REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a Resolution Regarding President’s Day Storm Damage and CalEMS/FEMA Assistance
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Sunnyvale, along with the rest of California, experienced above average rainfall totals this past winter. Some of the heaviest storms caused flooding, infrastructure failures, and other storm damage. In response, the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) made storm related financial assistance available to agencies throughout the State.
On February 23, 2017 the Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services (County OES) asked jurisdictions in the county to provide damage related losses due to storms experienced in the previous two weeks. Sunnyvale experienced multiple streetlight issues, parks and tree damage, flooding, and a power outage that caused the generator in the City’s 911 communication center to fail, resulting in temporary closure. Staff gathered the cost impact of the damages, and submitted a preliminary assessment to the County.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 4.0 Long-term Advocacy Positions - Public Safety
Goal 4.3.4 Support prompt reimbursement of approved disaster recovery expenses to cities determined to be part of a declared disaster area.
Council Policy 7.1.1 Fiscal - Long Range Goals and Policies
Section B, Revenue Policies:
Goal 3.1 The City will seek all Federal and State reimbursement for mandated projects and/or programs.
DISCUSSION
Governor Brown and President Trump made disaster declarations for much of the State of California during the recent storms, including Santa Clara County. This opens the door for financial assistance to areas impacted by the storms.
Sunnyvale’s preliminary damage assessment (Attachment 1) included approximately $39,420 in damages. The preliminary assessment covers damages that occurred between February 13 and February 23, 2017. FEMA guidelines require that the County OES categorize damages into various categories. The damages that occurred in Sunnyvale are in three of those categories: Public Buildings & Facilities, Public Utilities, and Parks and Recreation.
Public Buildings & Facilities (preliminary damage of $13,558)
The largest impact to the City was a PG&E brown-out that occurred on February 21st and impacted the Department of Public Safety. Full power was not delivered to the public safety building during the brown-out, which caused the back-up generators not to function as expected. Sunnyvale’s 911 calls had to be rerouted to the County’s emergency call center. The cost for the PG&E issues in the amount of $4,439 includes staff time spent resolving the issue as well as the cost of an outside contractor needed to restore function to the generators.
During the storms, flooding occurred throughout the City. Most of the flooding was addressed by the Environmental Services Department staff by clearing debris from storm drain inlets. The City Hall and Community Center sites experienced flooding, which staff worked to remediate. The storms also damaged a road at the landfill. Clearing storm drains is not reimbursable, since this is a typical activity that Environmental Services staff would handle during a storm. However, the flooding remediation at the City facilities and road damage at the landfill in the amount of $9,119 is included.
Public Utilities (preliminary damage of $3,898)
Multiple traffic signals in Sunnyvale malfunctioned during the storm, to which the City’s contractor responded. Repairs ranged from simply resetting the signals to replacing parts that failed during the storms. Repairs were made at the following intersections
Homestead Road and Mary Avenue
Mathilda Avenue and California Avenue
Fair Oaks Avenue and Old San Francisco Road
Mary Avenue and Heatherstone Way
Java Drive and Crossman Avenue
Parks and Recreation (preliminary damage of $21,962)
There was tree damage at numerous locations throughout Sunnyvale. The damaged trees were removed and replaced. The impacted locations were:
Raynor Park: Removal of one 40 foot Liquidamber tree
Baylands Park: Removal of four Eucalyptus trees
Murphy Park: Removal of one Purple Leaf Plum tree
Ortega Park: Removal of one Shamel Ash tree
Sunnyvale Golf Course: Removal of one Eucalyptus tree
City Parking Lot: Removal of one Calery Pear tree
A resolution by City Council is required to authorize the acceptance of funds and designate authorized agents to act on behalf of the City in all matters pertaining to disaster assistance. CalOES provides the resolution on their Form 130 (Attachment 2) The resolution can either include only the damages associated with this storm, or Council may elect to make the resolution valid for up to three years. Staff is recommending a longer term, as that would enable the City to seek additional funding if any additional eligible damages from future events occur during the term of the resolution.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City and its contractors have already completed all work to clean up and repair any damages from these storms. The preliminary damage assessment of $39,420 may change as FEMA works through the approval process. Any reimbursement approved by FEMA will be accounted for in the General Fund for the Public Utilities and Parks and Recreation damages and the Facilities Management Internal Service Fund for the Public Buildings and Facilities damages.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution to authorize designated staff to handle all matters related to state disaster assistance for Items 1-16 on the List of Projects (Attachment 3 to the report) and for any qualifying future disasters that occur up to three years from date of Council adoption.
Staff
Prepared by: Stephen Napier, Administrative Services Manager
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Walter C. Rossmann, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Preliminary Damage Assessment
2. Designation of Applicant’s Agent Resolution for Non-State Agencies
3. List of Projects