On January 13, 2021, the Elk Grove City Council voted to create a COVID-19 task force. The ad hoc committee will be led by Bobbie Singh-Allen and Darren Suen. Generally, the committee would operate from 60 to 90 days, providing aid to businesses and non-profits in Elk Grove. Fortunately, Elk Grove’s leaders and businesses are willing to pitch in to help the town.

What Is This Task Force?

The goal of the committee is to provide Singh-Allen, Suen and the rest of the city’s leaders guidance and advice regarding how to best serve the community and businesses. The committee will determine what resources are available and allocate those resources to places that need them. The committee will be speaking to leaders in other industries, such as the bank and legal industry. Furthermore, the committee wants the economy to “get back to its feet” when the pandemic is over, according to Singh-Allen.

Councilmember Stephanie Nguyen did agree that the city does need aid and suggested that the city reach out to Sac Collab. The community partnership has a plethora of resources that could aid Elk Grove, such as business analysts, business navigators, and contact tracers. While Singh-Allen agreed that the organization could be presented to the committee, she believes in “ownership of our own city” and being proactive. Singh-Allen wants to hear what individual business owners in Elk Grove have to say about their struggles and experiences.

During the City Council meeting, Darren Suen agreed to join the task force. Fortunately, the city of Elk Grove does have some staff members who have experience navigating through the pandemic. Those individuals would be able to provide information regarding businesses, financial resources, and nonprofits.