HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2021-02-22 Item 5A - COVID-19 - Coronavirus Weekly ReportITEM INFORMATION
STAFF SPONSOR: RACHEL BIANCHI ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 02/22/21
AGENDA ITEM TITLE A weekly update on the City’s planning and response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
CATEGORY Motion Resolution Ordinance Bid Award Public Hearing Other Discussion
Mtg Date 02/22/21 Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date
SPONSOR Council Mayor HR DCD Finance Fire TS P&R Police PW
SPONSOR’S
SUMMARY The City is actively engaged in regional efforts to address the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Staff are providing the Council with updated information regarding the City’s response to
COVID-19.
REVIEWED BY Trans&Infrastructure CommunitySvs/Safety Finance Com Planning/Economic Dev.
LTAC Arts Comm. Parks Comm. Planning Comm.
DATE: N/A COMMITTEE CHAIR:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
SPONSOR/ADMIN. N/A
COMMITTEE N/A
COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE
EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED
$ $ $
Fund Source:
Comments:
MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION
MTG. DATE ATTACHMENTS
02/22/21 Coronavirus Report
C OUNCIL AGENDA S YNOPSIS
----------------------------------Initials --------------------------------- I TEM N O.
Meeting Date Prepared by Mayor’s review Council review
02/22/21 RB 5.A.
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Coronavirus Response Update
February 22, 2021
* Denotes All New Content in the Section
Essential Services and City Operations
With the recent Governor’s order, staff is being extra vigilant to ensure that worksites are being inhabited under the
mandated 25% capacity and that City facilities are being utilized only be staff who must report to work in order to
complete their jobs.
Financial Stability
On Monday, December 7, the City Council adopted the proposed budget for the 2021-2022 biennium. The budget, as
adopted, includes an increase in service levels for street and park maintenance as well as human services. Noted in the
budget video and letter that was presented to City Council on October 5 is the fact that the City is in better financial
shape than anticipated in May when various cost-cutting measures were implemented. Due to the early action of the
Council and the tremendous sacrifice by our non-represented staff and most of our labor partners, the City is in a good
financial condition in 2020. While in May of this year the City initially projected the need to use $4.8 million in
contingency in 2020, the proposed Mayor’s budget uses only $700,000 from contingency this year and zero ongoing
contingency in 2021 and 2022. Even with utilizing this amount of contingency on a one-time basis, the City still
approaches 2021 and 2022 with contingency and reserve funds higher than the Council’s adopted policies.
City Utilities Update
The City has a moratorium on utility shut off and late payments during the pandemic. The City has seen an increase in
past due utility accounts. In January of this year, the City had 213 past due water accounts with a total balance of
$246,000. For comparison, in March of 2020, the City had 77 past due accounts totaling $86,000. City Human Services
staff continue to work with utility customers and Finance and Human Services have a long-standing practice (pre-
pandemic) of working together to assist qualified utility customers that are behind on their payments.
Police Staffing and Calls for Service
There have been no changes to Police staffing since the last report.
Fire Staffing and Calls for Service
There have been no changes to Fire staffing since the last report.
*Human Services
Since our last report, Human Services has assisted eight new households (28 individuals) with a total of $8,389. All eight
households required rental assistance, $5,500 from HB1406 and $2,889 in HS contracted general funds. Staff is in
various stages of the screening process with six new households
Staff spoke with 17 households in need of rental assistance. The ranges of back owing rent were $800 to $6500. One
household owed between $500-1,100; nine households owed $1,250-3,500; seven households owed over $3600+.
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* Business Recovery
Business Re-Openings and Closings
On January 5, Governor Inslee announced a new COVID-19 phased recovery plan called “Healthy Washington –
Roadmap to Recovery,” which began on January 11. The State now follows a regional recovery approach and every
region started in Phase 1. On January 28, the Governor announced modifications to the recovery plan. Under the
current plan, every two weeks a region’s phase will be determined by the State’s Department of Health (DOH) based on
four metrics. To go from Phase 1 into Phase 2, a region must meet three of the four metrics:
1. A decreasing trend of at least 10% in the rate of new COVID-19 cases
2. A decreasing trend of at least 10% in the rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions
3. Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds occupancy rate less than 90% (including non-COVID cases)
4. COVID-19 test positivity rate less than 10%
Once in Phase 2, a region can remain in that phase if it meets three of the four metrics:
1. A decreasing or flat trend in the rate of new COVID-19 cases
2. A decreasing or flat trend in the rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions
3. Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds occupancy rate less than 90% (including non-COVID cases)
4. COVID-19 test positivity rate less than 10%
Regions that fail to meet the second set of metrics will be moved back to Phase 1. The metrics for each region will be
updated on a Risk Assessment Dashboard every Friday and regions will move into the new phase (forward or backward)
the following Monday.
Tukwila is in the Puget Sound Region, which includes King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. We started in Phase 2 on
February 1. For the period of February 14 through February 28 all eight regions of the State are in Phase 2.
Puget Sound Region: Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery Phase
Week start date or period: 2/1/2021 2/14/21 - 2/28/21
Phase: Phase 2 Phase 2
Trend in the rate of new COVID-19 cases +4% -41%
Trend in the rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions -16% -14%
Hospital ICU beds occupancy rate 84% 85%
COVID-19 test positivity rate 9% 6%
Notes:
1) Unshaded cells indicate we are meeting the goal to stay in Phase 2
2) Shaded cells indicate we are NOT meeting the goal to stay in Phase 2
3) Data is from the Roadmap to Recovery Reports available at: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/what-you-need-
know/roadmap-recovery-metrics
Now that we are in Phase 2 basically all types of activities are allowed; however, many are under significant restrictions.
The following indoor activities are the permitted but limited to 25% of capacity and other restrictions such as distancing,
masking, hygiene, and more: dining, retail, professional services, personal services, worship services, card rooms,
museums, and fitness.
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Business Assistance
Work continues on Experience Tukwila, the Great Tukwila Carry-Out, SavingLocalKC.com, Southside Promise, and
collaborating with the Chamber and other regional organizations.
On February 17, staff emailed all Tukwila businesses encouraging them to apply for the updated Federal Paycheck
Protection Program funds and provided a list of resources plus websites for information on vaccines.
Unemployment
The unemployment claims data report will be included monthly. The report through January is included as an
attachment in this report.
On December 27, 2020 new federal funding through the CARES Act was signed into law. It provides expanded
unemployment benefits through March 13, 2021. These include regular unemployment benefits and related extensions
such as Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) and Extended Benefits (EB). The new law also
extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which benefits people who do not qualify for regular
unemployment such as self-employed people and independent contractors. It also created the Federal Pandemic
Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) which provides an extra $300 per week for eligible claimants who are receiving
benefits from any unemployment program. The President has proposed a $1.9 trillion funding plan that would extend
the unemployment benefits into the summer.
Per the Council’s request on January 11, 2021 regarding publishing information on employment resources for
community members that have been affected by job loss or reduced hours due to COVID, staff has prepared the
information and will distribute it through our social service partners, business email, plus the City’s website and social
media accounts starting the week of February 22.
* Meeting our Community’s Basic Needs
Tukwila Food Pantry
• 2/4 - 564
• 2/6 - 607
• 2/9 - 571
• 2/11 - 583
• 2/13 - Closed due to weather conditions
• 2/16 - 545
Pantry numbers also include Door Dash deliveries.
National Guard personnel lost three members to support other food pantry’s in need, leaving the pantry with a total of 9
National Guard members for support. The National Guard is expected to stay on with the Pantry until end of summer
2021.
Senior Meal Distribution: The sixth meal distribution of the year included:
287 meals delivered
44 households
52 residents served
In-person fitness classes at the Tukwila Community Center the week of February 8th had 79 attendees, and there were
100 fitness room users.
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The Park n’ Play youth meal and recreation activity kit for the week of January 22nd was as follows:
Meals: 204
Breakfasts: 120
Snacks: 120
Activity Kits: 312
Masks: 269
Overall Attendance: 199
Public Safety Plan Construction Projects
There have been no changes to the Public Safety Plan projects since the last report.
Compliance with the Governor’s Order
There have been no changes to compliance issues since the last report.
* Covid-19 Testing Sites
Below are the three current nearest testing sites in/to Tukwila. For more information on free testing sites in King County,
visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/testing.aspx
• Tukwila Pantry, testing is no longer being offered at the Tukwila Pantry
• Highline College, Wednesdays 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Church by the Side of the Road, beginning Tuesday, October 6, 2020, 8:30 to 5:30 Monday through Saturday.
• Abu Bakr Islamic Center expects to offer free testing once a month.
The following are the number of individuals tested over the past week at the Church by the Side of the Road. This is a
regional testing facility drawing individuals from across south King County. Positive rates for the prior weeks was
hovering around 18.5%. All testing locations in the region are seeing a significant surge in the number of people
requesting tests. King County has contracted with off-duty officers to provide traffic management along Tukwila
International Boulevard and Military Road to mitigate traffic impacts in the neighborhood.
• 2/17 – 203 individuals tested
• 2/16 – closed
• 2/15 – closed
• 2/14 – closed
• 2/13 – closed
• 2/12 – 210 individuals tested
• 2/11 – 229 individuals tested
Additional information on the testing site at Church by the Side of the Road:
Hours of operation M-Sat 9:30-5:30. Sundays Vaccine only and Appointment only for First Responders or other Level 1A
personnel.
On most days we accept everyone regardless of an appointment. Allowing everyone equal access to testing is very
important to CHI Franciscan and King DOH. Some days if we get busy we will direct non-appointments into a parking lot
and have them use our walk-up tent. On rare occasions if we become overwhelmed, we will go "Appointment Only." If
this happens, we change the message on our Variable Message Boards and update this on the KC DOH website. As an
alternative the Park and Walk Covid Testing Site at Highline College will be the next testing option for people needing a
test.
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Firefighter Cathy Browning will be operating the Covid-19 Test Site beginning 1/6. Jeff Nichols will assist with training
and his last day will be 1/7. When Cathy is not on site she will have Capt. Bill Austin fill-in and he is from VRFA.
To sign up go to https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/testing.aspx If you are unable to sign up, walk-up
to the site and we can assist whoever needs help.
We have 2 Variable Message Boards Located 1 block north and 1 block south of 148th. The purpose and value of the
signs provided visible notice of when to turn. The testing site is difficult to find from T.I.B. The message boards also
provides hours of operation and when the site is "Appt Only".
At this time, we do not know how long the site will operate. At this time, the contract was approved until April. It is
anticipated that the Testing Site will operate as a vaccine site once more vaccines become available.
Other information is that CHI and King County DOH operate the testing site. It is important them to be good neighbors
and provide a valuable service. In the beginning we did have traffic issues to resolve so we responded by implementing
Full-time traffic control officers and being much more efficient at testing.
* Public Health – Seattle & King County Covid-19 Outbreak Summary – Tukwila
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City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: Derek Speck, Economic Development Administrator
DATE: February 17, 2021
SUBJECT: Unemployment Report through January 2021
The attached graphs show unemployment claims for zip codes 98168 and 98188 through the
week starting January 24, 2021. These reflect both “regular” unemployment claims and claims
under the Federal Government’s Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
program.
As you can see from the graphs, totals for initial claims and unduplicated continuing claims have
declined significantly from their peaks in early 2020. This reflects that many people returned to
work as the year progressed. Even so, the number of people who are unemployed remains very
high. Approximately 12% of the available workforce in these two zip codes is receiving
unemployment compensation.
Official and standard unemployment rates are not available for cities under 25,000 in population.
In past reports, we have used the unemployment claims data to estimate an unemployment rate
for these two zip codes and compared that to the region. However, we now realize that
comparison can be misleading given differences in the methodologies. We believe the official
unemployment rates are likely to understate actual levels of unemployment given different
unemployment eligibility criteria during the pandemic.
Currently, about half of the people receiving unemployment compensation are getting it under
the special Federal PEUC program which is extended to March 14. The President has proposed
extending it through September.
Although not reflected in the attached graphs, many self-employed persons (“gig workers”) who
are out of work are receiving benefits through a special Federal program, Pandemic
Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The number of people receiving PUA in these two zip codes
is about 1/3 of the number receiving regular and PEUC unemployment. That program is
extended to March 14 and is also included in the President’s proposal to extend it through
September.
Notes:
(1) Unemployment data is not available for the specific boundaries of the City of Tukwila.
The attached chart includes data for two zip codes, which include parts of Tukwila,
SeaTac, and possibly parts of unincorporated King County.
(2) Initial Claims reflect the week when an unemployed person first files a claim. The person
may have become unemployed prior to the week in which they first filed.
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INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 2
(3) Unduplicated Continued Claims reflect the total number of claims paid during a specific
week. This number may be seen as an approximation of the number of people who are
unemployed during that week.
(4) Regular Unemployment is the standard program for unemployed workers. Eligible
unemployed workers may receive regular unemployment for up to 26 weeks.
September ended approximately 26 weeks after the start of job losses caused by the
pandemic and some of the reductions in Regular Unduplicated Continued Claims may
be due to lapse of eligibility.
(5) Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) is an extension of regular
unemployment benefits that is available 3/29/20 through 3/14/21. Under PEUC
unemployed workers can receive benefits for an additional 13 weeks. After PEUC ends,
participants may receive up to 20 weeks of Extended Benefits provide by Washington
State.
(6) Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is not included in this report because it
covers self-employed people, independent contractors, and part-time workers (with
fewer than 680 hours). It is available from 2/2/20 through 3/14/21.
(7) Unemployment data for Tukwila area zip codes provided by Washington State
Employment Security Department.
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Data provided by WA State Employment Security Department. Compiled and formatted by City of
Tukwila Office of Economic Development 2/17/21.
See attached memo for explanations of data.
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 2 4
Nu
m
b
e
r
o
f
C
l
a
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|------------------------------------------------------2020 ---------------------------------------------------| 2021
Week During Year
Continued Unemployment Claims
Zip Codes 98168 and 98188
Regular PEUC Total
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 2 4
Nu
m
b
e
r
o
f
C
l
a
i
m
s
|-----------------------------------------2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------| 2021
Week During Year
Initial Unemployment Claims
Zip Codes 98168 and 98188
Regular PEUC Total
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