Letter From Platteville City Manager Adam Ruechel

March 16, 2020
Dear City of Platteville residents & visitors, 

As of the last few days, we are operating under states of emergency at the national, state and county level.  The City of Platteville is in the process of issuing a formal declaration for a city State of Emergency.   

We want to offer assurances and best practice recommendations to our residents. 

COVID-19 is a global pandemic.  It is spreading quickly, and the intensity of this virus is more severe than the flu or pneumonia.  Our aging populations are at increased risk with this virus.

As you know, travel has been restricted around the globe.  Platteville schools are closed until at least April 5, 2020.  UW-Platteville has altered their face-to-face class interaction until April 14, 2020.  Precautionary measures have required libraries and senior facilities across the nation to be closed, sporting and entertainment events and venues to cancel, postpone, or reschedule their events and many workplaces are trying to conduct their business from remote locations. 

In addition to the many recommendations you are seeing about washing hands, disinfecting surfaces and bathrooms, and maintaining social distance, the City wants to offer some additional recommendations to allow us to remain open and offer services.

You can obtain accurate and timely information about local resources at these sites:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html 
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/

We are encouraging ALL of our residents to request and absentee ballot for the April 7 election.  Voting through the mail reduces public contact with our poll workers and other voters.  In order to vote absentee at your home, you must be registered to vote by Wednesday, March 18.  Once registered, you can request a ballot here https://myvote.wi.gov.  Please do so as soon as possible.  It takes time for a ballot to be mailed to you and for you to mail it back.  While you have until April 2 to request a ballot, the possibility of receiving it and having it be received back in the City by Election Day is not guaranteed the closer we get to April 2.  For more information regarding voting, please visit the City Clerk webpage. 

Please limit visits to City Hall.  We need to ensure our staff and our residents remain healthy in order to continue to provide vital municipal services.  You can pay utility bills online or through the mail.  Tax payments and other payments can be mailed, and receipts will be sent to you.  Please utilize our municipal website, www.platteville.org, to obtain information, or call City Hall at (608) 348-9741 before coming in for information and services. 

Lastly, please make sure you are checking on your neighbors – particularly your aging neighbors – to make sure they have adequate food and supplies.  Offer to do their grocery shopping for them or run errands for them so they can limit contact in large public spaces.

Our goal as city staff is to work with county, state and national leaders to ensure this virus is contained as quickly as possible, that exposure in our community becomes limited, and we all can return to the activities we have come to enjoy as soon as this situation allows. 

We are all in this together as a community.  Please continue to be safe, take care of your families and we will continue to fight this head-on. 
 

Respectfully, 

Adam Ruechel 
Platteville City Manager