City of Bellevue Officials and First Responder’s are continuing to hold regular meetings and briefings to stay on top of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are continuing to work very closely with Federal, State, County and other Local Government and School Officials to stay as informed and updated as possible while ensuring our first responders are taking all necessary precautions for their health and safety as well as the health and safety of our citizens.
As of 2:30 p.m. CDT on March 16, 2020, here is the latest update from the City of Bellevue. These updates are subject to change as the City continues to work with other agencies and officials and as the City continues to follow the ongoing updates from the Governor and the CDC. We need to keep things in perspective and stay calm while also being prepared.
- The Bellevue Public Library will remain open to the public at this time but all programs have been suspended until further notice. In an effort to prevent potential exposure to the Coronavirus, if you are experiencing a fever, cough or other respiratory symptoms, please do not enter the library or any other public venues.
- The Bellevue City Council Meeting will be held as scheduled on Tuesday evening in the City Council Chambers. However, if you do not have business to discuss at the meeting, we are asking for you to watch the meeting live on COX Channel 17 or look for the meeting on YouTube within a day or so of the meeting.
- Bellevue City Offices will remain open at this time; however, we are strongly encouraging citizens to conduct as much business as possible by phone or via the website at www.bellevue.net.
- Due to the uncertainty of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the Bellevue Community, the Bellevue Recreation Department has announced that it will be delaying the start of registrations for all of its Spring/Summer 2020 Leagues and Activities until April 1, 2020. At that time, the City of Bellevue’s Recreation Department will further evaluate the situation to determine when and if opening the registration period for Spring and Summer activities is appropriate.
- The City of Bellevue encourages local businesses to do what is best for their business, and to follow state and CDC guidelines and guidance. As of 1:30 PM, Governor Ricketts has updated Nebraska’s guidance for closures and event sizes to align with the new guidelines issued by the CDC. This includes public events and gatherings being limited to fifty (50) people or less at this time. According to the guidance, bars and restaurants will move to take out only on a regional basis when a second community transmission case is confirmed in the Omaha area. At the present time, only one community transmission case has been reported in the state. Please visit www.governor.nebraska.gov and/or www.cdc.gov for more information on these guidance procedures. The City will continue to monitor these guidelines and guidance documents.
- The City of Bellevue is working with its employees and departments on updated sick leave policies and safety procedures due to the uncertainty of the Coronavirus.
- The City of Bellevue’s First Responders are taking necessary steps to protect themselves while ensuring the continued safety of our citizens.
While at this time there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Sarpy County or the City of Bellevue, we are unsure how long or to what degree this virus will impact our community. We pledge to keep our community updated and informed throughout this process. The City of Bellevue urges all citizens to stay calm while also being prepared. We strongly urge all citizens of Bellevue and throughout the country to stay home if you have symptoms such as fever, cough or other respiratory symptoms.
Here are other valuable resources with information regarding COVID-19:
* Sarpy/Cass Health Department: https://www.sarpycasshealthdepartment.org/novel-coronavirus
* University of Nebraska Medical Center: https://www.unmc.edu/index.html
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
We will continue to keep the citizens of Bellevue updated regularly. Always feel free to call the Mayor’s Hotline at 402-591-4535 or email the City at info@bellevue.net if you have specific concerns.