In their May 11 meeting, Bethel City Council voted unanimously to extend four COVID-19 related emergency mandates by two more months.
There’s the mandate that acknowledges the pandemic as an ongoing emergency, and a measure that prevents water shutoff for households with unpaid water bills. There’s also a measure that requires unvaccinated travelers to adhere to strict social distancing for their first seven days in Bethel. They must also present a negative test within 72 hours of arrival, and should test seven days after arrival as well.
Bethel City Council also upheld its indoor and indoor-adjacent public spaces mask mandate for two more months. Just two days later, on May 13, the CDC updated its guidelines for masks in indoor spaces. The organization now says that vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks indoors in most situations.
Also in last night’s meeting, the council unanimously passed a measure that will refund cab drivers for half of their city license fees for every month they didn’t drive earlier in the pandemic. The monthly fee is $200; their reimbursements will be applied as credit towards future monthly license payments.
And Bethel has a new name for its Parks and Recreation Committee. From now on, the committee previously known as Parks, Recreation, Aquatic, Health and Safety Committee will be called The Community Parks and Recreation Committee. In other parks and name news, city council voted to adopt new park names for its previously unnamed parks. The park at the 4-H Youth Center will now be called Independence Day Park, the park near the boat ramp will be called Harbor Park, the park near Bethel Lion’s Club with the great view of the river will be called Riverview Park, and the park across from First National Bank will be known as Ice Classic Park. The new park names were voted on by the public earlier this year.
