STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) -- It is business as usual as much as possible for Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza as he works from home while running the day-to-day operations of the city.
Wiza checked in via Zoom for this week's installment of Mayors Monday on WSAU, recording from his kitchen table.
"I've got remote access to my computer, and we are doing Zoom meetings all over the place," he said. "Of course, as you can imagine, there are things that I can't do from home like sign documents or certain other things that I need to come in for. I'm trying to limit that as much as possible."
Wiza says most of his staff are also working from home if they can, and for the most part, City Hall is currently closed to the public. That's been done under Governor Ever's Safer at Home order, which Wiza is calling on everyone to follow to the letter.
The order does allow residents to go out for necessities such as groceries, but Wiza says not everyone has the same definition of what is necessary. So, he suggests before you go out and buy something, think about the risk you could be putting on others.
"Think about is it worth compromising someone else's' health because you need 'X.' Maybe that's a trip to the grocery store that you don't necessarily need [to make] but you have a craving. Try to keep it down to the essentials, and if you don't need to go out, don't go out."
That risk comes from the fact that people could be carrying the Coronavirus without showing any symptoms or may not develop symptoms until two weeks after they've picked it up.
Wiza also encourages residents to run that same test for other shopping trips such as to the hardware store to purchase tools or equipment for a home improvement project, saying the more everyone works together to stay home the quicker things can return to normal.
City planners will begin the "remote meeting" era in Stevens Point this evening with their Plan Commission meeting. Wiza says they have made every accommodation possible for public participation in the meeting by both phone and live video. A feed will also be available through the city's community access channel.
Those interested in participating can find instructions spelled out on each meeting agenda. For those without internet service, Wiza encourages them to check with Spectrum and TDS, who have both offered free high-speed internet access to those who don't currently have service.
Other topics Wiza discussed with WSAU's Mike Leischner include:
Start of video: Introduction to social distancing and summary of how running the city from his home has been going.
2:15- Election procedures for Tuesday. (Note: This week's segment was recorded before a directive from Judge William Conley altered some of the procedures for the April 7th spring election and presidential primary, and before the special session of the legislature on Saturday evening. Information presented in this segment may not be accurate at the time this story is published.)
4:20- Wiza's thoughts on social distancing and Governor Ever's Safer at Home order
8:10- Ways the community is coming together to be creative and lift each other up during the outbreak
11:00- Procedures for public participation during remote meetings
13:00- Fun with Zoom backgrounds!