I am concerned that the businesses of the independent contractor gardeners who work throughout Menlo Park will not survive the Shelter in Place Department of Health directive. Most of the gardeners in town likely work paycheck to paycheck. I believe that many will be forced into bankruptcy and out of business and their homes if the Shelter in Place order is extended beyond 3 weeks (very likely) and this may even be the case with a 3 week shutdown. Likely many of the gardeners are undocumented immigrants and will not be able to get access to any Federal aid package for the Coronavirus pandemic. It seems to me that gardeners by the nature of their work (typically one or two gardeners in a work crew) and working outside; easily meet the intent of social distancing that the Shelter in Place order is trying to achieve. My request is that you contact the Department of Health to investigate if gardeners could be included in Paragraph 10f of the Shelter in Place Order as an “Essential Business” as is, for example, a dry cleaner or laundry. Thank you for your consideration of this request, Regards, Verle Aebi 220 Laurel St Menlo Park, CA Received on Tue Mar 17 2020 - 19:31:12 PDT
