5/14/2020 Co.lincoln.or.us Mail - Opening Lincoln County Kristi Peter <[email protected]> Opening Lincoln County Aaron Linfoot - Meredith Lodging <[email protected]> Thu, May 14, 2020 at 6:37 AM To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Cc: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Dear Lincoln County Commissioners and Mayors, Lodging is such an integral part of the tourism on the Oregon coast. It feeds a tremendous amount of the local restaurant and shop scene. Businesses, and all of the workers and their families, have suffered tremendously. Lodging is typically feast or famine. We are in a prolonged famine. You have seen the unemployment numbers for our county for April – the highest in Oregon. It is imperative for the survival of these businesses, the employees, and their families that we allow visitors to the Oregon Coast again Requiring occupancy at 6 regardless of property size significantly hurts our local property owners and our staff that depend on the work to support their family. Vacation rental properties provide a unique asset class that allows for guests to practice social distancing with neighbors and communities. They allow for a safe amount of distance between properties, which is something that hotels are unable to provide - rooms next to each other and access doors in front of each other. June is already showing as a VERY low occupancy month, and this requirement will result in the few existing bookings property owners have to likely cancel their stay. Please work with the already established occupancy licensing requirements. Our local businesses are under significant economic strain and many are facing the stark realization that they will need to close their doors permanently. We ALL want the same result, to open our coastline back up to visitors and tourists while keeping ourselves, our friends and loved ones safe. With summer right around the corner, the livelihood of thousands of local individuals and establishments are dependent on being back open and operational. Respectfully, Aaron Aaron Linfoot, COO Meredith Lodging O: 541.996.2955 | MeredithLodging.com https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=a824b9af29&view=pt&search=all&permmsgid=msg-f%3A1666673210687149633&simpl=msg-f%3A16666732106… 1/2 5/14/2020 Co.lincoln.or.us Mail - (no subject) Kristi Peter <[email protected]> (no subject) 1 message Adriana Martinez <[email protected]> Wed, May 13, 2020 at 4:56 PM To: [email protected] I work as a member of the local lodging economy. My job relies on properties to be rented, which in turn allows me to provide food for my family. These last two months have been so challenging. Please help open up vacation rentals. They provide social distancing to all guest and neighbors, more so than any hotel can offer. Please do NOT limit occupancy at 6. My ability to stay working and living on the coast depends on it. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=a824b9af29&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-f%3A1666621608842233615&simpl=msg-f%3A16666216088… 1/1 5/14/2020 Co.lincoln.or.us Mail - Vacation rentals Kristi Peter <[email protected]> Vacation rentals 1 message Alma Thompson <[email protected]> Wed, May 13, 2020 at 5:22 PM To: [email protected] I understand that there is a suggestion that house rentals be further limited to a cap of six visitors no matter what the original rule stated. At the same time, hotel/motel rooms carrying as many as four per room. Apart from the obvious stupidity in this, it is clearly prejudicial to the house rental in the county. I would hope that science and fairness will carry the day over what seems like unending hostility to those of us who share our homes in order to own and enjoy them. Sincerely, Alma Thompson Homeowner in Yachats since 1972. Sent from my iPhone https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=a824b9af29&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-f%3A1666623236915914596&simpl=msg-f%3A16666232369… 1/1 5/14/2020 Co.lincoln.or.us Mail - Fwd: Opening Lincoln County Kristi Peter <[email protected]> Fwd: Opening Lincoln County 1 message Kaety Jacobson <[email protected]> Thu, May 14, 2020 at 6:55 AM To: Kristi Peter <[email protected]>, Janet Harrison <[email protected]> ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Amanda <[email protected]> Date: Wed, May 13, 2020 at 6:51 PM Subject: Opening Lincoln County To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>, [email protected] <[email protected]> Hello Katie, Mayors, City Managers, City Counsels, Please consider this as you all discuss our future at your meeting. 95%-98% of people infected will have mild symptoms, according to the CDC. The virus has to enter the body through the mouth, eyes, or nose. If you touch something contaminated, you will not be infected, unless you then touch your mouth, eyes, or nose. Think of all the stores that have remained open in our county, with all the many customers that have came and went and our infections are still low. What did people do when they went out? They wore masks, used sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes. They protected themselves. They made good, informed decisions. Oregon has done a wonderful job at flattening the curve. We have some of the best numbers in the country. That was the goal of the closure. Lincoln County Leaders can no longer make decisions, by sitting back and waiting to see what others will do. As our elected officials we are counting on you to make prudent decisions. Decisions that are best for our all in our county. We do not need decisions that are based on what you fear could happen. The state of Oregon did not close private RV parks or hotels. The state allowed these businesses to remain open. Their opening had no impact on the virus numbers. Continuing to force closure of business is not a solution to this problem and it will not keep people from coming to our area. Do not be afraid of large numbers of people coming to our area. This is a natural occurance for our area. Businesses will be prepared. People coming will be prepared. It is time to stop treating people as if they are stupid and need to be told how to do everything. That is not the job of an elected official. That is our job, as the public. Yes, there is always one or two who won’t play by the rules, we have citizens of our county that do not play by the rules, and that behavior can be addressed, if and when, it happens. Shutting everything down is no longer the solution. We must continue on with life, while living with and fighting the virus. We can not afford to wait until it “goes away”. We can fight it by washing our hands, keeping physical distance, wearing a mask if needed, and staying home when we are sick. This is how OHA is telling us to fight the virus. Our “high risk” population, 28% of Lincoln Counties population, in our governor’s opening plan, she suggests they continue to stay at home. This allows the other 72% of the population to get back to life. As our leaders, how are you being fiscally responsible to the county and our cities? As I am sure you are aware, the closure has all ready had an enormous impact on the economy. Local, state, and national. The impact is effecting private business and government business. You are probably looking at your budgets for next year. These impacts will be felt well into next year, perhaps longer. No Money makes it difficult for anything to continue. Public meetings are still a right of the people, even in a time of emergency. It is not good practice, to make decisions prior to meetings, and use meetings to pass what has been previously decided. It appears the last meetings have been this way. No public input was shared, just shared the number of emails received. As https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=a824b9af29&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-f%3A1666674339723684759&simpl=msg-f%3A16666743397… 1/2 5/14/2020 Co.lincoln.or.us Mail - Fwd: Opening Lincoln County Amanda -- Kaety Jacobson Lincoln County Commissioner Lincoln County Courthouse 225 West Olive Street, Room 110 Newport, OR 97365 [email protected] Office: (541) 265-4100 Cell: (541) 270-5128 https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=a824b9af29&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-f%3A1666674339723684759&simpl=msg-f%3A16666743397… 2/2 5/14/2020 Co.lincoln.or.us Mail - Lodging Reopening Plan and Short Term Rentals Kristi Peter <[email protected]> Lodging Reopening Plan and Short Term Rentals 1 message Arthur & Carol van der Harten <[email protected]> Wed, May 13, 2020 at 7:14 PM To: [email protected] Dear Sir, Thank you to you and your colleagues and staff for drafting a lodging reopening plan in these less than ordinary times.