Oakdale City Publishes Coronavirus Updates For May 13

Press release from the City of Oakdale:

May 13, 2020

City officials are monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak closely and making the appropriate adjustments to city operations. This is a fluid situation and updates will added to this page as they are warranted. Current adjustments to city operations including closures, cancellations, and city services are outlined below.

UPDATE: 5/13/2020

The City of Oakdale will extend the restrictions on public access to City facilities and the cancellation of events and programming through June 9.

Play structures and basketball courts in City parks will be opened for public use.

UPDATE: 4/29/2020

The City of Oakdale will extend the restrictions on public access to City facilities and the cancellation of events, programming and advisory commission meetings through May 13.

Park amenities that allow for proper practice of social distancing including tennis and pickleball courts, ball fields, and the skate park will be opened to the public. Play structures and basketball courts in City parks remain closed until further notice.

Update: 4/15/2020

It was announced that this year’s Oakdale Summerfest event, which was scheduled to take place June 25-28, 2020, has been canceled. City Council unanimously decided to cancel the event at the April 14 work session. The decision was made in the best interest of health and safety of the community amid the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.

Update: 4/06/2020

Effective April 6, 2020, under Mayoral Directive, the use of all play equipment, park facilities and athletic courts in city parks is prohibited until further notice. When in park open spaces please continue to practice social distancing, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others.

Update: 3/25/2020

Governor Walz issues an executive order directing Minnesotans to stay at home, starting March 27 – April 10th.

There are exceptions for those performing critical tasks. Read the full order

Residents should stay home except for the following:

• Health and safety activities, such as obtaining emergency services or medical supplies
• Outdoor activities, such as walking, hiking, running, biking, hunting or fishing
• Necessary Supplies and Services, such as getting groceries, gasoline or carry-out
• Essential and interstate travel, such as returning to a home from outside this state
• Care of others, such as caring for a family member, friend, or pet in another household
• Displacement, such as moving between emergency shelters if you are without a home
• Relocation to ensure safety, such as relocating to a different location if your home has been unsafe due to domestic violence, sanitation or essential operations reasons

City facilities and services

All City facilities remain closed to the public, with the exception of the Police Station.

City employees are available by phone or email to help with service requests. Call 651-739-5086 or see the Staff Directory for specific contact information.

Playgrounds, Parks & Trails

While we recognize the importance of spending time outdoors for well-being and exercise during this time, the City of Oakdale is highly discouraging the use of playground equipment, as these structures cannot be properly sanitized.

Here are a few tips for using the parks and trails while practicing social distancing:

• Follow CDC’s guidance on personal hygiene prior to heading to trails — wash hands, carry hand sanitizer, do not use trails if you have symptoms, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, etc.
• Observe at all times CDC’s minimum recommended social distancing of six feet from other people. Practice it and know what it looks like. Keep it as you walk, bike or hike.

Help prevent sewer backups

Due to COVID-19, there has been a shortage of toilet paper on store shelves. This may cause people to look for alternative products such as facial tissues, paper towels, baby wipes, flushable wipes, and other similar items. These products do not break down like toilet paper and can cause sanitary sewer backups, which in turn can cause additional public health concerns. Please prevent sewer backups and do not flush products other than toilet paper down the toilet.

Closures and cancellations

Programs and events

City events and recreation programming have been canceled through April 30, 2020.

Facilities

City facilities are closed to the public through April 30, 2020. This includes both fire stations, the public works facility and the Discovery Center. City Hall will remain open for police business only. For all other business, call 651-739-5086.

Meetings

Advisory commission meetings will be canceled through April 30, 2020. Council meetings will be held per the regular schedule.

City services

Utility Payments

We are no longer accepting utility payments in person. Residents can pay their utility bill in one of the following ways:

• Submit payment in the drop box outside City Hall
• Make payment by phone, 651-730-2716
• Make payment by mail, City of Oakdale Utilities, 1584 Hadley Avenue N, Oakdale, MN 55128. Please include your check or credit card information with the utility statement payment stub, and any other paperwork, if applicable.

Animal licensing

Although the pet licenses issued by the City of Oakdale typically expire March 31, we are extending the expiration date for all dog and cat licenses to May 1. This means that you can hold off on renewing your pet license for a number of weeks without any concerns or penalties. Should you have any questions, please call 651-738-1025 during regular business hours.

Fingerprinting

Fingerprinting services are suspended until further notice.

This press release was produced by the City of Oakdale. The views expressed here are the author’s own.