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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11c - Ratifying an Emergency Appropriation and Authorizing Supplemental Budget Appropriation DATE: May 19, 2020 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Dominic Lazzaretto, City Manager By: Laena Shakarian, Management Analyst SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7311 RATIFYING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION AND AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2019-20 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AUTHORIZING A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 TO PURCHASE EMERGENCY SUPPLIES FOR COVID-19 TRANSMISSION MITIGATION Recommendation: Adopt SUMMARY The City of Arcadia continues to closely monitor the national outbreak of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. The City is in contact with our local and regional public health partners to ensure the City has best practices in place for the safety of employees as well as the general public. Supply chain disruptions occurring across multiple sectors of the economy, and in particular for goods that help in COVID-19 transmission mitigation efforts, remains an ongoing concern. The City of Arcadia has sufficient supplies to support current operations; however, as the City looks toward the relaxation of the County’s Safer at Home Order (“Order”) on May 15, 2020, additional supplies like hand sanitizer, washing stations, contact guards, social distancing decals, and other supplies are an urgent need to ensure that City facilities can safely open when the Order is modified. . Because the next City Council meeting is scheduled to occur after the Safer at Home Orders are relaxed, the City Manager, acting in his capacity as the Director of Emergency Services, authorized an emergency supplemental appropriation on May 12, 2020 to begin the acquisition of goods necessary to open City facilities safely. While this action is authorized per Resolution No. 7300, it requires City Council ratification within seven days. Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7311 ratifying the emergency appropriation and amending the FY 2019-20 budget authorizing a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $20,000 from the General Fund for emergency supplies for COVID-19 transmission mitigation efforts. Resolution No. 7311 Authorizing a Supplemental Budget Appropriation May 19, 2020 Page 2 of 3 BACKGROUND On March 4, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency to make additional resources available, formalize emergency actions already underway across multiple state agencies and departments, and help the state prepare for a broader spread of COVID-19. That same day, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared a local health emergency in response to the increased spread of COVID-19 across the County. In response to the emerging public health concerns regarding COVID-19, out of an abundance of caution, on March 9, 2020, the City of Arcadia suspended all large scale public events featuring a high concentration of older adults in order to help slow the transmission of the COVID-19 until further notice. This action was undertaken in response to additional guidance received from the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”). The suspension included all City-sponsored events with an expected attendance of over 100 persons featuring attendees who are mostly age 55 and over. In response to additional guidance received by federal, state, and local public health officials, beginning on March 13, 2020, the City of Arcadia closed the Arcadia Community Center and the Arcadia Public Library to the public and non-essential personnel. In addition, Arcadia City Hall was closed to the public beginning March 16, 2020, until further notice as part of the City’s COVID-19 transmission mitigation efforts. Furthermore, on March 17, 2020, the Arcadia City Council unanimously ratified a Declaration of Local Emergency issued by City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto on March 16, 2020, paving the way for the City to enact emergency provisions designed to protect the community from further COVID-19 transmission, in addition to making the City eligible for reimbursement for COVID-19 transmission mitigation expenses. DISCUSSION The Declaration of Local Emergency (Resolution No. 7300) ratified by the City Council on March 17, 2020, provides the City Manager, as the Director of Emergency Services, the ability to mobilize local resources, coordinate interagency response, accelerate procurement of vital supplies, use mutual aid, and seek future reimbursement by state and federal governments that are critically necessary to the City’s response to COVID- 19. Recent supply chain issues from the global impact of COVID-19 have heightened concerns that goods may not be available for supply when they are in critical need. Given the widespread concerns of COVID-19, many supplies are already under low supply or out of stock, with delayed delivery times. Therefore, it was important to acquire scarce supplies immediately so they can be readily available later when they would be even more difficult to obtain. On May 8, 2020, the County of Los Angeles began to ease the Safer at Home Order restrictions, and both the Governor and County Public Health Officials have indicated Resolution No. 7311 Authorizing a Supplemental Budget Appropriation May 19, 2020 Page 3 of 3 that further relaxation of the Order may occur on May 15, 2020. As we expect to transition to Phase 2 of the County’s Roadmap to Recovery, it is anticipated that City facilities will begin to reopen to limited public access. The City is still assessing a comprehensive plan to open facilities safely, and in anticipation of that effort additional resource needs were identified to ensure the safety of City employees and the public to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. On May 12, 2020, the City Manager in his capacity as the Director of Emergency Services authorized an emergency supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $20,000 to provide for resources needed by City Departments to continue the City’s coordinated response to COVID-19 and prepare for the reopening of City facilities. The recommended action by the City Council would ratify this appropriation. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA. FISCAL IMPACT At this time, the request is for $20,000, which would allow the City to purchase specific items in demand now as well as to have a budget to quickly address needs as they arise. There are sufficient funds available in the General Fund for this purpose. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a project and is therefore exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and adopt Resolution No. 7311 ratifying an emergency appropriation and amending the Fiscal Year 2019-20 General Fund Budget authorizing a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $20,000 to purchase emergency supplies for COVID-19 transmission mitigation. Attachment: Resolution No. 7311