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21.209 A Resolution Expressing Gratitude to Mayor Narkewicz, Health Director Merridith OLeary et al. for Vaccination Efforts.CertifiedIn the City Council, March 18, 2021 Upon the Recommendation of Councilor Marianne LaBarge, Councilor Gina- Louise Sciarra, and Councilor Michael Quinlan R-21.209 A Resolution Expressing Gratitude to Mayor Narkewicz, Northampton Health Director Merridith O’Leary, the Northampton Health Department, Northampton Fire Rescue, Department of Central Services, Information Technology Services and the Many Volunteers for Their Efforts to Vaccinate Our Community WHEREAS, Northampton Health Director Merridith O’Leary and Fire Chief Jon Davine appeared before the City Council Committee on City Services on March 4, 2020 and described efforts underway by Northampton’s Emergency Management Team at that time to prepare to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Northampton, and WHEREAS, Northampton had its first positive COVID-19 case on March 16, 2020 and since that time more than 1150 Northampton residents have contracted COVID-19, and WHEREAS, Northampton has lost 43 people to the pandemic, including our five residents who died at the Holyoke Soldier’s Home, and WHEREAS, Mayor David J. Narkewicz and Health Director Merridith O’Leary following Commonwealth of Massachusetts guidelines, designed and advocated for a vaccination site at our Senior Center which opened and began vaccinating our community on January 11, 2021, and WHEREAS, when vaccination clinic requirements were changed by the state in February 2021, cutting supply to many municipal clinics, Mayor Narkewicz and Health Director O’Leary quickly worked to meet the new requirements and with collaboration with the Town of Amherst, Northampton was approved as a regional vaccination clinic, ensuring that our clinic would stay in operation to provide vaccines for Northampton and other Massachusetts residents, and WHEREAS, vaccinating our community will provide immunity and therefore save lives by preventing the further spread of COVID-19, and WHEREAS, Health Director Merridith O’Leary, Public Health Nurse Kate Kelly, Public Health Nurse Vivian Franklin, Inspector Amy Hutchins, Inspector Jasmine Ward, COVID Compliance Agents Ben O’Connor and Kelly Constantine and 10-12 Health Ambassadors have been working countless hours, seven days per week to operate an effective and safe vaccination clinic in Northampton, and WHEREAS, Volunteer Coordinator and Operations Manager Loren Davine and an estimated 40 volunteers per day have worked in support of the vaccination clinic, and WHEREAS, Fire Chief Jon Davine, Deputy EMS Chief John Garriepy, and an additional seven or so members of Northampton Fire Rescue per day have worked at the vaccination clinic, with assistance from the Easthampton Fire Department and Highland Ambulance Service, including joining the volunteer corps on days off, and WHEREAS, Northampton’s Central Services Department led by Director David Pomerantz and with special recognition of City Maintenance Foreman Warren Jones, has been vital to the success of the clinic by opening and closing the Senior Center, and taking on many additional tasks for its operation, and WHEREAS, the Northampton Information Technology Services Department led by Director Antonio Pagán has provided support to the Health Department at all hours of the day throughout the pandemic, and WHEREAS, the Northampton Senior Center, led by Director Marie Westburg has been of great support and cooperation in creating an effective and safe vaccination clinic at the Senior Center, and WHEREAS, the dedication, effort and outstanding public service of these many people is contributing to the recovery and safety of our community. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Northampton City Council commends these many people for their tremendous efforts throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and in special recognition of their work to operate a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Northampton. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Administrative Assistant to the City Council will cause a copy of this resolution to be sent to the following Northampton departments: Office of the Mayor, the Health Department, Northampton Fire Rescue, Central Services, Information Technology Services, and the Senior Center with our collective gratitude.