Summer 2020 Hometown Messenger

KEEPING LOCAL BUSINESS STRONG Among the hardest hit by COVID-19 are local businesses who temporarily closed their doors to slow the virus' spread. To show support, residents have continued to patronize local restaurants for curbside takeout and delivery. "We have been left speechless by the outpour[ing] of community support and patience we’ve received," said Amayrani Aguilar of Bravis. "Our guests have also been incredibly understanding of the challenges we’ve experienced, from supply shortages to longer wait times... [They] continue sticking by us." Businesses have also been caring for one another. Shakopee Valley Sports is donating a portion of sales from custom Shakopee T-shirts toward local small businesses, organizations and schools. Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant introduced a fundraiser to allow customers to “adopt a hairstylist” and donate 10-percent of the sale to a salon of their choice. O'Brien's Public House and Turtle's Bar and Grill also participated, expanding the recipients to include the Shakopee Senior Graduation Party, CAP Agency and Main Street Program Fund. In total, the fundraiser has raised more than $40,000 by mid-May. Many other restaurants have also donated meals to essential businesses, health care providers and first responders. Cameron's Coffee donated more than 8,000 servings to St. Francis Regional Medical Center and other Twin Cities hospitals. "We are finding little ways to help the local heroes on the front lines by delivering coffee where we can," said Cameron's CEO BobWaldron. "We know we just make coffee, but good coffee in the right hands can help fuel miracles."

Pablo's Mexican Restaurant donated 200

meals to workers at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee. Photo credit: Rachel Minske, Southwest Newspapers

DELIVERING CITY SERVICES During the Minnesota Stay at Home order, city employees have continued to serve residents—while following social distancing guidelines—whether at home, in the office or in the field. In late March, our city facilities closed to the public, and most of our office-based workforce began working remotely. Thanks to email, phone and the city website, we have been able to maintain excellent customer service from a distance. Our police, fire and public works departments all made adjustments to maintain safety, security and service throughout the community, while protecting employees. Fire response times: The fire department temporarily transitioned to a 24/7 staffing model to ensure emergency coverage. During this time, fire response across the city has been reduced by almost five minutes. Police calls: The police department adjusted its schedule to ensure the city has coverage and plenty of officers available on-call in case of an emergency. Overall, crime reports appear down, dropping the city's low crime rate even further. Traffic accidents have also decreased. Public Works: Our public works team have been on the job during the stay at home order maintaining streets, sewers and parks. Our engineering staff has been working on oversight of ongoing projects and designing future projects. The city has awarded six major construction projects since March 2, all of which have come in at or under engineer’s budget. Building permits : While many communities have seen decreases in building permits, Shakopee experienced an increase in early 2020. The city has issued 1,449 building permits through April—up from 1,268 in the first four months of 2019. In addition, City Council has continued to meet, maintain oversight and make decisions to keep the city moving. Our Parks and Recreation Department also started offering virtual activities through its Shakopee Rec At Home program. As we look forward, we know there will be economic impacts from COVID-19, including a loss of revenues due to facility closures and program cancellations. As we begin preparing the 2021 budget, we are mindful of the economic situation and will try to balance service demand with resource availability. Thankfully, Shakopee is in an excellent financial position due to years of budget alignment and strong financial management. We are working hard for you, to deliver the services you expect.

CELEBRATING MILESTONES BY DISTANCE Stan Kocon's family wanted to do something extra special to celebrate his 95th birthday. But with COVID-19 forcing St. Gertrude's Health and Rehabilitation Center to close its doors to visitors, the family had to get a little creative. Reaching out on social media, the family asked loved ones and friends to shower Kocon with 95 cards to brighten up these long days. Standing outside his window, Kocon's son and daughter-in-law read the cards via phone, showing him each picture. "He couldn't believe how everyone knew it was his birthday, and they took the time to send a card," said daughter Maureen Kurvers. Then, on his birthday, April 19, seven of his children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren stood outside St. Gertrude's singing Happy Birthday with balloons and signs. "The smile on [his face] was priceless. He will certainly remember turning 95," Kurvers said. "It was so special for him."

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