WORKSHOP ITEM Michelle Wolfe, City Manager
Title
MAYC UPDATE
Background
The Mary Ann Young Center has been closed since mid-March due to safety and health considerations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, the city has been able to offer emergency meals for 20-25 seniors per day, and staff has conducted continuous wellness check phone calls.
After the City Council approved the City of Blaine COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, staff began work on a MAYC re-opening plan. The current draft is attached. (This document will be revised on an ongoing basis.) Staff was instructed to create the plan so that we can prepare for and quickly adapt as State directives and other factors change which would allow providing additional services and programs.
In the past few months staff has been able to begin offering foot care clinics and a few other Phase 1 activities as identified in the attached draft. Flu shot clinics have been scheduled. The North Country Jamboree was held, however, several challenges occurred that prevented it from being highly viewed. Much was learned from that process.
Staff send the first “robo call” via CivicPlus on September 25. MAYC staff will record messages, which will be widely sent to senior members of the community for whom we have telephone numbers. The goal is to increase connectedness for those who are not able to leave home, and for whom virtual program use is not available at all or difficult to use. We anticipate the first call being ready to roll out prior early the week of September 28.
A new MAYC newsletter was rolled out last month. Again, one of the goals was to increase connectedness to our senior community. Positive comments have been received about the newsletter.
Currently, MAYC is the location for early voting in Blaine. This location offered the best opportunity to ensure a safe voting environment for our residents.
City Council has indicated a desire to offer more programming at MAYC. Staff desires the same, and is diligently working to identify opportunities that balance all the different aspects of public health and safety that need to be considered, including virus protection as well as the impacts of limited social activity and connectedness. This is a high priority and staff will be presenting a framework of additional programs and services during the retreat.
Current staff efforts to prepare for the additional MAYC offerings include:
1. A complete re-read and review of State directives to ensure we understand them, and to identify opportunities for additional MAYC programming
2. A staff team is meeting to brainstorm and collaborate on possible programs and activities that can be offered consistent with #1 above.
3. A staff team is doing a thorough final walk-through of all facilities to identify improvements needed for safety. This includes MAYC, with an eye towards what is needed to be able to safely operate the center now, in the near future, and when fully re-opened. Many items such as sanitizer stations and cleaning equipment/supplies were already purchased, however, a final thorough review will be taken to determine if additional needs are identified, and which of them would be eligible for CARES Act funding.
The attached MAYC Reopening Plan will be updated as the work above progresses.
Recommendation
This is an informational item.