The Alpharetta City Council has authorized staff to begin hosting public special events and take other steps to immediately conclude the City’s phased pandemic recovery plan. The move came during the March 3 city council meeting and was based on improving COVID-19 incidence rates and the fact that all residents 16 and older have had access to vaccines for nearly two months.
“At this point, the availability of vaccines has outpaced demand, so the majority of people who want to be vaccinated have probably received at least their first dose,” said Council Member John Hipes. “Given that our incidence rate has been between 98 and 111 for the last five reporting periods, I am comfortable setting aside our targeted rate of 100 per 100,000 and opening things up fully,“ he stated, a sentiment echoed in the comments of other Council Members.
Morgan Rodgers, the City’s Director of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Services, informed the City Council that staff has plans in place for the Home by Dark series and three limited engagement food truck events to take place over June, July, and August. Additionally, he advised that the in the Park event will be held on May 22 and 23, and the Alpharetta Arts Street Fest will take place in Wills Park on May 29 and 30.
City staff also immediately began making the arrangements necessary for spaces like the Community Room at City Hall to be available for HOA and other non-city meetings, as they were prior to the pandemic.
“City Council’s decision basically accelerates our plan by one month,” explained Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard. “Given the situation on the ground, they are confident it is safe to open everything up, and I know that most of our citizens and our staff are ready for that to happen.”
The City will continue to screen staff and visitors to the Adult Activity Center at North Park and those indoor recreation facilities at which youth programs and camps take place, turning away anyone registering a temperature of 100.4 or higher. This precaution reflects current public health guidelines to protect senior populations that are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and those under 16 years of age who are not eligible to be vaccinated.
Staff was directed to continue to monitor COVID activity reports and to advise City Council if significant spikes in the incidence rate developed so the situation could be considered and precautions reinstated if necessary.