:

• Maintain a minimum of six feet apart from others
• No group congregation allowed
• No physical contact with others
• Do not allow dogs to interact with other dogs outside of your household
• Avoid touching your face after handling toys or other equipment
• Provide your own water and dog bowl
• Bring your own dog waste bags and dispose of in provided trash receptacles
• No extracurricular or social activity shall take place within the dog park
• All users should leave the facility immediately after play
• Facial covers are required within the dog park         

City staff may limit the number of users at one time due to space limitations.  Dog park hours have also been modified to 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., daily. 

City of Fresno dog parks are Al Radka Dog Park, Basin AH1 Dog Park, Belcher Dog Park, Figarden Dog Park, Inspiration Dog Park, Jaswant Singh Khalra Dog Park, Koligian Dog Park, Roeding Dog Park*, Stallion Dog Park, Todd Beamer Dog Park, Woodward Dog Park*.

* Dog parks at Roeding and Woodward Parks will be open from 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Parking lots at City-owned parks remain closed at this time.

Visitors exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus, have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, or have serious underlying health conditions are asked not to enter the facilities.  All other dog park rules/regulations remain in effect.

The application deadline for the City of Fresno’s “Save Our Small Businesses” Program has been extended by one week, to 11:59 p.m., June 12, 2020.  The City’s Economic Development Office has received several hundred applications; however, many businesses have expressed that they have been pre-occupied with getting prepared to re-open and the deadline extension will give those small businesses additional time to apply for the grant.

“Based on the applications we have received to-date, business are reporting an estimated 23.44% in loss of jobs compared to March 4, 2020.  We are confident that the profile of the applications submitted, the grant funds will serve to assist those small businesses that hold up our local economy and that we are look forward to frequenting once again,” said Economic Development Director Lupe Perez.

The second phase, approved by City Council on May 14, 2020, appropriated $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.  Businesses impacted by COVID-19 with 1 to 5 employees are eligible for a $5,000 grant while businesses impacted by COVID-19 with 6 to 25 employees are eligible for a $10,000 grant. 

The application portal for the Save Our Small Business Program is available on the City of Fresno’s website with links on both the front page and the Economic Development Department’s page.  Potential applicants can call Lupe Perez, Economic Development Director for the City of Fresno, at (559) 621-8350 for more information.

Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement following a weekend of protests in Fresno surrounding the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis:

“To the thousands of people who gathered along the streets of Fresno over the past three days to pray and march and speak out against injustice – thank you for showing the world that we can come together as one voice and challenge the status quo in peaceful and powerful way.  I am also proud of the way the organizers of yesterday’s event, the thousands who marched downtown and our police officers responded, showing dignity and respect for each other.  

“Once again, Fresno has been touched by the better angels of our nature and used a tragedy to achieve a triumph.  Together, we can overcome any problem as long as we pledge to continue the conversation in earnest and work together in harmony to bring real change to our community.”

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.