PREPARED BY: Lynn Tracy Nerland DATE OF MEETING: 06/01/20
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO, CALIFORNIA EXTENDING THE EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY DUE TO NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND CONFIRMING THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
This action is not in the City Council’s Priority Workplan, but is necessary for the operation of government during an emergency.
CEQA Compliance Statement
The adoption of a resolution extending a declaration of an emergency in light of a pandemic is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act, and if deemed a project would be categorically exempt pursuant to 14 CCR section 15269.
BACKGROUND
Following declarations of emergency by the State of California, Contra Costa County and the Federal government, the City Council of the City of San Pablo adopted Resolution 2020-034 (attached) on March 16, 2020 proclaiming the existence of a local emergency due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A copy of that resolution was provided to the State and County Emergency Operations Centers. The City’s Emergency Operations Center was activated on or about 7:00 a.m. on March 16, 2020. The City Manager/Director of Emergency Services issued a Modified City Operations Plan dated March 16, 2020.
Since then, the Governor of California has issued several executive orders in light of COVID-19, including Executive Order N-33-20 on March 19, 2020 directing all residents in the State of California to stay at home except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of essential critical infrastructure sectors and as designated by the State Public Health Officer as critical to protect the health and well-being of all Californians.
In addition, the Contra Costa Health Services Officer, in conjunction with other Bay Area Health Officers, issued on March 31, 2020 further Shelter-in-Place orders through May 3, 2020 with further limitations on essential services, which was then extended through May 31, 2020. The Federal Government has also issued Federal orders and directives in response to COVID-19. Resources can be found at these links:
<https://www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/>;
<https://covid19.ca.gov/>; <https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx>;
<https://www.cacities.org/Policy-Advocacy/Hot-Issues/Coronavirus-Resources-for-Cities>;
On April 6, 2020, pursuant to Resolution No. 2020-042, the City Council extended the declaration of a local emergency and confirmed the actions taken by the Director of Emergency Services including but not limited to:
1. Emergency Services Order No. 1 issued March 23, 2020, which addressed operational issues during the emergency including a Modified City Operations Plan dated March 19, 2020; and
2. Revised Modified City Operations Plan dated April 1, 2020, declaring certain City projects as “Essential Governmental Functions/Public Works Projects” and further limiting activities.
On April 20, 2020, pursuant to Resolution No. 2020-051, the City Council extended the declaration of a local emergency and confirmed the actions taken by the Director of Emergency Services including but not limited to:
1. Revised Modified City Operations Plan dated April 8, 2020 further limiting access to City Administrative Offices and essential services occurring at City facilities; and continuing to cancel all City-sponsored community events and gatherings per the Governor’s State-wide Executive Orders No. N-25-20 (03/12/20) and No. N-33-20 (03/19/20) and Contra Costa County Health Department Order no. #HO-COVID-19-03 (03/31/2020) to “flatten the curve” of the infection rate of COVID-19.
In addition, the Annual 4th of July Multi-Cultural Family Celebration Event is regrettably cancelled because operational planning and staffing resources for major community events is a “Non-Essential Service” at this time; and the financial costs are deemed “Non-Essential Spending” given the impacts to the City’s General Fund budget from the closure of the Casino and decreased sales tax revenues during the COVID-19 emergency.
2. City of San Pablo Administrative Policy - Coronavirus (COVID-19): Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLE) dated April 1, 2020.
3. City of San Pablo Administrative Policy - Limited Duration Telework Policy dated April 1, 2020.
On May 4, 2020, pursuant to Resolution No. 2020-055, the City Council extended the declaration of a local emergency and confirmed the actions taken by the Director of Emergency Services including but not limited to:
1. Revised Modified City Operations Plan dated April 20, 2020 regarding face coverings in response to Contra Costa County Health Department Order no. #HO-COVID-19-08 (04/17/2020) to “flatten the curve” of the infection rate of COVID-19;
2. Revised Modified City Operations Plan dated April 30, 2020 in response to Contra Costa County Health Department Order no. #HO-COVID-19-09 (04/29/2020) extending the shelter-in-place order to May 31, 2020 but allowing some businesses and activities to resume; and
3. City Essential Business/Project Updates dated May 4, 2020.
On May 18, 2020, pursuant to Resolution No. 2020-060, the City Council extended
the declaration of a local emergency and confirmed the actions taken by the Director of Emergency Services including but not limited to:
1. Memorandum dated May 7, 2020 to implement COVID-19 Informational Hotline for San Pablo residents
As of May 26, 2020, there were 1,353 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Contra Costa County, and 37 deaths. As of May 24, 2020, there were 94,558 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California with 3,795 deaths. As of May 26, 2020, there were 1,662,414 cases of COVID-19 in the United States with 98,261 deaths. All of those numbers are expected to continue to rise.
Accordingly, the City Manager/Director of Emergency Services recommends that the City Council extend the declaration of a local emergency and confirm the additional actions taken by the Director of Emergency Services including but not limited to:
1. Letter dated May 22, 2020 to the Contra Costa County Health Services Department re: Casino San Pablo Notification to Re-open and discussion with Contra Costa County Health Officials.
FISCAL IMPACT
At this time, the full fiscal impact of declaring an emergency is unknown, but such a declaration may make Federal and State funding and resources available. However, as indicated in prior staff reports, the San Pablo Lytton Casino has been closed since March 17, 2020 and for every month that the Casino is closed, the City is projected to lose approximately $2.34 million in revenue in addition to $1.3 million every month for other City revenue sources.
On March 25, 2020, the City Manager directed staff to reduce costs in FY 2019/20 by an immediate suspension of all non-essential spending; a City-wide full-time hiring freeze effective April 1, 2020; and a City-wide part-time hiring freeze effective immediately. This budget expense directive was due to the impacts of the prolonged shelter-in-place order and the Casino shutdown and the anticipated General Fund revenue shortfall during FY 2019/20. Further budget information was provided at the Special Council meeting on April 27, 2020, at which time City Council approved by minute order the recommendations made by the City Manager to balance the FY 2019/20 budget in the event of a realized budget deficit/shortfall by June 30, 2020. Further budget information was provided at the City Council meeting on May 18, 2020.
ATTACHMENTS
1) Proposed Resolution
2) Letter dated May 22, 2020 to the Contra Costa County Health Services Department re: Casino San Pablo Notification to Re-open and discussion with Contra Costa County Health Officials.
3) Resolution 2020-034 Proclaiming the Existence of a Local Emergency dated March 16, 2020
4) PowerPoint presentation on Extension of Local Emergency