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Letter of Support for Phase 1-B Vaccination of Iowa Drinking Water and Wasterwater Utility Workers Copyrighted January 4, 2021 City of Dubuque Consent Items # 10. City Council Meeting ITEM TITLE: Letterof SupportforPhase 1-B Vaccinationof lowa Drinking Waterand Wastewater Utility Workers SUM MARY: City Manager providing a copy of a letter of support on behalf of the City of Dubuque to Kelly Garcia, lowa Department of Public Health I nterim Director, regarding the City's support of recommendations classifying drinking water and wastewater utility workers as "essential workers". SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File DISPOSITION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Letter of Supportfor Phase 1-B Vaccination of lowa Supporting Documentation Drinking Water and Wastewater Utility Workers DUbUL�E]e Ciry Manager's Office THE CITY OF Ciry Hall � 50 West 13th Street Afl•AmericaGitr Dubuque,IA 52001-4845 �� Office(563)589-4110 � � Fax(563)589-4149 TTY(563)690-6678 20fl7•2fl 12-2D 13 ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org N.�asterpiece on the Mississippi ZiQ1]�r�� www.cityofdubuque.arg December 23, 2020 lowa Department of Public Health Attn: Kelly Garcia, Interim Director 321 E 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319 Dear Ms. Garcia, The City of Dubuque supports the attached letter from lowa's leading drinking water and wastewater industry organizations and agencies, as submitted to you and Honorable Governor Reynolds, on December 14, 2020; and that such letter highly recommends classification of drinking water and wastewater utility workers be deemed "essential workers". As stated in the letter, "Drinking water and wastewater utilities are essential to the public health and economic vitality of the communities they serve. Our utility staff members work around the clock to ensure the availability of these essential services. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has designated our services as "critical infrastructure sectors" and our utility staff inembers work as "essential workers." We firmly believe, to ensure uninterrupted vital services, drinking water and wastewater utility workers should be classified as "essential workers"; and they not "be inadvertently omitted from the second tier (Phase 1-b) of priority recipients. " Sincerely, ..�� _ ��. ,�� ,/�� Michael C. Van Milligen Mary Rose Corrigan City Manager RN, Public Health Specialist �i/iv/�.� 1 Denise Blakeley Ihrig William O'Brien Water Department Manager Water & Resource Recovery Center Manager Enc: Letter of Appreciation and Support December 14, 2020 Honorable Kim Reynolds Governor of lowa State Capitol, 1007 E. Grand Ave Des Moines, lowa 50319 Ms. Kelly Garcia Interim Director, lowa Department of Public Health 321 E. 12th Street Des Moines, lowa 50319-0075 Re: lowa COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy Dear Governor Reynolds and Director Garcia: The undersigned are leaders of professional organizations whose members comprise all the municipal and rural drinking water and wastewater treatment utilities in the state of lowa. We are writing on behalf of our utility members and their customers. The purpose of our letter is twofold. First, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the lowa Department of Public Health and its federal, state, and local partners for their herculean efforts to control and lessen the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The breadth and quality of these efforts is evident in the working draft of the lowa COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy. Secondly, we fully support the Strategy's recommendations regarding the priority rankings for the administration of vaccines. The highest priority ranking (Phase 1-a) should be assigned to health care providers and certain other high-risk individuals (e.g., residents and staffs of long-term care facilities). The second tier of priority recipients (Phase 1-b) includes individuals deemed to be "essential workers." Drinking water and wastewater utilities are essential to the public health and economic vitality of the communities they serve. Our utility staff inembers work around the clock to ensure the availability of these essential services. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has designated our services as "critical infrastructure sectors" and our utility staff members work as "essential workers." However, we are not as "high-profile" as many of the other designated "critical sectors" or "essential workers." Consequently, we respectfully request that drinking water and wastewater staff members be explicitly identified as being eligible to receive the vaccine in the Phase 1-b priority group. Again, we greatly appreciate your efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for your consideration of our request. Please contact us if you have any questions or if our organizations can be of further assistance. Sincerely, �_ .f.,�.�� - ,e--- �� Jennifer Puffer Rod Glosser Chair President lowa Section-AWWA lowa Rural Water Association Puffer@dmww.com RGlosser@RRWA.net �l 1��o�� ,.� � Troy DeJoode Dale Acheson Executive Director President lowa Association of Municipal Utilities lowa Association of Water Agencies tdejoode@IAMU.org dacheson@urbandalewater.org Bob Ranson President lowa Water Environment Association branson@marshal Itown-ia.gov lowa Section —American Water Works Association (IA-AWWA) is a 104-year-old organization representing the entire drinking water industry, including public and private utilities, engineering firms, manufacturers, vendors, and trades. Its purpose is to support its over 600 members and young professionals, to influence other stakeholders through accurate and balanced educational forums, communication, and support of technical, legislative, and regulatory activities. lowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) was organized in 1947. IAMU today is the largest organization of its kind in the country. IAMU represents 754 municipal broadband, electric, gas, and water utilities statewide, and maintains a marketing relationship with a large number of associate member businesses. lowa Rural Water Association (IRWA) is dedicated to enhancing lowa's water and wastewater industries by offering professional training, education, and technical assistance. IRWA was formed in the early 1970's for the purpose of providing the most up-to-date, professional, and effective training and technical assistance to lowa's water systems and wastewater facilities. Its members include 17 rural/regional water systems and 600 community members. lowa Water Environment Association (IAWEA) was founded in 1927 and exists today as an organization of professionals committed to the education and advancement of water quality and water pollution control techniques. The 600 plus members include educators, operators, engineers, regulators, municipal officials, manufacturers and equipment suppliers, contractors, and students. lowa Association Water Agencies (IAWA) is a professional organization of municipal and rural water drinking water utilities with a service population of 10,000 or more. Collectively, our member utilities supply drinking water to more than 1.6 million lowans. Water and WW Letter-COVID 19- IDPH 12-14-2020 3