Mayor’s Message: Banding together in unprecedented times

Over 18 years as mayor, I have seen many things and endured many hardships together with the community. However, this is truly an unprecedented event. Yet I am inspired by how the Martinez community has banded together and moved forward, united. I want to take a moment to thank a few people today:

• Our health professionals on the front line
• Our retail and grocery store employees who keep our stores open so we can get essential goods and keep our essential businesses open
• Our delivery drivers who drop packages at our doors
• Our restaurants who have stayed open to provide meals for us
• Our teachers for their innovation as they teach our kids virtually
• Our City of Martinez Public Works employees who keep our community clean and safe
• Our City of Martinez Water Treatment staff who keep our clean water flowing
• Our senior center team for providing food and care for our seniors in the community
• Our City of Martinez administrative staff who keep city services operational
• Our police department who keep our community safe

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank you, the members of the Martinez community. You have risen to the occasion to help our city, our county, and our state stay safe. While I know the mayor and city council are here to lead the community, we cannot succeed without all of us working together. Moreover, you are inspirational in your generosity, thoughtfulness, and patience in seeing this through.

So where do we go from here? With the new health order, we are still sheltering in place through the month of May. Over this next month, we know that life will not go back to normal, but like you, I am hopeful we can take some steps forward. At City Hall, we are working to adapt how we do business to better serve the community as we slowly re-open. We have started to take online permit reviews, launched virtual council meetings, and changed our staffing hours to ensure that our community will be safe. There is an enormous amount of new information on our website at cityofmartinez.org to help you navigate in these tough times.

In addition, you can even find some virtual senior and recreation programs that will provide a small break to your daily routine. These are just a few of the ways our city services are here for you.

So what can you do as a community to help each other? Here are a few ideas:

Order food at one of our local restaurants for pick up or delivery. They are still in business and would welcome your order. When you shop for groceries, shop local and buy only what you need. Support your neighbors and the businesses in our community and think about others who may need what you bought. If you need to buy gas for those limited trips you are making, buy local. Every dollar helps our community.

Enjoy a walk outside, but keep a social distance and make sure not to leave behind any trash. I know this is all very unsettling for us individually, for our families, for our children, and for the loved ones we cannot see right now do to social distancing. I miss my daughters and grandson too!

On behalf of the city council I cannot thank you enough for joining together to keep Martinez the truly special place that I have known for many years and call home. Like you, I am hopeful that this will end soon, but for now I am asking you as a community to follow the county health orders, support those serving you each day, and be kind to each other.