Vail: A message from the mayor

It takes a valley.

In a matter of days, life has changed for all of us. The lifts have stopped spinning, businesses are closed, our guests have returned home, jobs are lost and our local hospital runs the risk of being at capacity. This is a moment in time to call upon our community’s resolve to pull together as it has done since Vail’s earliest days. It is a time to set aside our differences and come together with kindness and compassion to help care for those most in need. It is a time to extend our appreciation to the health care workers, first responders, pharmacy workers, grocery store workers, bus drivers and others who are working tirelessly on the front lines to provide essential services to our community. It is a time to be humble. And a time to act.

To slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and put us on the road to recovery, it is critical that we all take responsibility to follow public health orders issued by our local, state and federal agencies. Stay home if you’re sick, consult with your doctor (especially before visiting the emergency room), practice good hygiene, help protect our vulnerable population, self-quarantine and use social distancing. Also, be prepared to adapt to additional requirements that could be mandated in the days ahead, such as sheltering in place. Information and updates from our trusted Eagle County public health officials are available at ECEmergency.org.

As these fast-moving public health orders disrupt our lives and our economy, our local leadership has been working rapidly to find ways to assist. We have joined Eagle County in declaring a local disaster emergency, which will help us apply for aid and assistance from state and federal agencies for implementation of emergency plans. We have also been in contact at the highest levels of state government as well as our congressional delegation to open the lines of communication.

At the Town of Vail, we’re committed to maintaining our critical services and to keep public business moving forward. Police, fire and transit services are our number-one priority. Our public board meetings are taking place virtually. Other municipal services are available by phone or email. A list of our operational adjustments can be found at vailgov.com. Town Manager Scott Robson and his team of extraordinary employees are to be commended for their efforts to sustain these service levels.

To provide immediate relief to our business community, we are deferring Town of Vail sales tax payments for a period of time. We’re also in discussions with event promoters to reschedule iconic events, such as Taste of Vail, to give our community an economic boost later in the year. And we’re encouraging everyone to get creative in helping both our business and residential communities throughout the valley.

Our municipal employees are being cared for with pay and sick time policies that will keep paychecks flowing, including end of season bonuses for our seasonal employees.

While the Town of Vail is fortunate to have healthy reserves, we have asked staff to reassess budgets and to pull back on spending. While our priorities haven’t changed, our reality has.

Join with us to reach out to your neighbors, co-workers and friends virtually to check in with them to offer support and assistance in any way you can. Shop locally. Order carry-out. Let them know we’re all in this together and we’re going to get through this together. This is a defining moment for us to set the example and direct our future.

Here is the most recent message from Will Cook, President and CEO of Vail Health. 
Here is the most recent Public Health Order from Eagle County. 

Dave Chapin
Mayor of Vail