City Of West Palm Beach Weekly Coronavirus Update: Oct. 16

From the City of West Palm Beach:

October 16, 2020

SUMMARY: A face covering mandate remains in effect for our community. Residents are advised to continue to follow CDC guidelines and practice social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The City has reopened all parks amenities, and the Grassy Waters Preserve Cypress Boardwalk is scheduled to reopen on Monday, October 19, 2020. Due to COVID-19, Mayor James has signed the 30th extension of local emergency to October 20, 2020.

ASSISTANCE:

• Round 2 of CARES Mortgage Funding is available to homeowners, per Palm Beach County (PBC) – To learn more, Click here!
• Acceptance of CARES Act Rental and Utility Assistance applications has resumed, per PBC – To learn more, click here!

• CARES Act Food Assistance Available: West Palm Beach residents may apply for CARES Act Food Assistance offered by Palm Beach County to eligible residents of PBC under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. For information, click here!
• Interactive Map of Palm Beach County Food Sites: Click here!
• Food Stamps Application Assistance: The City’s Housing and Community Development Department will help residents with Food Stamps applications. Call (561) 822-1274 (TTY: 800-955-8771) to schedule an appointment. For more information, click here!

CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH OPERATIONS, REOPENINGS:

• NEW - City of West Palm Beach Reopens All City Parks Amenities - The City of West Palm Beach Department of Parks and Recreation has opened all recreational amenities within the City’s public parks. These reopenings include pavilion rentals and sports fields, although guests must still follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 guidelines and Palm Beach County’s directive on face coverings. Pavilion rentals and field permits can be requested at any of the City’s community centers. Temperatures will be checked prior to entering the facility, and masks must be worn during the entirety of the reservation process. Please note that pavilions are not sanitized and are available for use at your own risk. While all features in City parks are available to the public, guests are required to practice social distancing, frequently wash hands, and wear a face covering per Palm Beach County’s directive on face coverings. Face coverings are mandatory for spectators and athletes on field sidelines. For more information on pavilion rentals, visit www.wpb.org/government/parks-and-recreation/facility-pavilion-rentals or call the City of West Palm Beach’s Parks and Recreation Department at (561) 804-4900 (TTY: 800-955-8771).
• NEW - Grassy Waters Preserve Cypress Boardwalk to Reopen on Monday, October 19, 2020 -- Grassy Waters Preserve of West Palm Beach is scheduled to reopen its Cypress boardwalk on Monday, October 19, 2020. The boardwalk offers visitors unique hiking, birding and photographic opportunities through the 23-square mile preserve, a remnant of the historic Florida Everglades and the water supply source for the City of West Palm Beach, Town of Palm Beach, and Town of South Palm Beach. The preserve’s nature center is open only by appointment. To make an appointment, please call (561) 804-4985 (TTY 800-955-8771). Visitors to the center are required to wear a face covering and are subject to temperature checks. Visitors to Grassy Waters Preserve of West Palm Beach are asked to follow the preserve’s COVID-19 safety guidelines:
  • Practice social distancing by keeping 6 feet from others;
  • Wear a face covering;
  • Follow all trail signage, be courteous, keep moving, share the boardwalk, and warn other users of your presence as you pass;
  • Avoid gatherings of more than 10 people;
  • Do not visit Grassy Waters Preserve of West Palm Beach if you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.

    Previously reopened trails and entrances are:

• Public Meetings: The City of West Palm Beach resumed in-person Commission and CRA meetings on October 5, 2020. In keeping with Centers for Disease Control & Prevention guidelines as well as Palm Beach County’s directive on facial coverings, facial coverings will be required for entry into City Hall and Commission Chambers. Social distancing protocols are to be followed. Temperature checks are conducted upon entry to City Hall.While the public may be present to provide comment during in-person City Commission and CRA meetings, the public will still have the option of providing their comments electronically. To submit a typewritten public comment electronically, please visit the City’s public comment portal on the City’s website. Please visit: https://www.wpb.org/i-want-to/public-comment. City Commission meetings, CRA meetings and other select City public meetings are broadcast on WPB-TV, which may be viewed on Comcast’s Channel 18, on the City's website, or on social media channels (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter).
• NEW- Declaration of Local Emergency Extended to October 20, 2020: The 30th extension of the Public Health Emergency concerning COVID-19 was signed on October 13, 2020 by Mayor Keith James. To read the order, click here!
• GreenMarket: The City of West Palm Beach’s GreenMarket has officially kicked-off its 26th season! The GreenMarket will be held every Saturday through April 17, 2021, except for dates that fall within the Palm Beach International Boat Show. The GreenMarket is held on the Great Lawn (100 N. Clematis Street) from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Enhanced safety measures are in place. To learn more, click here!
• Mandel Public Library: The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach is open to business with limited in-person services. To help plan your visit, please note adjustments have been made to help improve the safety and experience of our valued library patrons during COVID-19. For information, click here!
• Sandi Show, Holiday in Paradise scheduled for December: Sandi, the world’s only 35-foot, 700-ton holiday sand tree is scheduled to return to the Waterfront Saturday, December 5, 2020. Sandi will host nightly music and light shows through December 31, 2020 with social distancing rules in place. For more information, click here!
• Trolley Service: City of West Palm Beach trolley service has been suspended until further notice.

• Hog Hammock Trail,
• Eagle Trail (fishing pier remains closed for maintenance),
• Owahee Trail,
• Watershed Management Entrance, 8537 Northlake Boulevard, and
• Apoxee Entrance, 3125 Jog Road.

  On-site visitors may call the center at (561) 804-4985 (TTY 800-955-8771). Grassy Waters Preserve of West Palm Beach is located at 8264 Northlake Boulevard. For more information, please call (561) 804-4985 (TTY 800-955-8771), or visit Grassy Waters Preserve of West Palm Beach website.

RECENT ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY OUR PARTNERS AT STATE, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND AGENCIES:

• Face Coverings Mandate - A directive on face coverings/masks remains in effect for our community. Palm Beach County’s Emergency Order 2020-012was extended by Emergency Order 2020-026requiring face coverings in Palm Beach County. Per Palm Beach County, the order directs the following:

• Face coverings must be worn by all persons, other than those specifically exempted, while obtaining any good or service or otherwise visiting or working in any business or establishment, including entering, exiting, and otherwise moving around within the establishment.
• Face coverings must be worn by all persons in public places where social distancing in accordance with CDC guidelines is not possible or not being practiced.
• All persons accessing governmental buildings for purposes of conducting public business, visitation, contracting, maintenance, delivery, or any other activity requiring a presence in a governmental building shall wear facial coverings as defined by the CDC at all times while present in the building.
• Businesses and establishments must still ensure compliance with the order’s provisions and shall establish a process for verification of compliance upon customer entry into the establishment. Specific signage must be displayed in the business and must be posted conspicuously for easy visibility at all entry points. Click here for Retail Sign. Restaurant Sign.

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH COVID-19 STATISTICAL DATA – To view data, click here!

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

• Questions: Questions for the City can be emailed to 822@WPB.ORG. The Mayor’s Special Response Hotline is (561) 822-2222.
• Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline: (866) 779-6121 or email covid19@flhealth.gov with questions.
• COVID-19 Compliance Task Force: This task force receives and follows up on reports of non-compliance related to CDC and State guidelines for operating businesses. To report potential violations, call (561-24COVID or send an email to CovidCompliance@pbcgov.org.
• Testing offered by the Health Care District: (561) 423-1000.

TESTING & HEALTH

• Interactive testing map: An interactive testing map, created by Palm Beach County, features over 70 testing sites. The map will help residents find the closest private or community-based testing location for them. Several of the sites are government supported and have free testing with a variety of restrictions and processes. Many others are private labs, urgent care facilities or pharmacies that will bill your insurance. Click here to see the interactive testing map!

EXECUTIVE ORDERS

• To view City, County and State executive orders pertaining to the public health emergency, click here!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19 FROM THE CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH, click here!

OTHER:

• Hurricane Season: The Atlantic Hurricane Season is underway through November 30, 2020. The City of West Palm Beach has information to help you safely prepare, evacuate, and shelter for severe storms while protecting yourself and others from COVID-19. Read more about it! Click here!

This press release was produced by the City of West Palm Beach. The views expressed are the author's own.