Ferndale’s Focus INCLUDES PARTNERSHIP & PRODUCTIVITY
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MAYOR MELANIE PIANA REFLECTS ON THIS PAST YEAR IN THE CITY and how residents kept their spirits up, like through the T-Rex Walking Club ERNDALE HAS ALWAYS which involved residents, and Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks had a reputation as a members, parading the streets – socially distanced – in inflatable costumes.
welcoming and inclusive community. The global pandemic seems to have only reinforced those ideals as neighbors, city government and businesses united to help each other and bring joy in the city’s own unique way.
By Ingrid Sjostrand Photos ©2021 Bill Gemmell
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2021 FERNDALE MEMORIAL EDITION
“For me the real bright spot was the community coming together, supporting their neighbors and businesses to help people meet their needs, as well as bring joy,” Piana said. “I was really inspired by the Elks Club T-Rex parade, people decorating their front lawns, others checking to make sure people had enough food to eat. It was really inspiring to see.” Outside of residents uplifting their neighbors, the pandemic provided the opportunity for Ferndale government to find new, and renewed, ways to meet the needs of its citizens.
“We wanted to make sure our older adult residents were being taken care of. We coordinated with local
organizations and volunteers for meal deliveries, sent out flyers that included state and county COVID resource hotlines so we could reach those who might not have access to the Internet,” Ferndale City Council Member Kat Bruner James said. “We are also in the process of re-invigorating our printed city newsletter. I’m not sure when we stopped producing it, but we found that residents really appreciated the updates on initiatives and things going on in the city – data from a community survey in early 2020 showed us that residents want this, but the pandemic highlighted the critical need for this particular form of communication.” Collaboration and connection grew in many ways during the pandemic. Bruner James noted more residents attending City Council meetings with the new virtual format and Piana saw a connection among city departments to support small businesses. “There is a new spirit of partnership between the city, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the South Oakland Area Regional Chamber of Commerce,” Piana said. “They’ve really leveraged each other’s strengths and expertise to respond to our
