A message from Mayor Ben Baker
Greetings Dayton,
I hope this update finds you healthy and well. Over the past 16 months, we have been using this forum with Dayton Community News to promote the fun things going around town. Typically, during this month we’d be bringing you news of upcoming Easter Egg hunts, preparing for the Memorial Day Parade, and getting everyone outside to play with our neighbors. Unfortunately, as we are all experiencing together, these are different times.
With the onset of the Coronavirus, we have had to take special measures to make sure we are keeping our neighbors, employees, and community as a whole safe. Due to the aggressive and contagious nature of this virus, we have had to close parts of our parks, close our schools, postpone our beloved events, restrict our businesses, and stay at home as much as possible. These are tough asks, ones that we never wanted to ask of you, but they ares of utmost importance to prevent the spread of this deadly virus within our city and beyond.
I do want you to know that even though this virus has changed how the city works, the city has continued to work. Since the City Building is not open to the public, our city staff is fully functioning with administrative workers working remotely or at a staggered schedule to prevent contact. They have worked above and beyond our expectations when we made the difficult decisions required. Everyone is working hard to complete projects that we have planned for the city without delay.
The City Council meeting for April has been postponed until April 21st 2020. It’s been decided that we will still have this meeting as the work of your council needs to continue. There will be special instructions on this meeting so please stay tuned to the City’s website (www.daytonky.com) for instructions on participation.
Our Public Works Department continues to work diligently every day on the streets of Dayton. Each day they show up ready to make sure that our streets are clean and safe, that our parks maintain their beauty, and that we continue to have a lovely place to call home.
In our Police and Fire departments, we are again witnessing the true heroes that we have come to know over the years. These first responders are working harder than ever to keep Dayton healthy and safe. During these times that means taking extra precautions to ensure their safety and availability to their teams, but just as we knew they would do, they’ve met the challenge and continue to do so day in and day out.
We are truly indebted to our city employees for their dedicated service.
Dayton’s Main Street has also had to adjust the ways that they do business. Many of our restaurants are offering carry-out and delivery services so we can still enjoy their fantastic foods at home with our families. It is important that during these challenging times we continue to patronize these businesses so we can visit them in person once we are through these restrictions.
And, of course, our daily lives as citizens of Dayton have changed. It was a very difficult decision to close the basketball courts and playgrounds, but it was done so to keep our children and families safe from these contact sports. Those who know me well know of my love of the outdoors and sports, these were not easy decisions. However, there are many opportunities to engage in healthy outdoor activities here in Dayton. You can access the park to play toss with your kids, jog the floodwall, and walk along the riverbanks at Ahren’s Way off of Manhattan Blvd, to name a few. Or simply taking a walk with your families in our neighborhood to catch fresh air, something I have noticed a lot folks doing recently. We encourage everyone to continue these healthy activities while practicing social distancing of 6 feet from those who do not live in the same household.
Our stores in town still have plenty of food. Hansman’s Deli, Family Dollar, and Dayton Market still have shelves of food and essentials. Please make sure you have what you need at your house and leave what you don’t need for another family on the shelf.
I know that these are difficult requests for us to ask but it is important that we continue to practice these safety measures so we defeat this virus on the first try.
As we look outside, we see the trees blooming, we see flowers growing, and hear birds chirping again. The season of Spring has always been one of rebirth, one that reminds us that life begins anew. We will soon again join our neighbors for a game of basketball, sit across from the table with them at our restaurants, send our children to our schools, and will again enjoy our time together without restrictions. I can’t promise you that this will be easy, but I can promise you that we will get through this, together.
Be Well Dayton,
Mayor Ben Baker