The State of California and the Southern California region continues to see alarming surges in coronavirus-related hospitalizations, cases and deaths. In fact, the City of Santa Paula has the third-highest number of total coronavirus cases in Ventura County, just behind Oxnard and Simi Valley. In order to protect the Santa Paula community and staff from the spread of the coronavirus, the City has decided to make further modifications to its City operations and facilities.
“We are at a critical moment in our fight against the coronavirus,” said Santa Paula City Manager Dan Singer. “With cases and hospitalizations reaching all-time highs, we want to ensure that we are taking the precautions necessary to protect our residents and vulnerable populations.”
Effective immediately, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department office will be closed to the public. As a part of this closure, all recreation classes, park and facility rentals will be suspended until further notice. The public will still be able to reach staff with any questions at 805-933-4226, ext. 350. In order to further help with compliance of social distancing guidelines, the City has also modified the skate park hours to 7 AM to 12 PM daily, effective immediately.
While the City’s recreation classes are cancelled indefinitely for the time being, the Parks and Recreation Department will continue to engage the Santa Paula community through its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter social media pages with fun DIY projects and virtual events. “With our virtual and at-home offerings we hope to offer Santa Paulans a sense of interconnectedness while also giving the community things to look forward to during these unprecedented times,” said Parks and Recreation Director Greg Barnes.
Additionally, the City’s Finance Department has reduced its in-person hours and the Utility Billing counter hours to 9 AM to 12 PM Monday through Thursday, and every other Friday. Residents may reach the Finance Department and Utility Billing at 805-933-4211 and press 0. The City has also temporarily waived the convenience fee for online utility bill payments due to the pandemic. For more information, residents may visit the City’s website.
While many of the City facilities and activities have changed in response to the worsened pandemic, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department will continue to provide its home-delivered and drive-thru meals to resident seniors. Residents may contact the Senior Coordinator at 805- 933-4226, ext. 356. In addition, the City’s Public Works, Community Development and Police Departments will keep their operations as usual. To view all City facility modifications, please visit the COVID-19 Portal on the City’s website.
While the challenges of 2020 have carried into the new year, hope is on the horizon. Ventura County has already begun vaccinating local healthcare workers as a part of the State’s phased vaccination rollout. As soon as the vaccines are made available by the State, the County will continue to move forward with vaccinating the broader population in accordance with the State and CDC’s prioritization and distribution plan. The eventual widespread distribution of the vaccine will allow the City to steadily and safely reopen its programs and businesses. Residents can read more about the County’s vaccination distribution and FAQs on the County’s website.