Over the weekend Indiana State officials announced that the first two cases of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had been diagnosed in the state. This news release is to update the community on what the City of Goshen is doing about preparation and response to the situation.

Gov. Eric Holcomb declared a public health emergency on Friday, which is needed to open avenues for federal funding to state and county health departments to help fight the spread of the disease. Though the risk of infection is low at this time, it’s important that the outbreak be carefully monitored and contained.

The City of Goshen is working with the Elkhart County Health Department, Goshen Health as well as other county and city officials and health providers to ensure the community is as best prepared for a potential outbreak. If someone is infected, it is imperative that the disease is diagnosed early and contained to avoid exposure to the rest of the community.

Immediate actions being implemented by the City of Goshen to protect the community include the following:

1. The City will be posting current information from the Center for Disease Control, State Board of Health, and the Elkhart County Health Department on the City website and through social media. Updates from these agencies will be posted as available.
2. The City is establishing a working group of City staff that will be responsible for coordinating efforts with community partners and preparing community updates as circumstances may change. The COVID-19 task force will meet on a weekly basis, or as needed, to develop and implement actions needed to prevent community spread of the virus.  
3. To protect first responders from possible infection, the Police and Fire Departments will be reviewing procedures to ensure that personnel are taking proper precautions to protect themselves from possible exposure. This includes the use of personal protective equipment and infection control procedures.
4. Along with protecting first responders, the City is working with other essential department personnel to ensure City facilities are safe and employees are protected from possible infection.
5. A meeting with local health care providers, school officials and other organizations that could potentially be impacted will be convened. The purpose of the meeting will be to ensure that local organizations that have a role in detecting and preventing the spread of the coronavirus are working together as a team to protect Goshen residents from infection.

Residents are asked to check with the CDC and reliable sources for the latest information about the outbreak. The city has created a page (goshenindiana.org/covid-19-information) with links to local and state resources, and updated information from the CDC. Links will be revised, as updated information about the new virus is available.

Mayor Jeremy Stutsman said the following about the situation:

“If we see COVID-19 spread to our community, the Elkhart County Health Department will take the lead,” he said. “Goshen will help in any way we can. For now we want to take a proactive approach by helping to share up-to-date information from reputable sources.”

The 2020 US Census will count every person living in the 50 states, District of Columbia and five US territories. In Goshen every household, residential center, dormitory and living quarters will be required to fill out a census form.

Not only is participating in the census required by the law, it also is very important that all residents be counted, because it determines how much federal funding a city, town or state receives. Your answers are protected and used only to produce statistics.

In the second and third weeks of March, residents are expected to receive official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail. Be on the lookout!

In May 2020, census takers will begin visiting homes that haven’t responded to the census to help ensure that everyone is counted. The best way to avoid a follow-up from a census taker is to fill out the census questionnaire within a couple of weeks of when you receive the invitation to participate.

For more information, go to 2020census.gov.

The City of Goshen Special Ops Team is scheduled to begin construction of water main to the Hawk’s Apartment Building Phase 2 Project the week of March 2, 2020.

The road closure is for the water main extension to the Hawk’s Building Phase 2 on River Race Drive. The segment of road to be closed is from the south side of the new Jefferson Street parking lot to the north side of the intersection of River Race Drive and Jefferson Street. This segment of road is expected to be re-opened to traffic by March 6, 2020.

The lane closest to the former Elkhart County Jail is being blocked off between Clinton Street and Lincoln Avenue through Friday, March 6, to allow for the demolition of the former jail building. Work may extend into next week as well. Signage on the roads will indicate the restrictions.

UPDATE: Work on the Elkhart River bridge at Plymouth Avenue has been changed to the dates of Thursday and Friday, Feb. 27 and 28. 

Plymouth Avenue (SR 119) will be restricted to one lane at the bridge that runs over the Elkhart River on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 27 and 28, (previously scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 24 and 25), to allow some planning work to be done by engineering firm Earth Exploration at the bridge.

The Goshen Parks & Recreation Department was named the winner of a statewide award for the opening of Kerry’s Kids Playground.

The department received the 2020 Inclusion Program of Excellence Award from the Indiana Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the association’s State Conference in Muncie, IN. The award praises an organization or agency for then achievements pertaining to a program or project that increases awareness and benefits of parks and recreation. The award highlights and acknowledges the organization’s effort and determination to provide inclusive opportunities and programming to their community.

Kerry’s Kids Playground, located at 1414 W. Plymouth Ave., is Goshen’s first fully inclusive playground. With ramps and special equipment features, every part of the playground is accessible to all residents. The playground opened its doors to the public in October 2019.

Parks Superintendent Tanya Heyde she and her staff strongly believe the playground is an important addition to the City’s parks system, inviting anyone, regardless of age or ability, to take part in play.

“It is a privilege and an honor to accept such an award on behalf of the entire city, community and everyone who contributed to making this playground a success,” she said.

Mayor Jeremy Stutsman thanked Heyde and the Parks & Recreation Staff, other departments, and the volunteers who helped plan and build the playground.

“It took our community working together to bring this playground to life,” he said. “From the departments who oversaw the construction of the facilities, to the community members who helped with the design and those who provided financial support, everyone helped and that’s what makes our community so special.”

About IPRA: The Indiana Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) is a professional association representing over 1000 parks and recreation professionals throughout the state. Members include agency superintendents, directors, and other professional staff; corporate vendors that supply recreation equipment and professional services; elected officials; students; and citizen advocates.

IPRA provides its members with networking & mentoring opportunities; legislative advocacy; news & information; and professional development opportunities via district and section meetings; advocacy events; training events, workshops, online education, and its annual conference.

Bring your own lunch and join the Department of Environmental Resilience to a series of community presentations and meetings as a lead up to some of the Climate Action Planning.

The first meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 25 from noon to 1 p.m.

The speaker for the first meeting will be Carrie Tauscher, State Community and Urban Forest Coordinator, Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Carrie works throughout Indiana with community urban forestry assistance and grant programs, advocating for the many benefits of the urban forest, and directs the Indiana Community Tree Stewards training program.

Carrie will speak about the social, economic and ecological roles that urban trees play in helping communities prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Trees are among the cheapest and most effective “infrastructure” for climate change mitigation, especially in urban settings.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, March 3. Matt Meersman, Director of the Saint Joseph River Basin Commission will talk about the value of our water resources in the context of a changing climate.

Both meetings will be held at the Rieth Interpretive Center, 410 W. Plymouth Ave, Goshen.

The following message is from Lacasa, Inc.:

Applications are now available for the 30^th annual Help-a-House home repair program in Goshen. In partnership with the City of Goshen, Lacasa’s Help-a-House program for households with limited income addresses issues that affect the safety and accessibility of the occupants or may affect the efficiency of the house.

Help-a-House completes major repairs such as furnace replacements, window replacement, and accessibility additions. Projects like this lead to greater safety, stability, accessibility, and efficiency but can be tough to afford when income is limited. If not completed, they lead to further deterioration of both the home and the inhabitants’ health.

Help-A-House is a partnership between Lacasa and the City of Goshen, which provides funds for Help-a-House through a Community Development Block Grant. The funds invested come from a revolving loan fund, so if the homeowner sells their home, the dollars are returned, helping another Goshen resident. The Help-A-House Community Work Day on the second Saturday of May (May 9, 2020) is the program highlight, in which hundreds of volunteers complete work on as many as 20 properties in Goshen. Over 560 homes and families in Goshen have benefitted from this program since its inception in 1991. Homeowners should apply as soon as possible, but no later than March 1. Applications are treated on a first come first serve basis. To find out more or apply, visit lacasainc.net/programs/help-a-house/ or contact us at 574-533-4450 or rocio.arevalo@lacasainc.net.

All City of Goshen offices will be closed Monday, January 20, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Trash collection services WILL CONTINUE AS REGULARLY SCHEDULED on Monday and the rest of the week.

The Board of Works meeting scheduled for Monday, January 20, has been canceled due to the holiday and a lack of quorum the next day. The regular meeting schedule will resume Monday, January 27 at 2 p.m.