Mayor Gorton asks for business to donate PPE, updates city COVID response

DEM Blogger

April 7, 2020

Mayor Linda Gorton and Ray Daniels, chair of the Commerce Lexington Board, today issued a call to action to local businesses that can help produce the supplies the City and State will desperately need to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thanks to dozens of businesses that have already stepped forward,” Gorton said. “We still need more help, especially in the production of personal protective equipment, or PPE, and ventilators. There are critical weeks ahead when demand for PPE is going to climb along with the number of cases. Now is the time for every citizen to think about how he or she can be of the most help.”

Daniels, owner of Equity Solutions and Vice-Chair of the Board of Fayette County Public Schools, urged the business community to step forward. “In Lexington, we have already heard from many generous corporate citizens, but this is a time when we need all hands on deck,” he said.

Gorton said she holds weekly meetings with representatives of the healthcare community, including hospitals. “Like hospitals all around the country, our healthcare community’s supply of PPE is running low,” Gorton said. “We need help from businesses that can produce these products, or have a stockpile of these items they can donate.”  PPE includes gloves, masks and Tyvek suits.

“Our healthcare workers are among the heroes of this crisis who deserve to be protected as they go about their work,” Gorton said.

Businesses that can help should call the Mayor’s Office at 258-3100 or the Emergency Operations Center at 425-2255.

Daniels said Commerce Lexington is also working to help people who have lost their jobs by listing vacancies on its website, by helping businesses with small business disaster loans, with information on unemployment insurance, and by urging citizens to support local businesses.

“We all have to help one another. We are asking our businesses to help meet the demand for the tools we need to fight COVID-19. In turn, we need to support them as they move through these difficult days,” Daniels said.

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Gorton said the Health Department announced this morning that Lexington has had another death, bringing our total to seven Fayette County residents lost to this virus.

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Gorton also provided reminders on yard waste pickup and social distancing in parks.

The City will provide curbside residential yard waste pickup to its waste management customers once in April. On April 8, crews will pick up yard waste for everyone who has City garbage pickup on Mondays and Tuesdays. On April 15, crews will pick up yard waste for everyone who has City garbage pickup on Thursdays and Fridays.

Fayette County residents can still take yard waste to the Haley Pike Waste Management Facility, 4216 Hedger Lane.  Hours for Haley Pike: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. (Note: While the facility is open until 6 p.m., the gates will be closed at 5:30 p.m. to allow staff to service those individuals who are in line. No materials will be accepted after 5:30 p.m.)

The limit on the number of free loads a resident can bring each month has been waived during the COVID-19 crisis. An ID that shows your Fayette County address is required. The material can be delivered in yard waste bags.

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Parks officials said people have been responding to pleas for social distancing for people who are enjoying city parks. “Despite the beautiful weather this weekend, crowds were down and more people followed social distancing in our parks,” Gorton said.