Saturday, December 19, 2020
Dear Friends,
Happy December Holidays! I'd like to extend a warm invitation below and share some important news:
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Monday, 12/21 @ 7PM: Virtual Annual City Council & Mayoral Rotation ceremony -- please join us!
- Monday, 12/21 @ 7PM: Community Policing Presentation Update
- SupportBurlingame.com shop local gift card campaign
- Unpacking the Mandatory Regional Stay at Home Order
- El Camino Real Renewal Virtual Open House extended through 1/7/21
- Wednesday, 1/13/21 @ 5PM: Virtual Q&A Conversation with Emily
- Burlingame Shoreline Park great news & outreach
- Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan adopted and next steps
- Trusted COVID-19 Resources
Upcoming Notable Dates: • 12/21 @ 7PM: Burlingame City Council Ceremonial Mayoral Rotation & Community Policing Update. Agenda posted here. • Now thru 1/8 Caltrans ECR Renewal online Public Forum • 1/13 @ 5PM: Virtual Q&A with Emily via Zoom or Phone View our City Council meeting video recordings and review our agendas here to confirm the location, date, time, and detailed meeting content. |
I'll share some reflections on 2020 as your Mayor, then pass the gavel to Vice Mayor Ann O'Brien who will share her vision for 2021. Congratulations to Ann and our incoming Vice Mayor Ricardo Ortiz! It means a lot to all of us when our community joins us for this annual tradition, so we hope you'll Zoom or call-in. Ceremony and remarks should finish well before 8PM. If you wish, there will also be a chance for you to make a public comment. In the meantime, I authored an Op-Ed in for the San Mateo Daily Journal celebrating local innovation that happened during 2020, and I hope you enjoy reading it! Click here to find Zoom meeting info and meeting agenda.
2) Community Policing Presentation Update:
I'm grateful that our Chief of Police Mike Matteucci will present an update to our community about his Department's important work this year. In response to the tragic death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter Movement, Burlingame, like other cities across the nation signed the Mayor's Pledge and took action to improve our policies and safeguard all members of our community. As a follow-up to our Police Town Hall and Community Listening Session in July, Chief will highlight our latest efforts to combat racial bias and revamp how we respond to behavioral health and homelessness calls.

4) Unpacking the State's Mandatory Stay-at-Home Order
I know we're all fatigued and feeling isolated from friends and family this holiday season, but I implore everyone to please follow the letter and spirit of the law so we can keep our community safe and preserve hospital resources. Due to widespread indoor and outdoor social gatherings with friends and family during the Thanksgiving holiday, COVID-19 cases in our county and throughout the state have reached a staggering number. Medical experts tell us contact tracing shows that social gatherings are the reason for this surge. It's really dangerous right now and hospital staffing is stretched to the limit. Mills Peninsula alone has tripled their caseload since Thanksgiving. Remember somewhere between 50-70% of COVID spread happens from people who never experience ANY symptoms, and/or before symptoms arise -- so huge numbers of people (like you and me) are unknowingly part of the problem. We must do better.
The mandatory state law prohibits any kind of social gathering outside of our households (that means outdoor and indoor social gatherings of any size are not allowed, even small ones like two friends meeting in a backyard staying 6' apart) for at least three weeks until the Bay Area's ICU hospital capacity increases to 15% or higher.
The order also closes hair salons, personal services, and outdoor restaurant dining for at least three weeks. Take-out food and pick-up are still allowed. Retailers may stay open with limited indoor capacity, so allow extra time for shopping. And please do shop locally whenever possible. San Mateo County created a terrific, easily digestible FAQ, so please read it here.
That said, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The vaccine is here and being distributed to front-line health care workers, and it will eventually reach all who want it in the months ahead. Things will get better in the not too distant future! In the meantime, let's all do our part and act selflessly through the holidays to save lives and get our economy back on track.
5) New El Camino Real Renewal Public Forum by Caltrans -- public comment period EXTENDED through 1/8/21
What's Next? After incorporating all of your comments, here's an estimated timetable which includes future opportunities for public review and input:
- Spring 2021: Draft Environmental Document and preliminary design (public input)
- 2022-2023: Project Design Complete (public input)
- 2024: Construction Begins (tentative)
6) Join me for my 18th virtual constituent Q&A during COVID-19 on Wednesday, 1/13 @ 5PM. I strive to be accessible to you during these challenging times. Visit my events page for instructions about how to dial-in by phone or join via Zoom video conference. Bring your questions or comments about any City matter on your mind -- or feel free to just listen in. Thanks for spreading the word by sharing this invitation to others who may not receive my newsletter. You can forward this email, or share the following URL link: https://www.beachforburlingame.com/newsletter
7) Burlingame Shoreline Park (across from the new Facebook/Oculus offices) update and outreach in 2021
8) Burlingame adopted our first comprehensive Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan on 12/7/20
I'm proud of our City Council and community for prioritizing active transportation improvements that will make walking, biking and rolling safer and more accessible in Burlingame! I'm also delighted to inform you that our City received the top score in a competitive grant from The San Mateo County Transportation Authority providing $1.4 million in Measure A & W funds for bicycle improvements on California Drive (between Broadway and Oak Grove) and pedestrian safety improvements around Burlingame Caltrain Station. We hope you will stay engaged as we begin designing these important projects. Huge thanks to our City's Traffic, Safety, and Parking Commission (TSPC), our Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), and our Public Works Department staff for shepherding this important project to completion.
9) As a reminder, here are some trusted primary sources of COVID-19 Information:
- County FAQ about Regional Stay at Home Order, effective 12/17/20
- State of California's COVID-19 Resilience Roadmap
- County Health Officer's Statements and Orders
- San Mateo County COVID-19 statistics
- Burlingame COVID-19 Community Resource Guide
- Sign up for SMC Alert at smcalert.info for timely & reliable emergency information from local government -- imperative in this era of pandemics, wildfires and other disasters.
- Sign up for the City of Burlingame's e-Newsletter for weekly and other time-sensitive email updates
Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, healthy, and joyful holiday season.
Warmest regards,
Emily Beach
Mayor, City of Burlingame
P.S. If you seek more frequent updates, keep in touch with me via Q&A events via Zoom, Facebook, & Twitter. Read my past archived newsletters on my website and please encourage your friends to sign-up to receive my newsletters. If you send me an email message, I appreciate your patience with my reply during these busy times.