Town of Marana issued the following announcement on June 11.
When the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, the Town’s response was swift. Mayor Honea issued a declaration of local emergency and Town staff working the front counters implemented modified operations to serve the public, first with limited contact to keep everyone safe, then with facility closures. In an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure that our water and wastewater customers remain safe, healthy, and have continued access to clean water, Marana Water suspended disconnections for non-payment and waived late fees until further notice. Special Events and Parks and Recreation staff cancelled or postponed events and programming. Public Works implemented their emergency preparedness plan where all field staff were placed in teams to ensure service continuity, Police created the Infectious Control position, and Technology Services provided digital options to Town staff so we could follow Governor Ducey’s executive order to stay connected as much as possible.
What followed our initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic was a Town-wide effort to adapt to our new “normal”, which continues to evolve as the community reopens. The Town of Marana has taken significant measures to support our community during this time, particularly for our businesses enduring the economic impacts.
During the temporary closure of Town facilities, our Development Services and Engineering departments transitioned to 100% electronic submittals and reviews to prevent a delay or halt in regular business operations. In-person inspections were made virtual, and pre-application meetings were done over conference calls to provide remote services that protected our residents, community partners, and Town staff. The Town also waived late fees for business license renewals to help those who had experienced financial setbacks to give them time to get back on their feet.
When the pandemic first reached Arizona, our local and state government had to act quickly, and we realize our businesses had to do the same. The Governor’s Office released a temporary signage order which suspended all permitting requirements for temporary signage so that communications could be immediately received by residents. We also realized that life will look a little different coming out of this pandemic, so we put measures in place to help businesses accommodate guidelines for customer service, including restaurant site expansions for outdoor seating.
Still, the Town recognizes that our business community has been through a lot. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented social and economic disruption, and economists agree that we are now in a recession. No models currently exist to quantify the magnitude or duration of the total financial impact, or the eventual recovery. To the Town, this only means that we are prepared to work that much harder to see our businesses and community return to normal. Economic rebound is expected to commence in the final two quarters of calendar year 2020, and the key to recovery will be the effective handling of the health emergency and the reopening of our economy.
Moving forward, the Town of Marana is partnering with organizations such as the Marana Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Pima Alliance to coordinate business outreach and education strategies and to identify best practices throughout the region. Town of Marana Development Services staff is currently conducting surveys, and while the results suggest we are sufficiently responding to customer needs, there’s always room for improvement. Staff is focused on expediting the process, because we understand that your time is precious.
Now’s the time to show our Marana community support as we all work together toward recovery. Please remember to shop local. Every effort helps. Recovery is never simple or easy, but we will get through it the way we always have: by standing together and returning stronger together, the Marana way.
Original source can be found here.