Durham stated that although the new number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in recent days is lower than it was a couple of weeks ago, the number of new cases confirmed each day is still alarming.
“Testing levels still are not where we need, but there is some hope that we might be near the peak in the viral curve that public health officials are trying to flatten,” Durham said. “This is not the time to get careless and try racing back to the lives we had before the virus reached Texas. This is still a time for caution, but hope is a treasured commodity, and I welcome what appears to be small pieces of good news.”
As local businesses start to slowly reopen, Durham said he urges residents to continue to practice physical distancing, frequent hand-washing and other personal protective measures.
“We also want to get back to business as usual. We need to accept that 'as usual' after COVID-19 is not going to be the same 'as usual' from before the virus,” he said. “A little extra patience will go a long way toward helping everyone make a successful and healthy transition back to full operations.”
Residents can expect municipal facilities to reopen in gradual phases with some temporary and permanent changes, Durham said.
Some of these changes, Durham said, will be necessary because the city is projected to lose approximately $7 million in revenue in the rest of fiscal year 2019-20. City staff projects that revenue decreases will be most severe in sales tax and hotel occupancy tax, which will cause the drops to continue into FY 2020-21.
The city has implemented a hiring freeze for most vacant positions and has delayed the grand opening of Thrive, its new multigenerational recreation center, from May to October.
“The next 12-18 months will see a very lean budget for the city,” Durham said. “Some projects will be put on hold, and some programs will be suspended or eliminated.”
As officials determine what budget cuts need to be made, Durham said, they will try to make them as “painless as possible” for residents.
“You can be assured that all essential services will continue,” he said. "Some of the cuts might include your favorite program or event, and I wish that could be avoided. But the core public safety and infrastructure needs of the city have to be met.”
Durham said he believes the COVID-19 outbreak will likely change some aspects of daily life forever.
“Two things that I am certain will not change are Lewisville’s steady pursuit of a bright future and the can-do spirit of her people, [which] makes the pursuit possible,” Durham said.
When several Lewisville city facilities closed more than a month ago, the city set up a call center that operated from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. every day. The center was intended to help residents who had questions about things like water bills and building permits or for those who had questions or needs related to the coronavirus. Since that call center launched, the city has received more than 2,800 calls, Durham said.
However, the rate of calls during the weekend has slowed down to an average of fewer than 10 calls per day, and as such, the call center will no longer be available on weekends, he said.
Durham pointed out that since the COVID-19 outbreak emerged locally, city employees have spent hours reaching out directly to senior citizens to ensure that they have the resources they needed. Through the city’s call center, Loving Our Community, city employees were able to use contact information from water bill records, appraisal district files and other sources to call more than 6,500 residents.
“While most of the 2,500 residents who answered their phones did not have immediate needs, our team did receive requests for food assistance, masks and sanitizer, COVID-19 testing locations and bill pay assistance,” Durham said. “We were able to connect those people with community resources ready to help. What can better express the special nature of Lewisville than calling to check on our neighbors and offering help during tough times?”
City inspectors will continue to conduct wellness checks on senior living centers in Lewisville to ensure that residents have what they need, he said.
Lewisville librarians and Quilt Country have made hundreds of cloth masks to donate to first responders, city employees and senior citizens in the community, Durham said.
“Some of you have reached out to me and expressed concerns that if we move too quickly now, it could undo the good that came from our stay-at-home sacrifice,” he said. “I understand your concern. We will closely follow the lead of our state and county officials and public health experts. The safety of Lewisville residents is always our top priority. Again, this is a time for caution, not carelessness.”
