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), December 8, 2020 (Resolution No. 1036-20), February 2, 2021 (Resolution No. 1042-21), March 30, 2021 (Resolution No. 1045-21), May 25, 2021 (Resolution No. 1057-21), July 13, 2021 (Resolution No. 1069-21), August 31, 2021 (Resolution No. 1078-21) and October 26, 2021 (Resolution No. 1088-21).
The path of the pandemic continues to be difficult to predict. Although vaccinations and treatments for COVID-19 are more widely available, Santa Clara County remains under a mask mandate, and the California state of emergency and Santa Clara County’s local emergency declarations related to COVID-19 remain in effect. On November 10, 2021, Governor Newsom extended the state of emergency related to COVID 19 based on concerns that the week-over-week declines in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations had stopped, a potential indicator of a potential new surge in COVID-19 cases that other areas of the country and world are currently experiencing. In addition, many residents and businesses continue to suffer economic hardship that began while the stay-home orders were in effect and are still at the beginning of their recovery periods.
Therefore, staff anticipates that the COVID-19 emergency conditions will continue for some time. 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 Emergency Operations Center (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. 1088-21