REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a Resolution Extending the City’s Declaration of Local Emergency for COVID-19
Report
DISCUSSION
On March 12, 2020, City Manager Kent Steffens declared a local health emergency pursuant to the authority granted to him as the Emergency Services Director in Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.16 (Emergency Organization and Functions) and applicable state law. The City Council adopted a resolution ratifying that declaration (Resolution No. 979-20) on March 17, 2020, and resolutions extending the declaration on April 7, 2020, (Resolution No. 981-20), May 26, 2020, (Resolution No. 994-20), July 14, 2020, (Resolution No. 1010-20), August 25, 2020, (Resolution No. 1016-20), October 13, 2020 (Resolution No. 1025-20), and December 8, 2020 (Resolution No. 1036-20).
The emergency conditions related to COVID-19 continue. Since the Council’s last extension of the emergency, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths at the local, state, and national levels have surged to the highest levels yet seen in the pandemic. In November, Santa Clara County moved back into the “purple” tier, the most restrictive tier in the State’s risk-assessment system. In early December, due to rapidly rising case numbers, the state layered over the tier framework a regional stay-at-home order that is triggered when regions in the state drop below 15% ICU capacity. As of the date this report was written, approximately 98% of Californians were subject to a stay-at-home order. ICU capacity in the Bay Area region was averaging around 5% and the stay-at-home order was extended indefinitely. The rate of distribution of vaccinations is currently much lower than originally anticipated and current reports estimate that it will be months before they are broadly available to the general public.
Therefore, staff anticipates that the COVID-19 emergency conditions will continue for some time before the public health orders are rescinded. Staff recommends that Council adopt the attached resolution extending the City’s declaration of a local emergency, to be reviewed again within 60 days pursuant to Government Code section 8630 (California Emergency Services Act). Extending the local health emergency empowers the City to continue to effectively respond to COVID-19, including staffing the EOC, coordinating with partner agencies, seeking and utilizing mutual aid, and pursuing potential federal and state reimbursement for costs related to response efforts.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety. In addition, the agenda and report are available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15320,15378 and 15061(b)(3) as it is an organizational structure change and does not have the potential to result in either a direct or reasonable foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution Extending the City Manager/Director of Emergency Services’ Proclamation of Existence of a Local Emergency (COVID-19).
Staff
Prepared by: David Carnahan, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Jaqui Guzmán, Deputy City Manager
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft Resolution Extending Emergency Proclamation
2. Resolution No. 1036-20
3. Resolution No. 1025-20
4. Resolution No. 1016-20
5. Resolution No. 1010-20
6. Resolution No. 994-20
7. Resolution No. 981-20
8. Resolution No. 979-20