Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood says the City of Mishawaka will follow the State of Indiana’s guidelines as Indiana gets “back on track.”
The following is the Mayor Wood’s statement, which he sent just prior to Governor Holcomb outlining the path forward:
Today I am announcing that the City of Mishawaka is moving forward with plans to re-open for business. Mishawaka is complying with Governor Holcomb’s stay at home orders and will continue to do so. If the Governor extends his order to shelter in place, Mishawaka will comply. Whether those orders expire on May 1, or in the near future, we are planning to get back to business in Mishawaka as soon as the Governor allows and we ask our citizens and businesses to prepare to do the same. That means, when the time comes, it will be up to each one of us to take appropriate precautions and decide for ourselves if we want to go out, open our businesses or patronize any business. We ask that you please give that thoughtful consideration and prepare accordingly.
Mishawaka City Government is considered an essential operation and has been open, fully staffed and ready to serve under emergency modified operations since the onset of the pandemic. We have developed plans to transition into more normalized operations in a way that follows CDC guidance and takes the health, safety and well-being of our citizens, employees and patrons into account. I am asking and encouraging each business and organization to develop their own plans. I’m specifically asking that all of the citizens and businesses in the Princess City anticipate the expiration of the Governor’s orders and prepare for the recovery and reopening of our city and its businesses whenever such orders expire. What will that look like for you and your business? How will complying with recommendations impact your operations? How will you keep yourself, your patrons and your employees safe? These are just some basic questions to consider. I also ask that you stay alert to new guidance coming from the Governor, his team and the Saint Joseph County Health Department. While routine activities may look a little different for the time being, this is not the time to give in and withdraw but rather a time to prepare to move forward carefully with hope, confidence and without fear. We need to do this while also continuing to follow all CDC, Federal, State and local recommendations to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Please know that I have great faith in you, our citizens and businesses to do the right thing.
Your welfare and safety are always our top priority. We would not ask you to do anything that you are uncomfortable with. Every citizen should take their own personal responsibility seriously when we move into the phase of recovery. Yes, it will still be important to maintain social distance, to wash hands frequently, use a mask in public areas as recommended and to use good old Mishawaka common sense. That also means refraining from going out in any public area when you are feeling sick have a cough, temperature or any other symptoms that may be associated with COVID-19. Also, if you are elderly or have an underlying condition that makes you more susceptible, please take extra care and measures to limit your contact with other people. It is imperative that if you have any thought that your symptoms may be consistent with the virus that you seek help from your physician, medical expert or any local hospital.
Most of all I am calling on you and all of Mishawaka to unite together to continue to fight this invisible enemy just as we have, with strength, compassion and determination. Whenever that date may be, let’s move together into a recovery phase where we can get back to work and our livelihoods while taking appropriate precautions so that we can once again enjoy our uniquely American way of life.
Yours in Mishawaka,
Mayor Dave
