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The multiple crises of 2020 have led Council to respond with 2021 priorities that would move the city forward in dealing with enormous challenges. In that light, each of the priorities is timely and needed. Curiously, the underlying driver for many of these issues -- the Covid-19 pandemic -- is not explicitly named. Perhaps that reflects the limited scope and power of Council to address public health conditions, much as education and school re-opening may be relegated to the School Board. But if social distancing and the slow distribution of vaccines, coupled with limited availability of testing is directly responsible for restricting business operations, community services and other forms of direct personal interaction, perhaps testing, tracing, vaccinating and treating the health needs of the community should be the highest priority. Certainly, without success in safeguarding pubic health, economic recovery will be delayed. Otherwise, I commend the Council for its work on setting priorities and look forward to metrics that will guide management in achieving the community's goals.

> "Council member Lydia Kou suggested that the effort should include the hiring of an expert in retail to guide the city's economic recovery and assist small businesses that are struggling to get by."

A PACC member now advocating the hiring of yet another overpaid and unnecessary outside consultant...this time a retail shopping expert?

What are the qualifications...a marketing degree, a handbag full of credit cards, and the ability to select items from an overpriced menu?

Seriously folks, some our our locally elected officials are seriously out to lunch again as usual.

~ A PACC member now advocating the hiring of yet another overpaid and unnecessary outside consultant...this time a retail shopping expert?

A suggestion...if the PACC were to rebate all of the residents in Palo Alto for its (1) overpriced and lousy utility services, (2) lawsuit settlements paid out to cover various PAPD malfeasances, (3) overpaid city administrators and their CalPers retirement packages, and (4) wasteful use of outside consultant services etc., there would be plenty of Palo Alto residents with the monetary resources to restimulate the local economy.

No "retail" consultant needed to solve this one.

It is getting more and more difficult to find useful retail for everyday needs. Bed, Bath and Beyond was very useful and it has closed. Payless Shoes was very useful, it has closed. Macys Men Store was useful due to the fact that men who hate shopping could park outside, buy what they needed, and be back in the car in 10 minutes.

Retail is closing and it is forcing us to buy online. This has become even more noticeable during the pandemic, but many of us would support retail if it was locally available. Many items are just not practical to buy online, shoes need to be tried on, towels and bedding need to be felt, etc.

Many enjoy shopping online and will probably continue to do so. Others are forced to shop online because there is no alternative. Palo Alto has been against useful retail as long as I have lived here. It is now reaping what it has been sowing for the last 30+ years.

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No need to go to stores. Nearly everything is made overseas nowadays and easily available online.

And Amazon and Costco have very liberal return policies.

We use the pick-up and delivery service offered by many supermarkets. You simply place an online order and then pick the packaged items up.

For fresh produce and meat, we shop in person for best selection.

Clothing and household is ordered online as well.

This in turn saves time, gas, and aggravation.

Besides, window shopping and browsing is an utter waste of time unless one actually enjoys such an inane pastime.