Solvang Journal May Issue

Solvang’s First confirmed COVID-19 Case A none-Solvang resident who works at Atterdag Village (Senior Community) is now a confirmed COVID-19 positive case.

Solvang’s Atterdag Village Management made an announcement that one of

their employees has been tested COVID-19 positive and is put in a quarantine watch at his/ or her own house (an outside Solvang residence).

According to the Santa Barbara Public Health Department’s latest

By Christine Hsu

report which confirmed that the update cases reached 429 including a total to 5 deaths while Santa Ynez Valley has five confirmed C19 cases.

Here is Atterdag Village Management’s Statement about their confirmed case

A New Voice of Solvang May 2020

www.solvangjournal.com May Issue

SBA failed but The City of Solvang Steps In SBA failed but the City of Solvang is launching another loan package for Solvang businesses!

By Carolyn Wooddal

By Solvang Journal Staff

Due to the disappointing lack of funding of the Small Business SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the City of Solvang is stepping up to create the City’s own PPP Loan Program to help Solvang’s Businesses.

The SBA’s PPP is out of money, leaving Solvang’s small business owners facing an uncertain fate. It seems the SBA’s PPP Loan did not reach any Solvang Small business community at all.

Upon hearing of these latest developments, the City of Solvang is looking to create a second loan package in greater amounts for Solvang’s small business community.

Solvang’s $5K Emergency Loans checks are already distributed!

To date, the City of Solvang’s Emergency $5K Emergency Loan Assistance Program remains the only program aiding Solvang businesses. Funded with $250,000, this program allowed for Solvang’s small businesses suffering COVID19-related losses, to apply for a $5,000 loan. The response was overwhelming, and in just two weeks, City staff processed 50 loan applications. The approved funding was always meant to be a lifeline to local businesses as they waited for other funding applications to be processed – such as the SBA loans and other Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). As of Monday night’s

Council meeting, loan requests under this program were continuing to roll into the City, showing there is still a great need.

According to Solvang Mayor Ryan Toussaint’s public message, the Solvang City Council authorized the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the National Development Center (NDC), a nation-wide nonprofit loan organization, to explore lending opportunities which would best serve the community of Solvang.

According to city officials, NDC will aid the City in designing Continue on page 2

During the March 20 Solvang City Council Meeting, a $250k Emergency Loan Assistance Program was established in an effort to help support small businesses in Solvang that are suffering from losses due to economic cessation from the pandemic.

“We understand and acknowledge the incredible impacts that this pandemic is having on our local tourism economy. We are seeing those impacts firsthand, on a daily basis,” said Solvang Mayor Ryan Toussaint.

This Loan program is being funded from City reserves and is meant to provide a stopgap Continue on page 2

Congrats and welcome to Solvang’s new Chief of Police Santa Barbara County Sheriff Department has appointed Lieutenant Jeff Green as the newest Chief of Police in Solvang.

Lieutenant Green has been serving in law enforcement for 21 and has spent half of his years in service in the Central Valley. Thus, it is a great advantage because he knows the area very well already and will have no problem getting along with the citizens.

By Staff Report

He replaced the retired Lieutenant Eddie Hsueh, who after serving for 33 years, retired last month.

Solvang Journal wants to thank former police chief Lt Eddie Hsueh for his services and excellent work in our community and warmly welcomes the new Chief of Police Lt Jeff Green!

Solvang Journal | 1

Continuation from Page 1

SBA failed but The City of Solvang Steps In either a City-run PPP for business stabilization and/or local Revolving Loan Funds (RLF) for business recovery, once the point of recovery has been reached. Other lending options will also be considered.

Solvang Retailers Association (SRA) urged and supported the idea of creating Solvang’s own PPP program by the City of Solvang.

According to the SRA’s public statement: “We are very disappointed

by SBA. Companies that are absolutely not small businesses

are getting millions of dollars in the name of small business loans.

We strongly protest the response from SBA, given they’ve stopped accepting applications because the approved funds have run dry. The national, state and county level politicians have made promises, but we’ve yet to receive any followthrough.

Solvang is facing its own second economical disaster in the last two years, the first of which occurred during the 2018 Highway 101 closure

disaster. During that time only a few selected businesses were funded, most of the larger corporations.

However, Solvang is a unique town in that no national or state level franchised businesses exist here, and the town is instead filled with mostly independently-owned mom & poptype small businesses. We continue to receive only empty promises, while large corporations reap the benefits!

The Federal government should have paid the lenders per application – from smallest to the larger size –

rather than a percentage from the given loan putting all the smaller at the bottom of the pile.

Small businesses should not be considered more than a max of 30 employees, with a max of $5 million in yearly turnovers! Don’t put small businesses and multi-million dollar companies in the same pot! The Treasury Department should give grants directly to the real small business owners based on their tax returns gross income.

Continuation from Page 1

Solvang’s $5K Emergency Loans checks are already distributed! while businesses wait for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications – or similar loans – to be processed. To date, the City has received nearly 85 loan requests.

“It is our hope, that these City-funded micro-loans will

help our local businesses to continue to keep more workers employed. The loans are aimed at recovery, making sure that there’s something left to recover when the time comes,” said Toussaint. Also, he urged Solvang

business owners to submit their applications during the weekend so they can have the checks by Monday. Mayor Toussaint had a live teleconference yesterday with Solvang business owners and answered their questions over the

phone and he mentioned that the city council may increase the loan amount from $5k to $10K and told that city is also working on various other loan options to help Solvang businesses as much as possible till SBA loans arrive.

Good News for the Property owners!

By Solvang Journal Staff

Santa Barbara County Property Tax Payments extended without late penalty due to COVID-19.

The property owners can apply for an extension after April 10 online.

Santa Barbara County Treasurer & Tax Collector Harry E. Hagen urged property owners to pay their taxes

on time. But if anyone can’t make the payment should wait till April 10th then to make an online request via County of Santa Barbara official website: http://www.countyofsb.org/ttcpapg/ index.aspx#

Santa Barbara County Treasurer & Tax Collector Harry E Hagen

A MESSAGE FROM BUELLTON MEDICAL CENTER

On behalf of myself, Dr. Joshi, Sherrie Gibbs, NP, and he rest of the staff at Buellton Medical Center, I am reaching out to the community during these somewhat difficult times. We are here to help you and I am presently reaching out to coordinate with other medical facilities. We take the COVID-19 outbreak very seriously and ask that you do too. Our plan is to continue to stay open for the health of the community, but we ask you to help us. It is important for you to remember that we are not an urgent care as we do not have all the necessary equipment,

2 | Solvang Journal

per the State of California requirements. However, we do try to accommodate walk-ins. We are here for you for many things. We will continue to see our work comp patients along with many medical issues which include those with Hypertension, Diabetes, Mental Health Issues, minor orthopedic problems (sprains, strains and we can order xrays), UTI, Women’s health issues and necessary physicals such as pre-operative and sports. We can also assist with minor injuries such as wound care, abscess, splinters, etc. .

Eye infections, rashes and health issues can be handled here.

What we do ask of people is to follow the guidelines established by public health and the State of California.The order went into effect on Thursday, March 19,

2020. Stay at home except for essential needs. If you have fever, cough, shortness of breath, been in contact with someone with Covid-19 and/or have traveled outside the US recently, as a privately owned center, at this time, we are not equipped with the necessary protection and testing recommended by the CDC. At this time please contact Public health or the ER. We want to remain open for all of the non-Covid-19 like issues.

We are continuing to provide refills of medication for our patients and those of Dr. Van Valin who passed away in January.. Please note that we will renew most medications for up to three months, if you are a registered patient with us and have been seen at least once within the last year. Please

call your pharmacy for necessary refills if you fit in this category and please allow us a few days to get them approved. If you have any questions you may contact us at info@buelltonmedicalcenter.com.

Or call 805-686-8555. For those who don’t know, we are located at 195 W. Hwy 246 in Buellton.

Please follow these guidelines so we can continue to stay open for the community and to also keep our staff safe.

I will be sending continual updates and thank the Chambers of this fantastic Valley for helping me get the word out. Together, but at least 6 feet apart, we will get through this.

Myra Howard, NP COO Buellton Medical Center.

LET’S SUPPORT OUR STILL OPERATING LOCAL BUSINESSES.

Solvang Journal | 3

IMPORTANT MESSA SOLVANG MAYOR We are Working Diligently and Tirelessly We are working diligently and tirelessly to stay on top of information and updates about the COVID-19 pandemic, so that we can address new information and act appropriately in response to it, with regards to the City of Solvang’s specific needs.

We hope that you were able to join us, albeit virtually, for the most recent Regular Meeting of the Solvang City Council (March 30, 2020). Our systems in Solvang and many other cities were not set up to accommodate the online, virtual meeting environment and as such, we apologize for any technical glitches which you may have been experiencing and

we appreciate your patience.

Presently, our systems have been “Frankensteined” to support the new mandates. The audio/video

professional will be working to replace these systems with new technology to provide a better experience.

The City continues to prepare for the potential, yetforthcoming impacts of the pandemic and the economic cessation which it has caused.

On March 20, the City Council authorized the waiver of penalties and interest for utility bills (water/sewer) and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). During the March 30 Council meeting, the City Council also approved a resolution for a moratorium on evictions, for both residential and commercial properties. Our goal is to help our community deal with the devastating fluctuation in economic activity, which has required that the government step in to help ensure our community’s safety.

Emergency loan $5,000 for businesses The local economy is key to our City. Understandably, global and national economic conditions are largely outside of our sphere of influence, but as a community we have an obligation to work tirelessly to be ready to reignite the economic engine of the City of Solvang. To that end, the City turned around a loan program in a matter of a few days to help our local businesses, offering a $5,000 micro-loan providing immediate cash assistance, to help bridge the gap between State and Federal aid.

The total budget for this Emergency Loan Assistance Program for Solvang small businesses is currently set at $250,000. During the March 30 Council meeting, City Manager Xenia Bradford reported that the City had 4 | Solvang Journal

received 90+ loan package request forms, 50+ of which then received loan application packages, and that a portion of those loan applications have already been processed.

Due to the demand for these City loans, the Council discussed the possible need to increase the total loan fund amount in the future, if the COVID-19 public

health emergency extends and local business hardships continue to increase. The City will evaluate establishing additional loan programs to continue to help bridge the gap in any difficulties in processing of State or Federal assistance.

Also during the March 30 Council meeting, the City Manager reported on a

number of other items, some of which were prompted by questions from the public via various forms of communication. One of these items is the current closure of our City Parks, namely Hans Christian Andersen Park and Sunny Fields Park. Both parks are closed until further notice, in alignment with both County and State Parks closures. Restroom facilities at both Solvang City parks are still open to the public, but all playground areas, BBQ sections, and vehicle access or parking, are closed to traffic and use. You may still however, use the parks and trails for active and healthy living such as walking, hiking or running, but please be conscious of the current social distancing measures.

AGES FROM CITY OF RYAN TOUSSAINT We can afford only to keep essential services & workers for now The week before last, the City made a difficult decision to lay off eight employees. The City regrets the need to lay off employees to ensure that essential services are provided to our community, at all times. The City is attempting to work with the Teamsters Union Local 986 as pertains to the City employee layoffs which occurred last week.

During the March 30 Council meeting, the Council voted to revoke the licenses of the “cosmetics” stores which popped up in Solvang in the later part of 2019. The City has received an incredible amount of complaints from the public (both locals and tourists) regarding high-pressure sales, hawking, cat-calling and following people down the sidewalks, etc. The Council voted unanimously to not only remove their business license, but directed staff to re-evaluate the business license vetting process to prevent this type of business’ return to our charming village.

As always, we welcome public comments and questions, not only in advance of and during City Council meetings, but at any time. The public should feel free to send email correspondence to the Council at Council@CityofSolvang.com.

The City Council also encourages the public to continuously check the City website for remote public participation updates. We regret not being able to see our community members in person at City Hall, but we also understand and support putting the health and safety of our community, first.

All local businesses and selfemployed individuals should continue to check the Business Resources section of our new Solvang Resources website, for updated information about unemployment and labor issues, business loan programs of various types, tax updates, and information on other agencies which are available to help: www.solvangresources.com/ resources/business-resources

the shelter of your homes for essential activities. The California Department of Public Health has issued some helpful Face Coverings Guidance, which you will find here: www.cdph. ca.gov/…/C…/DCDC/Pages/ Face-Coverings-Guidance. aspx. Please keep in mind, the use of face coverings in NO WAY replaces social distancing measures, and we encourage everyone to keep up handwashing and social distancing routines.

My next Message from the On Friday of last week, Mayor should be out shortly, the County of Santa Barbara within which I will be stressing announced during its COVID-19 the importance of the City’s Response Press Conference, that economic health, financial specific modeling software being reserves and how they impact the utilized by the County’s public community’s quality of life, and health department has helped at the end of the day, your wallet. them to “guesstimate” a midMay peak in the surge of patients The goal of all of the City’s actions and programs today, is to in County healthcare facilities. maintain public health and safety The County stressed that this is while mitigating damages to our not set in stone, but is at least community that could ultimately a loose estimate of when we reduce our ability to recover, will see a peak in the County’s which would have far greater COVID-19 cases which require hospitalization. We will certainly long-term impacts.

We appreciate the keep everyone posted as to community’s interest in our City, further updates and information, and your respect for one another as it gets handed down from the and the City’s wellbeing.

I will County. be back in touch, in a few days.

In the interim, as you may Until then, stay positive, stay have seen, the CDC is urging safe, stay at home. everyone to please wear face masks any time you leave

The Solvang’s Tenant Eviction Ban The Solvang eviction ban has some significant differences – especially for our City – from the Governor’s blanket order.

Solvang is protecting both residential and commercial/ business tenants, while the State order only applies to residences. Solvang provides for a specific payback period of six (6) months, for deferred rent, while the State order does not

address that issue. And, Solvang provides twenty (20) days for a tenant to advise the landlord that they will be unable to pay, while the State only provides for seven (7) days’ notice. Solvang recognizes that some are seeking loans and other financial assistance, and therefore might be able to pay if given additional time.

Solvang Journal | 5

CITY & POLITICS

No matter what Solvang City Council will meet!

Online City Council Meetings!

By Solvang Journal Staff

Solvang City Council’s next meeting is scheduled for this eve Monday, March 30 at 6:30 PM, however, due to continuing coronavirus-related public health concerns, the meeting will not be open to the public due to the coronavirus, but people can still participate via conference call.

Since the breakout of Covid-19, many citizens were forced to drastically change their ways of living. People have started working from home; classes have been canceled, and other gathering places in numerous states have temporarily closed.

Major events were called off across the country. People are shifting their work and daily lives online. Government offices, courts, businesses are shut down.

These are all attempts to force social distancing, a crucially important public

health intervention that can help stop transmission of the coronavirus.

Despite the continuous scare from the pandemic, life goes on and meetings are still inevitable, as is the case with the City Council meeting this March 30. Instead of encouraging in-person public participation, residents are offered other methods to have their voice heard without leaving the comforts of their homes. Most meetings will be held virtually from now on, especially now that the USA has surpassed China for most cases of the virus.

Solvang Mayor Ryan Toussaint will still be joined by other Solvang City Council members in the meeting.

However, based on guidance from the California Department of Public Health

All Santa Ynez Valley Schools will remain closed till next year!

By Jana Baltazar Solvang | Journal Editor

COVID-19 causes California and including Santa Ynez Valley school closures for the remainder of the year.

To stem the ongoing tide of COVID-19, state Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond and California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed the

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closure of schools in the state through the end of the academic year.

“We’ve been in communication with superintendents around the state urging all our schools to proceed as if we can only educate our kids through distance learning for the remainder of the school

public comment.”

City officials created alternatively online and audio methods of public participation: Watch the City Council meetings live on Youtube http://www.cityofsolvang. com/YouTube Or by email and conference call: and the California Governor’s Stay at Anyone who wishes to make a general Home Executive Order N-33-20, issued public comment or to comment on a on March 19, 2020, to protect the health specific agenda item needs to send an and well-being of all Californians and to email council@CityofSolvang.com establish consistency across the state in and to state “read into the record” prior order to slow the spread of COVID-19, to noon (12:00 PM) on the Monday the City Council meetings will no longer prior to the Council meeting, but some provide in-person public participation. comments may not be read due to time City officials created alternatively limitations. Also, it can be joined by online and audio methods of public phone conference but needs to register participation in the council meetings, for a conference phone line888-788 0099 pursuant to the California Governor’s prior to the meeting.

Executive Order N-29-20, which states: The City Clerk will call back at the Providing an opportunity to “observe appropriate time during the city council and address” telephonically or otherwise meeting. electronically, alone, meets the One of the most important items to requirement; and be discussed is potentially approving Removing the former requirement and enacting a temporary moratorium from Executive Order N-25-20 of having on residential and commercial tenant “at least one publicly accessible” location evictions and applying for reimbursement from which the public may observe and from the California Governor’s Office of offer comments. Executive Order N-29Emergency Services. The City Council 20 now states expressly, “Such a body Member Robert Clarke said,” We are need not make available any physical following the Governor’s lead on his no location from which members of the eviction order “. public may observe the meeting and offer

year,” Thurmond said on Wednesday.

“Quite frankly, none of us knows when it’s safe enough for students to return to campus.”

In Solvang and other neighboring places, classes are done through highquality distance learning as per the agreement of Gov. Newsom with the teachers and school management system.

The agreement includes a framework of a joint effort for school employers and employees to cooperate and collaborate on matters of labor and management to make it easier for the students. This includes direction on the implementation and delivery of distance learning, special education, and meals through the end of the school year.

In addition, the California Department of Education will conduct webinars and training and is making partnerships

with leaders in the technology and philanthropic sector to ease the burden of those affected.

The governor said Google is lending a helping hand by creating 100,000 points of access to provide free and unlimited high-speed Internet connectivity, especially in the rural areas. Moreover, Google CEO clarified that the company, in partnership with the state, will be providing 4,000 Chromebook laptops to California students as well.

On a more personal note, Gov. Newsom empathizes with parents and guardians knowing how hard it must be at this time. However, he assured that they will get all the help they need regarding safety, education, and everyday provision.

Updated Coronavirus: 5 Confirmed Cases in Santa Ynez Valley!

Solvang Mayor Ryan Toussaint Urged Solvang Citizens To Stay at Home to Save Lives!

By Solvang Journal Staff

Coronavirus epidemic spreading all over Santa Barbara County and Santa Ynez Valley has 5 confirmed cases now.

The latest stats as April 19, 2020, for Santa Barbara County had another 15 cases since yesterday and that brings up to a total of 394 confirmed cases and 4 deaths.

Santa Barbara has the highest recovery rate among other Counties.

Of those 394 total Santa Barbara cases, 152 are recovering at home, 41 are hospitalized and 41 are s in the ICU in critical condition; 173 are considered to be fully recovered.

The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorization to a California company that will sterilize 4 million respirators a day for use in resource-strapped hospitals.

Confirmed 5 Santa Ynez Valley cases are in their 60s According to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, residents must continue to

follow health orders (such as washing your hands, avoiding touching your eyes/nose/mouth with unwashed hands, and disinfecting surfaces) and practice social distancing when performing essential tasks outside the home.

Coronavirus is mostly targeting seniors; toddlers are not the most vulnerable.

How to Protect Grandparents from Coronavirus Experts say “separate or isolate the seniors from toddlers and seniors must remain at the home. Experts are still learning about COVID-19, however, so far it appears that there are far fewer cases reported in children, and those who are affected seem to have a milder

response than adults and older people.

Experts say “separate or isolate the seniors from toddlers and seniors must remain at the home.

Stanley Chera, a billionaire real estate developer and personal friend supporter of President Trump, died after being infected by the coronavirus.

He was in his late 70s.

LETTERS FROM READERS

I applaud the current city council, especially our mayor Ryan Toussaint for digging into the dirt of the city and uncovering a mountain of lies.

By Chelle Mueller | Solvang Resident

I have been absolutely appalled that the former ‘guard’ has been allowed to get away with fraud, theft, bribery, etc. That there is nearly a million unaccounted for in the city, including the visitor’s bureau. The additional discovery that the “municipal code 14.11.140 that was referenced since it was supposedly established in 8/93 for the BAR doesn’t even exist??? How could this be… for almost 30 years?

I applaud the current city council, especially Ryan Toussaint our mayor for digging into the dirt of the city and uncovering a mountain of lies.

At the Special Session on January 15, 2020, City Attorney Chip Wullbrandt advised the Council that

the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) lacks a proper legal basis and

poses legal problems for the City.

The Council agreed and voted 5-0 to

suspend the BAR pending further legal and administrative review.

The BAR keeps tabs on buildings and gives notice for things that may be broken or don’t quite fit in with the spirit of the city’s Danish heritage.”) was established only in August 1993 and referenced in Municipal Code section 14.11.140, which simply does not exist.

These parties that have participated in these illegal acts NEED to be prosecuted and made to replenish the coffers.

The residents pay a high price in property taxes, water, sewer rates, etc, all seemingly at the behest of these crooks. The ‘Danish Mafia’ needs to be put to rest, permanently!

Solvang Journal | 7

OP-ED: BY CHRIS DJERNAES

Solvang City Council Member International Business Consultant Son of a Danish Immigrant & Baker

Council Saves $3.5 million but still needs more to cut from 2020 & 2021 Budgets!

The views and opinions expressed herein are strictly my own. I do not speak for the Council or City Management nor for Solvang Journal. All information is derived from City and public sources.

“Perhaps 50% of Solvang businesses will close indefinitely and residents may face months of unemployment and career uncertainty!”

California’s State-mandated response to the C19 crisis has led to a near-total collapse of Solvang’s nearly $250 million/ year economy, 50% of which is derived from tourism. Sadly, Solvang’s government, businesses, and residents have received very little Federal, State, or County relief funds. And the worst of the economic damage is yet to come.

Sadly, the State’s mandated global closure has arguably cost Solvang $40+ million/month, and even if the City were to re-open

by May 1, it will take 9-12 months to return to pre-crisis levels, as a best-case scenario. Given this wishful thinking, the cumulative economic recovery and losses for Solvang are shown below:

return en masse to pre-crisis spending patterns. And if you believe this, I have a famous bridge in San Francisco to sell you.

If you’re not despondent yet, ask yourself how likely is it that: 1) a vaccine is found by September 2020, 2) a more lethal strain doesn’t return in winter 2020-21, and 3) the State doesn’t foolishly shut down the economy again as recommended by its unelected, Mandarin officials. Let’s be clear, the psychological and economic disasters and resulting social upheaval will only worsen the longer the arbitrary State and County mandates remain in place.

Facing the threat of looming bankruptcy, the Council

Assuming the recovery rate to 66% of normal by June 2021, the City as a whole could see total losses of approximately $172 million. However, this naively assumes the Southern California region recovers fully and tourists

cut annualized operating expenses 35%, delayed critical infrastructure repairs and focused limited reserve funds entirely on preserving essential services. To date, Council has cut approximately $3.5 million

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Chris Djernaes is a Danish native of Solvang and graduate of Santa Ynez High School. He has a Bachelor’s degree with majors in both Finance and Economics from Baylor University, and a Master’s degree in Business Economics from UC Santa Barbara.

in annual budget expenses as summarized below:

that is now 30-40% smaller until there is full recovery. How we

Given that the Community must come first, the City has been reduced personnel from 39 to a skeletal 20 employees in 9 months.

It has been a painful but necessary adjustment, especially in light of the unprecedented business closures and residential job losses.

If the shutdown continues, the City government itself could become technically insolvent by June 2021. A victim of the State’s radical response.

Operating without any Federal and State bailout aid, the Council is committed to prioritizing the health, safety, and welfare of the Community and to costeffectively deliver essential services. Perhaps 50% of Solvang businesses will close indefinitely and residents may face months of unemployment and career uncertainty. The City government will have to do more with a budget

work together and what we do as a community to rebuild our City will define us for the next 20 years.

There is no margin for error.

The Council’s stated policy is to “Do More with Less,” improve quality of life, focus on essential services, maintain critical infrastructure, accelerate urban renewal, and grow the City’s tax revenues by diversifying into sustainable, eco-friendly internet industries. Mirroring Copenhagen’s successful partnerships between government, businesses, residents, and academia, this is the essence of Solvang Smart City 2.0.

The Council has a proven plan to help the City recover and be stronger than ever. Rest assured that it is doing everything it can to help the Community survive and recover from this historic, unprecedented economic shock.

FEATURE STORY

Bravest Entrepreneur: An Executive Chef Opens His Restaurant To A Ghost Town Solvang!

By Solvang Journal Staff

Michael (Executive Chef/Owner) and his wife Sarah Cherney (General Manager/Owner) Some may have mistaken the opening world ” said Michael Cherney, Executive organic farm in northern California.

This experience changed his life. This of Solvang’s newest restaurant – peasants Chef, and Owner. gave Michael the passion he has today Drawing on their immense collective FEAST – for an April Fool’s joke. After for sourcing his ingredients from local experience in the restaurant industry, all, who would open a restaurant in the farmers and using the highest quality the husband and wife team kept their middle of the greatest pandemic in a products available. commitment to their loved ones and century, when most other businesses Michael jumped at the opportunity to community and opened peasants FEAST. are being forced to shut down or shutter join the Nichols’ Brothers team shortly temporarily? But make no mistake about He also says “ Once we opened our doors after the opening of Sides Hardware and we start immediately getting customers it, Michael (Executive Chef/Owner) Shoes in Los Olivos where he met his to go and pick up even at this worst and and his wife Sarah Cherney (General wife, Sarah, where they held the title of strange time ever”.

Manager/Owner) celebrated the soft Chef de Cuisine and General Manager Prior to this new joint venture, Chef opening of their restaurant on April 1, together for over 5 years. His cuisine Michael worked at several fine dining and they’re ready to serve you. focused on local, seasonal comfort food After three years of searching for restaurants including Ortolan by Chef with a twist. the location for their restaurant, the Christophe Eme as well as with Chef Joel Since his time at Sides, Michael has couple took a leap of faith in February Robuchon – the “Chef of the Century” worked up and down the Central Coast when they found a closed restaurant ( and Chef with the most Michelin stars from helping Cat Cora with her Mesa previously Petros café ) on 487 Atterdag in the world – at L’Atelier at the MGM Burger concept in Santa Barbara to Road in the heart of Solvang.

Grand in Las Vegas. private catering events in Paso Robles.

They took over the lease at the During Michael’s tenure at Robuchon, After his two-year tenure at Firestone beginning of March and started to he was struck with the urge to travel.

Walker Brewing Company in Buellton, converting but then the pandemic was Backpacking trips to Central and South serving as Executive Chef, Michael declared on March 19. Upon Governor’s America, China, Israel, and Jordan as needed to connect to his community stay at home order “We basically well as traveling around the United stopped everything. We halted all States. Exploring and gaining a profound more directly, so he started a catering company, Peasants Feast, here in the construction, all remodeling, took a little understanding of cultural cuisine. After Santa Ynez Valley. Michael now is able bit of a break and really analyzed what to test recipes and share his ideas through we were going to do. We talked to each his sold-out “Pop Up” events throughout other, talked to the landlord and decided, the valley. we have to move forward. We had to Sarah’s open our doors because we’ve always background intended on opening April 1st. When is equally the pandemic was declared, we stopped robust, with everything. I really analyzed where we more than 25 stood from a financial standpoint and years in the how we would be able to safely feed our hospitality community. We decided we have to move industry, forward. We have to feed the people. It’s working in the only thing we know how to do. We iconic Santa felt obligated to feed our community.

Michael (Executive Chef/Owner) Ynez Valley We’ve had a great turnout for the last restaurants few days. We will continue to monitor leaving L’Atelier, Michael had a strong such as The the situation, being respectful to our desire to connect with the ingredients Baker’s Table employees, guests and the community. in a more hands-on way. He joined and The We will continue to adjust our business a program called WWOOF (World Ballard Store model and menu as we continue to learn Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) Restaurant, how to navigate through this strange new and lived on a 40 acre sustainable and

as well as Jodi Maroni’s in Venice Beach and Flooky’s in the San Fernando Valley. Together, their shared passions can be found in the flavorful, seasonal, farm-driven comfort food sourced from the community’s rich agricultural background.

Their menu features everything from seasonally-shifting gourmet grilled cheese and the Atterdag Smash Burger, to locally-sourced salads and mouthwatering soups. Craving something sweet? Try their house-made ice cream (created by their daughter, Reina), or perhaps a freshly-baked cookie or Nannie’s frozen lime pie.

“We will continue to monitor the situation, being respectful to our employees, guests and the community,” said Michael Cherney. “We will continue to adjust our business model and menu as we continue to learn how to navigate through this strange new world.”

Peasants Feast is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 am – 6 pm, customers can order everything for takeout and curbside pick-up online https:// www.peasantsfeast.com/ or by calling (805) 686-4555.

Solvang Journal | 9

Solvang Staff layoffs dwarfed by historic Unemployment Levels!

By Solvang Journal Staff

The City of Solvang layoffs all nonessential employees due to economic cessation. Including Solvang, millions of Americans have and will lose their jobs due to COVID -19 nationwide! Nearly 4 million Americans already filed for unemployment benefits last week – the largest new jobless claim in US history due to the COVID19 crisis. The Federal Reserve, Banks, and Wall Street firms are expecting unemployment claims to peak at more than 30 million as GDP collapses -10% to -25% with the most of the nation’s economy shut down.

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the Counties’ and Cities’ budgets with no end in sight. Santa Barbara City officials have announced layoffs for “hundreds” of City employees.

The City of Santa Maria has announced a hiring freeze and is reviewing staff layoffs.

The City of Lompoc is also accelerating planned staff layoffs.

Heavily reliant on tourism tax revenues, the City of Solvang joined the rest of the County in cutting non-essential services and staff. As residents shelter in place and City Hall and businesses remain closed, the City was forced to shut down the Parks & Recreation and Planning Departments until further notice.

Solvang’s Mayor Ryan Toussaint stated in his press release that; “Solvang is facing unprecedented economic impacts from the closures ordered by the Governor in response to COVID-19. Yesterday, March 27, 2020, after careful review of the needs to continue providing essential

services – in particular, Sheriff’s contract, water, wastewater, maintenance and critical assistance to our residents and the devastated business community – the City sadly found it necessary to lay off eight employees whose job duties do not fall within essential services categories. We had also done a thorough review of City private service provider contracts, and have either cut those contracts or shifted them to focus on the provision of essential public services and recovery.

The changes to both staffing levels and contracts are focused on the need to deliver immediate emergency response, maintain essential services now and in the long run, and specialty skills needed in each of these areas.”

According to the Solvang City officials, the priority is entirely focused on maintaining essential City services such as water, sewer, and law enforcement. The lost revenue and the closure of non- essential departments have led to the immediate reduction of the following staff: Fred Lageman, Heidi Serbus, Alex Quiroz, Frank Saunders, Carol Newsome, Diane Christensen, and Brynda Messer. The City may recall the employees in the future as economic conditions improve.

The historic economic shock has spotlighted Solvang’s over-reliance on low spending, volume-driven, “day-tripper” tourism. Hotel and sales taxes make up nearly 70% of the City’s budget. Other County Cities derive more of their income from diversified sources such as car dealers, shopping malls and services.

Free advertising campaign for local essential businesses!

FREE ADVERTISING

FOR LOCAL ESSENTIAL BUSINESS Dear Solvang business owners.

We’re reaching out to you to let you know about our FREE advertising campaign available to you to help support you and your business amidst the coronavirus crisis.

As a local business, we want to do our part to help ease the suffering of other local businesses able to stay open and serve the public through this disaster.

In a very short period of time, local commerce has slowed nearly to a halt, and we are entering into a unique era of an even greater need for online connections resulting from the Stay at Home Order to ensure public health and safety.

Other local and government businesses are doing their part too: The City of Solvang removed penalties and promised not to shut off the water, sewer, power, and gas to any partners regardless of their

10 | Solvang Journal

ability to pay their bills; bank lenders are offering extensions on loans; restaurants, grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other food purveyors are working overtime to ensure no one goes hungry.

We, as the Solvang Journal, want to do something that will help our local businesses by giving them the opportunity to let the public know that they’re still open and available to the community. That is why we’re offering free add spaces to Solvang businesses.

If you are considered an essential business – restaurants, supermarkets, grocers, pharmacies, veterinarians services, hardware, plumbing, electrical repair, or any other services that are serving our community at this time WE WANT TO HELP YOU! A little more about Solvang Journal: we

are a startup publication providing a new voice for Solvang and the surrounding community. We are growing day by day and reached an average of 350 visitors per day and receive nearly 11K clicks per month and close to 20K page views in total. Our readers are women (60%) ad men (40%) located within a 25 miles radius from Solvang. ( Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Buelton, Lompoc ) Our current hardcopy distribution is via mail, as well as free pick up from grocery stores total of nearly 4,000 copies to nearly every household and business in Solvang and throughout the Santa Ynez Valley.

Please feel free to keep in touch with us regarding any of your business-related needs and queries. We look forward to building a wonderful and prosperous relationship together and continuing to serve our community with a focus on success for everyone.

If you wish to be part of our free advertisement campaign please send us your artwork if you don’t have any digital artwork then we will create one for you but please send us your text and info and logo, picture any material. Again this is all complimentary from us to you.

Thank you for serving our community.

Please send your info by email to solvangjournal@gmail.com or by postal mail to: Solvang Journal P.O BOX 1552 Solvang CA 93464-1552

Solvang’s sewer system is alarming

By Solvang Journal Staff

Solvang Citizens: Do not flush anything other than toilet paper!

Keep wipes out of pipes! In a press release issued late Thursday night, Solvang Mayor Ryan Toussaint requested – in the form of a catchy hashtag – that residents and businesses #keepwipesoutofpipes.

“The toilet paper shortage in our area, as well as the increase in sanitation practices due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, has caused an influx of non-flushable items flowing to the Solvang Wastewater Treatment Plant,” said Toussaint.

“The Solvang plant is already in a challenged state, so please: DO NOT FLUSH ANYTHING OTHER THAN TOILET PAPER down residential or commercial toilets connected to the City’s sewer system.”

Non-flushable items will clog sewers and cause back-ups and overflows at the Wastewater Treatment Plant that could create an additional public health risk amidst the current coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, lakes, rivers, and oceans will also see a significant negative environmental impact.

Items considered non-flushable include: napkins, paper towels, tissues, feminine products, dryer sheets, hair, diapers, and all types of wipes.

Check yourself if you are infected by Coronavirus!

By Solvang Journal

Here are some information and tips about the new Coronavirus.

The virus may not show signs of infection for many days. How can you know about the infection?

Experts provide a simple selfcheck that we can do every morning. Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, it proves there is no problem with the lungs, basically indicates no infection.

In a critical time, please selfcheck every morning in an environment with clean air. Doctors recommend that everyone should ensure your mouth and throat are moist, never dry. Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes at least. Why? Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water or other liquids will wash them down through your throat and into the stomach. Once there, your stomach acid will kill the virus. If you don’t drink enough water more regularly, the virus can enter your windpipe and into the lungs which are very dangerous.

Here are the other tips: 1. If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold.

2. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.

3. This new virus is not heatresistant and will be killed by high temperatures.

4. Sneeze in your sleeves, not in your hands.

5. If you touched metal surfaces, wash your hands as soon as possible with a bacterial soap for 20 seconds.

6. The virus can survive on fabric for 6-12 hours, but normal laundry detergent will kill it.

7. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.

8. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but – a lot

can happen during that time – you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.

9. You should also gargle as prevention. A simple solution of salt or vinegar in warm water will suffice.

10. Can’t emphasize enough – drink plenty of water!

THE SYMPTOMS 1. It will first infect the throat, so you’ll have a sore throat lasting 3-4 days.

2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5-6 days further.

3. With pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.

4. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. It’s imperative to seek immediate attention.

•

Thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth • Disinfecting surfaces and objects using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe Should we wear facemasks to prevent COVID-19?

The CDC does not recommend people who are well wearing a facemask to protect themselves

How can we prevent the spread of COVID-19?

To help prevent the spread of all viruses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends: • Staying home if you are sick • Avoiding close contact with people who are sick • Covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze

from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A facemask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and

are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected.

If you are sick with COVID-19 or suspect you are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, follow the steps below to help prevent the disease from spreading to people in your home and community: • Stay home except to get medical care • Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home • Call ahead before visiting your doctor • Wear a facemask when seeking medical care • Cover your coughs and sneezes • Clean your hands often • Avoid sharing personal household items • Clean all “high-touch” surfaces every day • Monitor your symptoms • Continuing home isolation • What do I do if I think I have been exposed to COVID-19?

If you are concerned you have been exposed to COVID-19, please contact your health care provider. Your health care professional will evaluate you to determine if you need to be tested for COVID-19. Please call your health care provider before going in.

If you begin to experience symptoms and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, call your primary care provider before coming in.

***Disclaimer: The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Solvang Journal | 11

IMPORTANT MESSA SOLVANG MAYOR Solvang’s yearly $180 Million Tourist Economy is in danger!

From a bird’s-eye view, Solvang – which I consider to be the heart of our general area, described as the Santa Ynez Valley – is a charming village in which we choose to live, for all of the inherent quality-of-life attributes that we sometimes take for granted. A good portion of these enhancements is largely afforded by our tourism economy, which is our City’s economic engine.

That engine brings a host of great experiences to the table which our nearly-6,000 Solvang residents, approximately 20,000 in the entire Santa Ynez Valley, would not be able to sustain alone. We have our open spaces, parks, recreational opportunities, outstanding dining, shopping, heritage and culture, fire, and sheriff safety, all while creating jobs in which you, your family, neighbors, or friends may be dependent.

Some other, less visible benefits that the City has been providing to the community, are items such as Stormwater Management (mandated by the State, at an average annual cost to the City of $600,000/year,) or Water & Wastewater improvements, to increase quality while reducing cost, such as the recent replacement of the water meters which had reached end-of-life and were no longer efficient for staff to manually monitor. A City may opt to charge these costs out to the community via Water/Sewer Rate increases or other vehicles such as property taxes, which ultimately increase rents charged by landlords. Here, we have been in the fortunate position to pay for these improvements using the City’s General Fund in order to mitigate the need for Water/Sewer Rate increases. But, where do these funds come from…?

12 | Solvang Journal

For Solvang’s tourism-based economy, the monies generated

by Taxable Sales – such as Sales Tax and Hotel Stays – represent approximately $180 Million which gets pumped into Solvang’s local economy each year, therefore generating approximately $6 Million in taxable revenue for the City. These dollars make our local economy viable, keep people employed, and generate taxes for

is also, uniquely and exceptionally dependent on tourism. A couple of examples to put this into perspective: City personnel cost ($3 Million/year) and Sherriff’s contract ($2Million/year) makeup approximately $5 Million/year of the City’s expenses from the General Fund, while the primary non-tourism related taxes that come in to the City are Property Taxes at approximately $1.4 Million/year

the City which ultimately pay for a good portion of those services which we sometimes overlook or do not even realize we are receiving, such as the benefits mentioned above.

The City’s General Fund revenue

– a great short-fall. The current events related to the COVID-19 emergency and its impacts on the City and the community have created a cessation of tourismrelated taxes which up until now, were estimated to bring in

approximately $6 Million this year.

More than 60% of the City’s General Fund revenue is generated from retail sales tax and hotel transient occupancy tax, also known as “TOT” or “bed tax”, with visitors paying 12% on top of their hotel room rate per night. The current cessation of our tourismrelated income has an immediate and direct impact to our local economy with estimated revenue losses to the City starting at approximately $500,000 per month, based on roughly $1.5 Million per year which comes from sales tax and $4.5 Million per year from bed tax, or TOT. There are also many other indirect impacts to revenue funds which will be seen but are harder to calculate at this point in time, or which might affect finances differently depending on how long this event impacts our City. We will also see increases in non-budgeted expenses which we will be paying for from our reserves. All reasons why the goal of the City’s actions today, are not only to maintain public health and safety but to strategically adjust in order to mitigate damages to our economy that could ultimately reduce our ability to recover – which would have far greater long-term impacts to our community and its ability to return to a healthy and sustainable condition.

All of this leads me to the condition of City prior to the current COVID-19 event, its impacts, and what the recovery process may look like for us: During a public meeting of the City Council held last year, City staff and Council agreed that muchneeded capital expenses for the City’s infrastructure far exceeded our ability to pay for such out of

AGES FROM CITY OF RYAN TOUSSAINT Solvang’s wastewater and sewer system is alarming! current reserves or revenue. In a fund accounting perspective, this essentially means that the reserves the City maintains today, are either the result of deferred maintenance which needs to be addressed or are being saved for the normal replacement of aging infrastructure (e.g., the pipes that bring you water or take your sewer away, roads, bridges, water or wastewater facilities, etc.).

The Council and staff have also identified preliminary Water/Sewer Rate impacts in order to fund the new, and desperately-needed, Wastewater Treatment Plant – the largest expense the City of Solvang has seen in well over 20 years, at approximately $16 Million. The City does not have enough reserves to simply pay these large costs and therefore, has been working on various funding strategies to absorb the cost of the much-needed infrastructure replacement. Solvang already has high Water/Sewer Rates, and the council has indicated many times that they are looking for ways to mitigate the need for significant Water/Sewer Rate increases. As such, the Council and staff have been working diligently to find strategies to accomplish this, for the community which we serve.

At this point, we have no definitive end-date for the current cessation of tourism-related activities due to COVID-19 but each month that this continues, it will further drain our reserves and complicate our recovery process.

The recovery of our economic engine will be absolutely critical to our long-term sustainability, cost of living and quality of life.

The significance of these items and how they will ultimately impact future Water/Sewer Rates, potentially now in a time when

more people are struggling to pay their bills or how long recession will last after the global impacts of COVID-19. Therefore, we must be very conscious of the use of our reserves during this time, as it will impact our ability to use them for future capital projects, services to the community as described above, and could lead to the further compounded rates for all residents and businesses.

I hope that the above helps to summarize the economic impacts

month revenue loss, and the increased expenses. But please note, these are just the primary impacts to the General Fund; the City of Solvang has two other primary funds referred to as “Enterprise Funds”, which are run like separate businesses.

For our City, these two significant funds are the “Water Fund” and “Sewer Fund”. In 2016, the City of Solvang did a rate study of both water and sewer which consisted of more than five years’

Solvang will face and the tax implications, as pertain to revenue in the City’s General Fund – the much-discussed $500,000+ per

worth of historical revenue and expenses, in order to forecast five years into the future along with needed capital improvements to

determine funding requirements.

It appeared during that time that commercial-related revenue accounted for approximately 35% of the revenue to these funds. And the commercial activity of the City of Solvang is again, largely generated by tourism-related businesses. Losses of revenue in these funds would result in negligible cost-saving, meaning the residents would be stuck carrying additional overhead.

A primary example of this would be State Water: the payment for Solvang’s State Water mortgage is particularly high due to the high ratio of Solvang’s State Water, for a City of its size. This payment logs in at approximately $3 Million per year and the payment does not decrease if we use less water or have less business activity.

Therefore, the revenue generated by the tourism-related commercial activity in Solvang has helped to keep our rates down, but the loss of this revenue would result in rate increases to the residents.

What it comes down to is the importance of tourism which drives our local economy and understanding that the loss of tourism will then affect City revenue, which will then potentially cause a rise in rates for residents and businesses while also decreasing services and infrastructure for the community.

I hope that this message helps to explain the important role the tourism industry has played in our community, the impacts that we are seeing today, and how delicately this situation needs to be handled for the best long-term outcome in these unprecedented times.

Once again, please be safe, stay healthy, and STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES

Solvang Journal | 13

Work With

A New Voice of Solvang SOLVANG JOURNAL

STAFF OPENING

We are currently hiring for the following positions: Marketing Manager Responsible for increasing the awareness, reach, relevance and engagement for our brand, programs, products and services. With a background in multi-channel marketing and an emphasis on digital, the Manager will be a skilled and creative tactician who can also think and plan strategically in a collaborative environment.

College Students

We accept Internship applications for our Journalism Internship Program

Freelance Writers Freelance news and story writers: Solvang Journal is looking for freelancers to write news and feature stories relevant to Solvang. Ideally, we’re looking for someone who is a regular reader of Need to Know and would be available to curate, write and produce the newsletter two to three days per week.

For questions or interests. *This opportunity is best suited to those located in Santa Ynez Valley and who are not already working full-time.

We also would like to work with current or former journalists as freelance writers.

Volunter Reporters Please contact or report to us if you have any idea, infromation or tips, events, photos that you would like to see at our pages.

For questions and application, Please email solvangjournal@gmail.com 14 | Solvang Journal

OP-ED: BY SOLVANG RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

Solvang Retailers Disappointed by SBA Loans

We as Solvang Retailers Association are very disappointed by the Small Business Association (SBA).

Solvang’s small businesses are about to collapse. We can’t afford to make the same mistakes that were made in

2018 during the Highway 101 closure disaster.

Companies that are absolutely not “Small Businesses” are receiving millions of dollars in the name of small business loans.

We strongly protest the response from the SBA, given they’ve stopped accepting applications because the approved funds have run dry. The national, state and county level politicians have made promises, but we’ve yet to receive any followthrough.

Solvang is facing its own second economical disaster in the last two years, the first of which occurred during the 2018 Highway 101 closure disaster. During that time only a few large companies received funding. Now that we’re in the middle of this second

disaster, small businesses continue to receive only empty promises while large corporations reap the benefits.

The Federal government should have paid the lenders per application, starting from smallest to the largest, rather than receiving a percentage of the given loan, putting all the smaller loans at the bottom of the pile.

Solvang is a unique town in that no national or state level franchised businesses exist here, and the town is instead filled with mostly independently- owned mom & poptype small business. It’s time to change the definition of a “Small Business”, limiting it to companies with a max of 30 employees, with a max of $5 million in yearly turnovers! The actual “small businesses” should not be put in the same pot as multi-million dollar

companies and with hundreds or thousands of employees companies.

Many of the smallest businesses did not apply because they lacked working relationships with banks beyond their weekly cash deposits. Some opted out because the criteria for loan forgiveness were unclear and they feared being stuck with the debt.

Moreover, the SBA’s PPP loans only cover eight weeks of payroll plus limited expenses for rent and utilities.

Many firms need assistance for more than eight weeks. What happens if after eight weeks a company has to lay off staff? Will the loan still be forgiven?

The Treasury Department should instead provide grants rather than loans, and provide them directly to the real smallest business owners based on their gross income tax returns.

IDK Events will remain working for Solvang Events!

By Solvang Journal

City Council decides to work another year with IDK but this time will be based on collected TOT percentage!

IDK Events, a San Francisco-based company, won the City Council’s unanimous vote for an extended contract amounting to 2020–2021 fiscal year beginning on July 1.

The internationally-known IDK Events, that worked on the latest Julefest and Drone Show, is set to lead more of Solvang’s upcoming events. With the huge success of the former festivities, people believe that hiring IDK Events will help boost the city’s future tourism.

Solvang City’s new and only official event organizer IDK is also one of the organizers for the TOKYO 2020 Olympics and also they organize many other California events and San Fransisco 50th Pride Gay Event.

IDK Events also organize many other local California events, including past Solvang Jule Festival and Drone Show.

Also during the April 13 Council

aiding in the production of some of Solvang’s annual, legacy events such as July Fourth and Solvang Danish Days.

IDK Events also announced during the April 13 Council meeting, an impending initiative in support of the Santa Ynez Valley’s high school graduates, class of 2020, through which graduating students’ photos will be posted on banners throughout the town of Solvang, for a modest fee – a portion of the proceeds of which will benefit the Solvang Danish Days Foundation.

meeting, the Council voted to extend the IDK Events, LLC continue work with the City on revitalization and recovery efforts, and the shift back to post-COVID-19 tourism marketing

services. Under this contract extension, IDK’s contract cost will be limited to the percentage basis of the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collected during the contract period. IDK will also be

Mayor Ryan Toussaint said: I would like to point out that IDK did not walk away from their existing tourism marketing services contract, which would have ended in June of 2020, even though their scope of work under that contract shifted due to COVID-19. They could have left the City when the nature of their work changed, but they didn’t.

They have pitched in wherever possible to help us in this current situation”.

Good news for Solvang’s restaurants and cafes!

Mayor Ryan Toussaint told restaurants to be ready for the outdoor expansions!

By Solvang Journal

The city will be easy on restaurants and cafes’ outdoor expansions and their maintenance and construction permitting process.

Mayor Ryan Toussaint said in his public statement that the City of Solvang has instituted during this time, for deferred maintenance and the specific waived permitting.

I want to remind all businesses to take advantage of the expedited processes that the City has instituted during this time, for deferred

maintenance and the specific waived permitting. We are encouraging all businesses to use this time to reinvest in themselves. When recovery hits,

we want Solvang to be firing on all cylinders. We know that a good portion of Solvang visitors spends on food and beverages while in town.

As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures for restaurants, eateries, and bars will most likely remain in place, and those establishments will need to reconfigure their physical space to accommodate the continued measures.

The City urges these businesses to take this time NOW, to make necessary adjustments to outdoor seating areas, or to expand outdoor spaces, in order to be ready to open and welcome guests as soon as it is allowed.

Solvang Journal | 15

Solvang Approved Tenant Eviction Ban! Solvang Tenants can pay deferred rents over a period of 6 months.

By Solvang Journal Staff

S

olvang City Council voted 5-0 to ban tenant eviction.

The City of Solvang accepted a temporary moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent by residential and commercial tenants who been harmed financially as a result of COVID-19.

The Council Order prohibits landlords and law enforcement from evicting tenants who get sick with COVID-19 and need to stay home to care for others, or lose their jobs and can’t pay rent as a result.

Effective immediately, the order means that residential and commercial tenants who owe rent on April 1 will be able to get relief, though they must provide their landlord with documentation and are still on the hook for payments later on.

Tenants have until April 21 to notify their landlords of their intent to take advantage of the program for April, and until May 21 to notify of their rent deferral for May. The moratorium on evictions is set to expire on May 31, unless the City Council decides to enact further updates. Once the emergency ordinance expires, renters are expected to begin paying their rent

again, as well as making payments on the deferred rents over a period of six months.

Solvang Mayor Ryan Toussaint said “The Solvang eviction ban has some significant differences – especially for our City – from the Governor’s blanket order.

Solvang is protecting both residential and commercial/business tenants, while the State order only applies to residences.

Solvang provides for a specific payback period of six (6) months, for deferred rent, while the State order does not address that issue. And, Solvang provides twenty (20) days for a tenant to advise the landlord that they will be unable to pay, while the State only provides for seven (7) days’ notice. Solvang recognizes that some are seeking loans and other financial assistance, and therefore might be able to pay if given additional time.”

City Council also voted unanimously to pass the $250,000 emergency loan

package for Solvangich was proposed at the March 20th City Council meeting.

This will provide up to $5,000 to qualifying businesses, to serve as a financial bridge to survival while awaiting SBA loans and other states, federal or emergency relief funding to help them through this period of a statewide shutdown.

Another unanimous vote was made by the Council to revoke the business license of “Pedestrian- bothering and most complained about business” Golden Elements. The vote was made on the grounds that Golden Elements has repeatedly violated the city code against barkers and hawkers despite receiving “multiple notices, personal contact, and issuance of administrative citations and fees”. Golden Elements have 3 locations in town and offering beauty and facial products by high paid commission based

good looking young male and female barkers and hawkers mostly from Israel.

They were bothering almost every pedestrian passing through the front of their stores. And none of their stores have a sign nor a name.

During Monday’s Council meeting, Solvang Mayor Ryan Toussaint along with all City Council members, declared April to be Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. He encourages all residents and businesses to participate in a month full of recognition and activities promoted by the North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center to increase awareness of sexual assault and to create solutions in an effort to eliminate sexual violence.

On more news, the council voted 5-0 to renew the Solvang Skytt Mesa Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District program. The council also voted 5-0 to allocate its $109,959 in Senate Bill 1 state road repair funds for the South Alisal Road Pavement Reconstruction Project.

Acting City Manager Xenia Bradford reported that this is a smart move to make since Solvang heavily depends on tourism to fund city services to emergency services. She has witnessed “economic cessation where stores are shut, the whole town is shut and the streets are empty” since Gov. Gavin Newsom issued his March 19 shelter-at-home order which has been extended until April 30.

Bradford also mentioned that the worstcase scenario is to rely on reserves which will eventually run out very quickly.

Moving forward, Bradford also announced that city parks are officially closed. While restrooms remain unlocked, playgrounds are off-limits.

The City of Solvang Installed Sanitation Stations Around Town!

By Solvang Journal

16 | Solvang Journal

New hand sanitation stations have been installed throughout the city. We encourage you to regularly sanitize while out on a walk or exercising outdoors (while still maintaining social distance.)

A masked pedestrian checking new installed sanitation station front of the visitors center.

OP-ED: BY CHRIS DJERNAES

COVID-19 Crisis forces Solvang City Layoffs

Solvang City Council Member International Business Consultant Son of a Danish Immigrant & Baker

Chris Djernaes is a Danish native of Solvang and graduate of Santa Ynez High School. He has a Bachelor’s degree with majors in both Finance and Economics from Baylor University, and a Master’s degree in Business Economics from UC Santa Barbara.

The views and opinions expressed herein are strictly my own. I do not speak for the Council or City Management nor for Solvang Journal. All information is derived from City and public sources.

As the COVID19 crisis accelerates, the City has become a virtual ghost town as residents shelter in place and businesses remain closed until further notice. The City’s tourism economy has all but shut down leaving the City budget bleeding over $500,000 per month.

Anticipating the unprecedented economic shock, the Council voted 5-0 at the March 20 Emergency Session to give the City Manager full authority to immediately cut all non-essential staff, services and contracts. Laying off non-essential staff and shutting down the Planning Department and Parks and Recreation could save $2 million, but that is not enough to cover a projected $4-5 million budget loss over the next 12 months.

Drawing against cash reserves is also not an option as the City must invest $20 million in long-overdue improvements to roads, water, sewer, and wastewater treatment facilities. Until tourism recovers, the City has no choice but to do more with far, far less.

Sadly the City’s laid-off employees are not alone. The Federal Reserve

warns that as the crisis deepens, unemployment could skyrocket from 3.5% to 30%, or more than 45 million people. In response, Santa Barbara’s County and Cities are forced to lay-off hundreds of non-essential staff.

Worse, the California public pension provider, CalPERS, admitted last week that it lost nearly $70 billion through mid-March as a result of historic volatility and corrections across all financial markets. It is well known that CalPERS and OPEB pensions were already underfunded before the market losses. Industry experts report that if CalPERS and OPEB technically fall below the funding ratio of 55%, then it is technically insolvent and impossible to recover without massive cash bailouts.

Such bailouts could force many California Counties, Cities, and public union agencies into bankruptcy and force the termination of millions of public union employees. Readers should visit Stanford University’s Hoover Institution for pension more research at www.hoover.org. I’ll write more on the scale of California’s pension crisis and the imminent threat to Solvang.

The CalPERS website shows the City’s combined current unfunded CalPERS and OPEB pension liabilities could explode from $10 million to $12 million – i.e., dwarfing the City’s current budget crisis and forcing the City of Solvang into bankruptcy. The Council is looking for solutions to this economic time-bomb.

Sadly, Solvang’s old guard and allies in local and social media choose to ignore the City’s dire economic reality and prefer to blindly attack the City Council and Staff over the termination of non-essential staff and services. This is simply unproductive, political hackery.

In contrast, the Council and City Staff are working fast to implement emergency services and layered financial aid programs to help the Community survive and recover from the devastating effects of the COVID19 crisis. The Council’s decisive actions exemplify Leadership.

Let’s work together and help each other get through these challenging times. And let’s do the same for our friends and family across the Santa Ynez Valley.

Council Cancels Costly CRD Contract

Some Old Guard-supported, sponsored local media continues to attack and bully the Solvang City Council for terminating the Community Resource Deputy (CRD) contract.

It would seem that they’ve never studied - nor understood - who does what and who works for whom. It’s equally apparent they’ve not done their homework, instead of coming up with countless biased opinions.

Let’s be clear – it is and was the right thing to do, especially given today’s COVID19 crisis. Cutting the CRD contract will save the City more than $3 million over the next 5 years.

In February, the Council voted 3-2 to cut the non-essential CRD contract as it pursues its frequently stated policy of “Do More with Less.” The reasons:

1) Mr. Uhrig was an assigned, independent contractor – i.e., he was never a City employee; 2) Contract cost exploded 36% higher from to $225,000 to $306,056 in 2021; 3) 66% of costs were overhead fees – i.e., there was no direct benefit to City: 4) Non-essential CRD Services simply do not meet the City’s functional priorities; 5) Outsourcing to IDK Events will save the City more than 75% of the cost; 6) The COPS grant was never designated to specifically offset the CRD. Let’s be crystal clear, The City terminated the CRD Contract with the Santa Barbara Sheriff Department. The

City did not and could not terminate Mr. Uhrig as he was assigned to Solvang on a rotational basis, as an independent contractor by the Sheriff Department.

Solvang paid the Sheriff Department directly and monthly for the CRD contract services. To date, Mr. Uhrig is still a fully employed, Sheriff Deputy with 25 years of service. Only the Sheriff’s Department can direct, fire or hold Mr. Uhrig accountable. Despite his specious comment and actions, Mr. Uhrig does not represent the Sheriff Department or the city of Solvang’s public union employees.

Mr. Uhrig is simply an assigned nonessential contractor and the exploding costs of the non-essential CRD contract itself are no longer justifiable. The CRD contract is a fantastic deal for the County, and an absolutely horrible deal for the City on a cost-benefit basis. How long would you keep paying $300,000 for services you didn’t need and could

outsource for less than $75,000?

Moreover, at the Feb. 24th Regular meeting, an emotional Mr. Uhrig led a group of old guard supporters in begging the Council not to cut his job, and attacked the Council saying: This council has said over and over about wanting transparency and open communication, but no one other than a select few are told what is going on in this city. Please before you consider terminating city positions you also weigh the need and the value of the person behind those activities and those duties. Talk with your employees not at them. You have great employees here.

Don’t lose sight of that just making change for change sake.

Mr. Uhrig’s political and spurious accusations were a clear violation of the CRD contract and the Sheriff’s Office protocols. The City cannot and would never discuss public employee or contract issues with Mr. Uhrig, as

he is merely an assigned, independent contractor with no standing. In fact, the contract requires the City to discuss all CRD issues exclusively with the Sheriff’s Office – i.e., the Station Lieutenant. In fact, the Sheriff’s Office has since reprimanded Mr. Uhrig for his outrageous behavior toward the Council and the City Manager. What was he thinking?

The COVID19 Crisis has led to a total collapse in tourism and with it the City’s tax revenues. Perhaps 50% of Solvang businesses will close indefinitely. The Council is doing everything it can to help the Community to survive and recover from this historic economic shock. For this reason, the Council voted 5-0 at its March 20 Emergency Meeting to focus rapidly declining budget resources only on essential services. Operating without Federal and State bail out aid, the Council has been forced to cut $2-3 million annually from both its 2020 and 2021 Budgets.

Let’s be clear. The City is not a charity for the politically connected and no longer exists to dole out financial gifts for the benefit of the old guard. This Council is committed to prioritizing the health, safety and welfare of the Community, i.e., improving the quality of life and costeffectively delivering essential services.

It’s time the old guard and its supporters at the local newspaper and online media wake up to reality. They can scream and rant all they want, but the Community simply can no longer afford what they are selling.

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Solvang born and raised an attorney jailed for kidnapping journalists at stay home protest.

Officers found attorney Petersen still holding the cameraman at knifepoint inside the van.

By Staff Report

Born and raised in Solvang , criminal defense attorney Christien Francis Petersen, 36, is behind bars on suspicion of holding a television journalist at knifepoint after Friday’s protest in Huntington Beach against coronavirus-driven stay-at-home orders.

Petersen was arrested just before 8 p.m. Friday for exhibiting a deadly weapon other than a firearm and for kidnapping, according to the Huntington Beach Police Department log. He remained in custody at the Orange County jail Monday on a $100,000 bond.

Petersen allegedly approached a cameraman and reporter from Fox 11 News while they were reporting a post-demonstration story in downtown Huntington Beach and demanded they delete any video he might be in, the station reported Monday.

Armed with a knife, Petersen then allegedly forced the cameraman into his live van to delete the video.

Officers found Petersen still holding the cameraman at knifepoint inside the van, the station said. Police described Petersen as intoxicated.

Jail records list Petersen’s occupation as a lawyer, and the State Bar of California lists a Christien Francis Petersen as having an active license since graduating from Costa Mesa’s Whittier College law school.

A Christien F. Petersen out of Whittier College law school was listed as an associate on the website of the Alvandi Law Group, which

focuses on workers’ compensation and has an office in Irvine. He wrote in his LinkedIn profile that he grew up in Solvang, a small town 34 miles north of Santa Barbara, and played rugby as an undergraduate at Westmont College, two things that shaped his outlook on life.

“I’ve come to appreciate more and more where I come from as it has proven an invaluable touchstone in treating people I meet wherever I go just as I would if I had grown up knowing them in Solvang,” he

wrote. “Folks deserve to be treated with respect, and I’ll be damned if I don’t at least do that.”

Rugby, Petersen said, “taught me what deserved a conflict and what did not.”

Fox did not air a television report that evening because all raw footage was immediately turned over to Huntington Beach police. The station has not identified the reporter or cameraman but is expected to air further details during a regular broadcast.

Complimentary and free of charge food services.

By Solvang Journal

Here is a list of some non-profits that provide complimentary food packages, meals and donated household items People Helping People People Helping People is running free, emergency food distribution services on Tuesdays, at Mission Santa Inés (1760 Mission Drive, Solvang), 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. PHP reminds those in need that they have dog and cat food available at this distribution location, and that donations of non-perishable food, new books or new board games are welcome.

Bethania Lutheran Bethania Lutheran Church at 603 Atterdag Road in Solvang, has partnered with the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County to offer free,

18 | Solvang Journal

emergencies related to the school’s students. If you know someone who wishes to contribute, they may do so here: www.paypal.me/SolvangPTO. If you are a Solvang School student or family who needs help, or if you know someone who does, please reach out to the PTO. emergency food distribution every Tuesday, from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Distribution is done via drivethrough pick-up. Questions about this service may be emailed to pastor@ bethanialutheran.net, and donations are welcome.

The Solvang School PTO The Solvang School PTO has established an emergency relief fund under the PTO, to provide relief for students when the school is unable to provide meals and for other

Blessing Boxes They have been installed outside of Bethania Lutheran Church in Solvang, and in front of the Buellton Garage, in Buellton (320 Central Avenue).

The Blessing Boxes are open 24/7, for people to either donate food or household items to the boxes or for those who need to take any of the available items.

The Buellton Senior Center The Buellton Senior Center (164 W. Hwy 246) is also distributing free

food supplies and is also accepting donations. One of the Senior Center’s main providers, Veggie Rescue, is still operating – and then some – during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to provide produce for so many in need.

Recovery Outreach Inc Recovery Outreach Inc is holding free dinner distributions DAILY, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM, in the parking lot of the Santa Ynez Valley Christian Academy (891 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez). Donations to this cause are welcome.

Veggie Rescue Veggie Rescue is still operating – and then some – during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to provide produce for so many in need.

OPEN LETTER THANKS TO THE CITY OF SOLVANG AND THE GOOD-HEARTED LANDLORDS FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY! Dear Mayor, City Council Members, City Manager, City Attorney and rest of City Staff: We are incredibly grateful for your extraordinary assistance and contribution to/ for the Solvang Business Community. And we sincerely thank you for your hard work and for doing such a great job.It certainly deserves much credit and applause from our small business community. Your muchneeded life support of Solvang’s small business community in a time of great need.

All of the small business owner applicants have been issued/ received their emergency $5K loan checks (a total of 50 applicants) from Solvang’s Emergency Funds, which was “a life kiss” act during this life-death crisis!

Alternatively, the self-employed and small business owners and their employees who claimed for their EDD unemployment by March 20th were told that they must wait until April 28th to receive their first checks. For some reason, EDD continually requests applicants for a second or third time on their previously-answered questions.

Asking the same questions, only this time by postal mail, such as, “why can’t you work?” as though they are unaware of what is happening all around us. That does not help us at all.

GOD BLESS AND THANK YOU GOD HEARTED LANDLORDS! Regarding the City’s Temporary Tenant Moratorium Ordinance: we would like to inform you that some landlords have gone above and beyond, being totally understanding, and a few have even offered free rent or didn’t request rent from their tenants. Still, others are giving 50% less charge of rent in an effort to lend a helping hand during such a critical time.

Others have also offered very long extensions on payment options.

We are very appreciative and thankful and would like to say God Blesses to those good-hearted landlords who are indeed helping and understanding and supporting their tenants in such a difficult crisis moment!

SHAME TO THE GREEDY AND OPPORTUNIST LANDLORDS! However, only a few greedy landlords and their property managers are unfortunately still acting as though nothing happened, pretending the City’s Emergency Tenant Moratorium Ordinance does not exist it all! They keep bothering, insisting, pushing, forcing, and even threatening to get payment for April’s rent from some of our retail community commercial tenant members. Basically they’re forcing immediate payment saying “your April rent is due now! Pay it now or if you can’t pay it then leave”, offering an exit from long-standing leases.

They refuse to accept our payment plan within existing moratorium terms. However, according to the City’s Emergency 60 Days Rent Moratorium Ordinance, deferred rent starts to be paid once an emergency term expires and then must be paid within 6 months.

However, that is not acceptable to them and they are insisting we start paying rent now.

We hope that The City of Solvang can give a stronger message with an official warning to those greedy landlords about the City’s Emergency Moratorium Ordinance meaning and conditions.

FRUSTRATED BY THE SBA, EDD AND US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE We as Solvang Retailers Association (SRA) are very disappointed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and State of California Employment Development Department EDD and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Meanwhile, the Federal SBA, EDD, US Chamber of Commerce, and financial aid related to other Federal -State- and County-level agencies seem to have totally collapsed and are still only in the info-giving and info-collection phase, with no response and no real action; a total fiasco!

The national and state-level politicians are making promises, but at this point, we’ve received nothing while large multi-million dollar corporations are the sole recipients of the support. Local, small business community members continue to receive only promises while the big companies receive all the cash!

Multi-million dollar corporations that are absolutely not “Small

Businesses” are receiving millions of dollars in the name of small business loans.

The national, state and countylevel politicians have made promises, but we’ve yet to receive any follow-through.

We are very disappointed to learn that the SBA funds have already been depleted, but as far as we know, no one from our community received any of SBA’s Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans. How can they even consider those multi-million dollar corporations with hundreds of employees as “small businesses”, with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of turnover and hundreds of locations yet they have less than 499 employees? Just because they can claim 1 less than 500 workers?

A small business should not be more than a max of 30 employees and with a max of $5 Million yearly turnovers! Don’t put small businesses with multi-million dollar companies in the same pot!

WE SUPPORT SOLVANG’S OWN PPP LOAN PROGRAM It seems the only solutions can be expected from our own local sources. We are thrilled to know that the City of Solvang is already working on a second wave Solvang’s Emergency Loan in greater amounts to act as Solvang’s own PPP loan program.

Solvang Retailers Association is strongly supporting the idea of creating Solvang’s own Payroll & Rent Protection Loan/ Grant Program, which would be a better solution than the SBA’s unavailable programs.

Solvang’s small businesses are about to collapse. Half of the Solvang’s businesses might close indefinitely and employed residents may face months of unemployment and career uncertainty!”And that’s why we can’t afford to make the same mistakes that were made in 2018 during the Highway 101 closure disaster. Solvang is facing its own second economical disaster in the last two years, the first of which occurred during the 2018 Highway 101 closure disaster.

During that time only a few favored businesses received funding. Now that we’re in the middle of this second disaster, small businesses continue to receive only empty promises while large corporations reap the benefits. The Federal government should have paid the

lenders per application, starting from smallest to the largest, rather than receiving a percentage of the given loan, putting all the smaller loans at the bottom of the pile.

Solvang is a unique town in that no national or state level franchised nor corporate businesses exist here, and the town is instead filled with mostly independentlyowned mom & pop-type small business. It’s time to change the definition of a “Small Business”, limiting it to companies with a max of 30 employees, with a max of $5 million in yearly turnovers!

The actual “small businesses” should not be put in the same pot as multi-million dollar companies and with hundreds or thousands of employees companies.

Many of the smallest businesses did not apply because they lacked working relationships with banks beyond their weekly cash deposits.

Some opted out because the criteria for loan forgiveness were unclear and they feared being stuck with the debt or couldn’t meet many of the complicated criteria.

WE NEED NOT LOAN BUT ALSO RENT PROTECTION GRANT PROGRAM Moreover, the SBA’s PPP loans only cover eight weeks of payroll plus limited expenses for rent and utilities. Many firms need assistance for more than eight weeks. What happens if after eight weeks a company has to again lay off staff? Will the loan still be forgiven? The government wants us to keep paid workers at home while we are still closed? ( PPP loans will create another problem with State’s EDD’s unemployment insurance program) And also be responsible for closed businesses’ unpaid rents, utilities, insurance?

However if the government ordered to shut down our businesses then the government should pay or give a grant for our unpaid rents, utility, insurance but not a loan for closed and nonrevenue generating businesses.

The government wants to save day but we want to be saved our future/ The Treasury Department, SBA should instead loan via lenders, provide grants to pay closed businesses’ rents and utilities, making sure to give relief directly to the real smallest businesses based on their tax returns’ gross income or rent contracts.

SOLVANG RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

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