ROCHESTER, Minn. - As we navigate the Coronavirus Pandemic, there's been a major focus on cleaning and sanitizing in public places.
A new program launching in Rochester next month aims to make the downtown area clean and safe.

It's called the Clean and Safe Ambassador Program. It has 3 components: Cleaning, safety, and hospitatlity.

Examples of the cleaning component include:

     - Sweep or remove litter from sidewalks, curbs, and other areas of public space

     - Pressure wash sidewalks on a scheduled basis

     - Locate and remove graffiti from buildings, sidewalks, and sidewalk/street fixtures

     - Perform weed removal and leaf blowing during required seasons

Examples of the safety component include: 

     - Serves as an extra set of "eyes and ears" to the Rochester Police and Fire departments

     - Provide safety escort services for the intended audience downtown

     - Report code enforcement and "quality of life" concerns to appropriate agencies

     - Monitor and report deficiencies to appropriate city contacts to ensure streets remain bright and clean

     - Apply trained knowledge of social outreach when interacting with the public

Examples of the hospitality component include: 

     - Provide information and respond to inquiries regarding downtown businesses, government, and educational facilities, services,           facilities, and events

     - Provide directions

     - Conduct street surveys and distribute informational materials as needed

The Rochester Downtown Alliance has been working to implement this program for years, long before the Coronavirus Pandemic was even on the radar. 

"It timed out very, very well. I think that what it will do is give people a sense of safety and just overall. Feeling a lot better about going into businesses, pushing crosswalk buttons," said Karli McElroy, Senior Director of Placemaking for the Rochester Downtown Alliance.

The program was supposed to launch in April but was delayed because of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The cleaning part of the program will launch July 1st, and the the safety and hospitality components will launch in the coming weeks and months.

this program has actually been in the works for *years - long before the pandemic was even on our radar.
but now seems to be a perfect time for it to launch.xxx
it timed out very very well. i think that what it will do is give people a sense of safety and just overall feeling a lot better about going into businesses, like you said, pushing crosswalk buttons.>

the program was supposed to launch in april - but was delayed because of the pandemic.
now - the cleaning part of the program will start on july first - and the safey and hospitality components launch as soon as reopening guidelines make it safe to do so.///