May 7, 2020
As previously shared during the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 5.
Safe and Smart – Response to Recovery
Some seven weeks ago, on March 17 ― which seems like a very long time ago now ― I made a statement that included this sentence: We know this is a difficult time, but we’re confident that by continuing to work together and showing resiliency, creativity and flexibility, we will come out as an even stronger community on the other side.
I am so impressed and proud of everyone’s great work during this pandemic. The Unified Command ― Lawrence Douglas County Public Health, LMH, Douglas County ― and all the other contributing agencies and individuals who have done a tremendous job keeping us all safe and well informed during the crisis. Our community has exemplified resiliency, creativity and flexibility, and I believe we are stronger for our experience. It has been heartwarming to see how so many of us, while facing our own challenges, immediately asked, how can I help?
As Mayor Ananda has said, our community and our city employees deserve thanks and, there is still more to do. Unfortunately, the “other side” of this pandemic is yet unforeseeable.
Risk of infection still exists; we cannot let our guard down. We must continue to follow state and local orders, practice social distancing and wear masks or cloth face coverings in public. And, we need to keep working together to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the resources they need to be safe, healthy and secure.
As we continue to face uncertainty and work together to move through the disruption and changes of this pandemic, the City of Lawrence remains dedicated to our Mission: We are committed to providing excellent City services that enhance the quality of life for the Lawrence community. This determination, along with our Organizational Values of Character, Competence, Courage, Collaboration and Commitment will drive our response and recovery even as we embrace the reality that change is inevitable and accelerated because of this long-term event.
I want everyone to know that in addition to continually providing core services, we will also continue working with our Unified Command and other community partners to identify resources and proactively plan for long-term recovery as quickly and safely possible. We are adapting to changes effectively and adjusting wherever needed to keep moving forward.
As we move from response to recovery, we will continue providing City updates through our Coronavirus Information web page at lawrenceks.org and the shared Douglas County Coronavirus Response Hub which can be found on the Douglas County web page, douglascountyks.org/coronavirus.
Keep up the excellent work! Thank you for supporting our efforts throughout this critical and unusual time. Take care of yourselves, each other and our community. We will get through this together!