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), October 26, 2021 (Resolution No. 1088-21), December 14, 2021 (Resolution No. 1099-21), February 1, 2022 (Resolution No. 1106-22), March 22, 2022 (Resolution No. 1110-22), May 3, 2022 (Resolution No. 1115-22), June 28, 2022 (Resolution No. 1130-22), August 9, 2022 (Resolution No. 1139-22), September 27, 2022 (Resolution No. 1147-22), November 1, 2022 (Resolution No. 1154-22) and December 13, 2022 (Resolution No. 1162-22).
The state and county have lifted most health mandates and orders. However, COVID-19 emergency declarations continue in effect so that public health authorities can continue to be nimble in responding to changes in cases, variants, and other issues affecting case counts and virus transmissibility.
On October 17, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a press release announcing that the COVID-19 State of Emergency at the state level will end on February 28, 2023 (Attachment 3).
Consistent with the state and county, staff recommends that Council adopt the attached resolution extending the City’s declaration of a local emergency. Given the projected end to the statewide emergency on February 28, the draft resolution provides that the City state of emergency will also end on February 28, or if the state extends the emergency beyond February 28, the City’s declaration will continue and 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, most significantly at this point in the pandemic, remaining eligible for 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, at the Sunnyvale Public Library, Senior Center, Community Center and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and report are available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, 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) and Terminating the Local Emergency on February 28, 2023, if the State COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Ends
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. 1162-22
3. Governor Press Release - October 17, 2022