Thursday, April 30, 2020

Aurora Newsletter - April 30th





April 30, 2020






Stay safe by staying home, wearing a face covering when out for essential needs or work



The city of Aurora encourages its residents to comply the Stay-at-Home order through May 8 that was extended in Adams and Arapahoe counties by Tri-County Health Department, the local, independent public health authority over Aurora. This is an effort to stem the ongoing high level of COVID-19 virus infection in these counties. Douglas County, where a small number of Aurora residents live, will continue with the governor's Safer-at-Home order (no businesses operate in the Douglas County portion of Aurora).

Retail businesses in Adams and Arapahoe counties are now allowed to offer curbside pickup and delivery services per Tri-County Health Department's public health order that extended the state stay-at-home order. Retail businesses in Douglas County also are able to offer curbside pickup and delivery as stated in Gov. Polis' Safer-at-Home order.

With public health and safety as our top priority, the city of Aurora on April 28 formally adopted the state’s regulations on face coverings for workers in critical businesses and strongly encourage all Aurora businesses to require customers to wear a face covering at all times when inside the business and also encouraging customers to comply. As we move into the Safer-at-Home phase after May 8, this is an important step for keeping our community safe, supporting our local businesses and helping the economy begin to recover.

To stay up to date on any additional orders or guidance at the local level, go to the Tri-County Health Department's website at TCHD.org/Coronavirus.

More information about Aurora's response and local resources of all kinds ia available at AuroraGov.org/COVID-19.



City's first protected bike lanes nearly open
This project is close to wrapping up, but two important project elements are still being installed: traffic signals and bike-ped counters.

Stay tuned for a grand opening of this new trail coming in late May.

For more details on the project, visit AuroraGov.org/TrailConnector



City actively working during health crisis



While city offices are closed to the public at this time due to the COVID-19, Aurora's Mayor, City Council and city staff in many areas are busy continuing to provide essential city services.

Aside from our public safety staff who are focused on protecting residents and responding to medical calls, Aurora Water personnel are performing critical water and wastewater treatment and maintenance activities throughout our system.

Throughout the public health crisis, the city's Permit Center has continued to serve the business community with minimal disruption while still ensuring safety for employees and customers. That's because years ago, the Building Division moved all of its services online to allow customers to skip the trip to our city offices.

Planning and Development Services Department staff continue to move forward on visioning studies for the city and review of plans for impending residential and commercial developments. At the same time, Public Works staff is forging ahead on road maintenance projects, filling potholes and completing work on bigger infrastructure projects designed to improve mobility in the city.

Communications professionals are answering the public's questions and sharing critical information through media, the city website, social media and AuroraTV. While in-person programming is on hold, Parks, Recreation and Open Space and Library and Cultural Services staff are maintaining important city assets and offering creative online activities.

Human Resources Department staff are making sure employee needs are addressed. And Finance Department staff are managing the city's finances and monitoring the impacts of COVID-19 on the city budget.

All of this work goes on while we ensure the safety and well-being of employees.

These are just a few examples of how your city continues to work for you during COVID-19. For information on city services in Aurora, visit AuroraGov.org. To reach Access Aurora, call 303.739.7000 or visit AuroraGov.org/ContactUs.









UPCOMING EVENTS

Council Member Town Meetings
Council members are eager to hear from residents and committed to forums in which those conversations can occur, but the format and structure of town meetings may be affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Please visit AuroraGov.org/Council to check the latest information on meeting dates.

City Council Regular Meeting (Virtual)
Monday, May 4, 7:30 p.m.
View this meeting online at AuroraTV.org and cable channels 8 and 880. You can also listen to the meeting by phone (see AuroraGov.org for details). In advance of the meeting, submit a comment for Public Invited To Be Heard or an individual agenda item to publiccomment@auroragov.org. Please indicate in your email whether you want your comment read into the record at the meeting or simply forwarded to mayor and City Council. Staff will read the first three minutes of any comment into the record as requested. Comments will also be accepted in advance of the meeting by phone by calling the City Clerk’s Office at 303.739.7094.
AuroraGov.org/Council • Streamed live at AuroraTV.org or cable channels 8 and 880 only

Explore the world while staying at home
Do you feel a little shut off from the rest of the world during the Stay-at-Home order? Some city programs have some great ways for you to stay connected.
·     Aurora Dance Arts: On its Facebook page, Aurora Dance Arts is providing live online dance classes, with some of their fabulous faculty teaching from home, dance tutorials and dance challenge videos, and various other online resources for dancers and families.
·     Aurora Fox Arts Center: The Aurora Fox has a weekly video interview, “Meet the Artists,” with artists connected to the Aurora Fox. Check it out on the Aurora Fox’s Facebook page or Instagram.
·     Aurora History Museum and Historic Sites: Explore online exhibits, archives and lesson plans from your home, including interactive maps, such as one of East Colfax Avenue, history videos, and more. You can also take a virtual tour of all the city’s historic sites.
·     Aurora Public Library: The library has daily storytime on Facebook, ebooks, audiobooks and other remote-access tools, Learn at Home activities, Do It Yourself projects, virtual field trips to museums, national parks, etc., and more. Aurora Public Schools students can access most library databases using their student ID number.
·     Art in Public Places: The city’s Art in Public Places program has a downloadable coloring book featuring some of the most popular public arts in Aurora. Visit its Facebook page to download your free copy.
·     The People’s Building: Aurora's newest cultural facility is creating a series of videos on its Facebook and Instagram titled “Six Feet Apart,” which profiles some of the artists and performers who will be showcased at the building once we return to healthier times.

City of Aurora Metro District Information Meeting
Thursday, April 30, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The city of Aurora is hosting this informational meeting, which will be presented in a teleconference format due to COVID-19, to discuss Title 32 Metropolitan Districts. This meeting will include a presentation from the Special District Association of Colorado and city staff members, along with a chance for questions and discussion. Information on how to access the meeting and participate is available at AuroraGov.org/MetroDistricts.

City Center Visioning Study
The original outreach meetings scheduled for April on this project have been delayed until further notice due to COVID-19. Please visit AuroraGov.org/CityCenter for project updates and future outreach opportunities in the coming days.















Have a comment, question or need our assistance? Contact Access Aurora online, at 303.739.7000, or via iOS or Android app.

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This newsletter is produced by the city of Aurora Communications and Marketing Department

Questions?
Email communications@auroragov.org
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