May 12, 2020

Coronavirus Update: The Budget During COVID-19

Dear Neighbors,

The release of the Mayor's draft Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Budget has been
postponed by a week and will now be released to the Council and the public
on Monday, May 18th. This delay will result in the rescheduling of several
budget committee hearings and, once finalized, those new dates will be
updated [1]online. Undoubtedly, it will be difficult for the Council to
have even less time to review this year's budget materials, but, by the
same token, it must be incredibly challenging for the Executive to account
for the over $700 million in lost local revenue as a result of COVID-19.

Due to the public health emergency, the Council has altered this year's
budget process and will now conduct hearings remotely over teleconference
platforms. While each committee will be taking a different approach to
receiving government and public witness testimony, each committee has been
provided with a unique voicemail number to accept verbal public testimony.
Just as with in-person hearings, voicemail testimony will be limited to 3
minutes. Public witnesses may also submit written testimony to committees.
Voicemail messages, as well as written transcripts, will be provided to
committees for the official hearing record. Hearings will be broadcast live
on DC Council Channel 13 as well as streamed live online on the Council's
[2]website and on [3]entertainment.dc.gov. The schedule and details for my
committee, the Committee on Transportation & the Environment, are listed
below this letter. I've always found public testimony to be very helpful in
informing my questions and conversation with our agencies, so please submit
your testimony early if possible.

As always, please share your budget and program-related ideas with me and
my staff. Your perspective, ideas, and feedback will be invaluable to the
Council as we look to strategically move forward toward recovery from this
pandemic.

Regards,

Mary

Please see [4]coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates &
resources on COVID-19

Today's Coronavirus Data: 6,485 positive cases, 886 recovered, & 336 lives
lost

To receive these updates directly, please sign up
through [5]marycheh.com or by emailing [6][email protected]

Budget Oversight: Committee on Transportation & the Environment

Feed the Front Lines: Nurses Appreciation Week

Donations Welcome!- National Nurses Appreciation Week may be coming to a
close (it officially runs from May 6th-12th), but there are plenty of ways
to show our immense gratitude and appreciation for local nursing staff and
frontline medical workers during the public health emergency.

One important effort in Ward 3 is the Feed the Front Lines Fund. This fund
helps care for Sibley Memorial Hospital’s frontline staff while also
supporting local restaurants under duress due to COVID-19. Donations
provide meals for staff and groceries for employees undergoing financial
hardship during this crisis.

To donate towards meals for medical workers, please see: [7]Feed the Front
Lines

For other donation opportunities, please see: [8]Ways to Give

An Update on the Convention Center

Preparing for the Medical Surge - The Convention Center has been outfitted
to serve as a 437-bed medical facility to accommodate coronavirus patients
during the projected medical surge. This site will be used for those
patients who need medical care but who do not need ventilator support.
Currently, the District has 74 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and 199
ventilators available. The potential surge in positive coronavirus cases
that would place District hospitals at full capacity, and thus activating
the Convention Center site, is projected to occur in June.

The photos below are courtesy of [9]Mark Segraves of NBC4.

For NBC4's coverage of the Convention Center Medical Facility, please see:
[10]Washington Convention Center Transformed Into Coronavirus Field
Hospital.

Join the DC Contact Trace Force

COVID Response - District Government is now hiring and accepting
applications for volunteers for the DC Contact Trace Force to assist with
the District's coronavirus response and reopening preparations. Positions
include investigators, lead investigators, and program managers.
* To volunteer with the Contact Trace Force, please contact Robin Diggs
at [11][email protected].
* To apply for a job with the Contact Trace Force, please see [12]Join
the Contact Trace Force.

Free 30-Day Capital Bikeshare Membership for Essential Workers

Go DC Go - Capital Bikeshare is offering essential workers free bikeshare
memberships. Eligible essential workers may sign up through their employer
and are encouraged to sign up by May 31st. First responders, healthcare
workers, food retail and transit employees are eligible.

If you are an employer and would like your organization to participate:
* Sign-up online by May 31st at [13]Capital Bikeshare
* Use code: XKD9TKT3

If you are an eligible employee who would like to participate:
* Please email [14][email protected]

Reminder: Please Don't Litter with PPE

Protect Yourself & Others - While it is never acceptable to litter,
littering personal protective equipment (PPE) is especially dangerous as it
potentially exposes the public and sanitation workers to the virus.
Additionally, as a courtesy and a precaution, please periodically disinfect
your trash and recycling bin lids and handles.

PPE is Not Recyclable - Please remember to place used paper towels,
tissues, gloves, masks, and other forms of PPE in a securely closed bag
before discarding it in your trash bin. Remember:
* Disinfecting wipes are not flushable or recyclable
* Disposable gloves are not recyclable
* Masks are not recyclable

Homebound due to COVID-19?

Call the Get Help Hotline for Support with Food & Essential Items

Online Composting Workshop Registration Now Open

Compost with DPW - In the most recent piece of emergency legislation passed
by the Council, Councilmember Cheh included language to enable the
Department of Public Works (DPW) to conduct their popular Backyard Home
Composting Program workshops online. Backyard Home Composting Workshops
qualify residents for a rebate up to $75 towards the purchase of a
traditional (stationary bin or tumbler) backyard home composting system.

Workshops are open to District of Columbia residents ONLY. Space is limited
and first-come, first-serve. To qualify for the rebate, residents must
attend the online workshop live.
* Wednesday, May 20th, 5:00pm-7:00pm: [15]Register Here.
* Saturday, May 30th, 10:00am-12:00pm: [16]Register Here.
* Thursday, June 11th, 11:30am-1:30pm: [17]Register Here.

For more at-home composting resources, please see [18]Zero Waste DC.

Spotlight on Sanitation Worker Octavia French During COVID-19

[19]

From the Washington City Paper -

A Sanitation Worker Says She Will Be There ‘Rain, Sleet, Or Snow’

"Octavia French is a 28-year-old sanitation worker with the D.C. Department
of Public Works...While much of the District is shut down, her daily routes
take her from Capitol Hill to Shaw to Georgetown, where she has been
collecting trash and recycling during the crisis."

[20]Read the Full Story

Metro Releases Recovery Plan

Pandemic Recovery Plan - WMATA has released the preliminary details of
its [21]covid-19 pandemic recovery plan. As covered in the [22]press, the
plan details different phases of recovery with a return to pre-COVID-19
service projected for the spring of 2021. Below are some notes from WMATA's
[23]press release:
* Customers will be asked to wear face masks or coverings when using the
Metro system this summer
* Metrorail stations that are currently closed as part of the COVID-19
response are expected to reopen in the fall along with the expected
reopening of the school system
* It is expected that the system will return to post-pandemic service
hours once a treatment/vaccine becomes widely available and economic
activity increases

To read the proposal in full, please see: [24]COVID-19 Recovery Planning
Update. The recovery strategy will be discussed at Metro’s Board of
Directors meeting on Thursday, May 14.

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

Firefighter Jim Mazzara Plays for Front Line Workers

A special thank you to Firefighter Jim Mazzara who has volunteered his time
to play the bagpipes for health care workers and others on the front lines
battling COVID-19.

To hear and see some of his wonderful performances and the joy it has
brought to doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and many others, please see
CBS's feature on Firefighter Mazzara:

[25]Bagpipe-playing fireman brings moment of peace in fight against
coronavirus

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is
closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are
teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to [26]email the office directly or reach us via phone
through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget
requests, and constituent services requests.

[27]Facebook [28]Twitter

FOLLOW MARY

References

1. [link removed]
2. [link removed]
3. [link removed]
4. [link removed]
5. [link removed]
6. mailto:[email protected]?subject=Sign-Up: Councilmember Cheh's Ward 3 Newsletter
7. [link removed]
8. [link removed]
9. [link removed]
10. [link removed]
11. mailto:[email protected]
12. [link removed]
13. [link removed]
14. mailto:[email protected]
15. [link removed]
16. [link removed]
17. [link removed]
18. [link removed]
19. [link removed]
20. [link removed]
21. [link removed]
22. [link removed]
23. [link removed]
24. [link removed]
25. [link removed]
26. [link removed]
27. [link removed]
28. [link removed]
Unsubscribe:
[link removed]

This message was sent to [email protected] from [email protected]

Mary Cheh
Mary Cheh Ward 3
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NWSuite 108
Washington, DC 20004
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

iContact - Try it for FREE: [link removed]