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HomeMy WebLinkAboutD. Resolution No. 2020-C11 - Proclaiming Local EmergencyRESOLUTION NO. 2020-C11 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA PROCLAIMING EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY REGARDING NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) WHEREAS, California Government Code section 54956.5 authorizes the City Council to hold emergency meetings on shortened notice to address emergency situations as determined by a majority of the City Council; and WHEREAS, California Government Code 8630, et seq., and Chapter 26 of Section 26-4 of the Azusa Municipal Code provide that the Azusa City Council (City Council) may proclaim; and WHEREAS, the City Council has been requested by the Director of Emergency Services to proclaim the existence of a local emergency therein; and WHEREAS, COVID-19 has spread globally to over 117 countries, infecting more than 126,000 persons and killing more than 4,600 individuals worldwide. As of March 12, 2020, there were 32 cases, including four by community transmission, in Los Angeles County and one death related to COVID-19. Due to the expanding list of countries with widespread transmission of COVID-19, increasing travel alerts and warnings for countries experiencing sustained or uncontrolled community transmission issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC"), the escalation of United States domestic cases of and deaths from COVID-19, and the identification of COVID-19 cases in California, including Los Angeles County, COVID-19 has created conditions that are likely to be beyond the control of local resources and require the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat; and WHEREAS, on February 26, 2020, the CDC confirmed the first possible case of community transmission of COVID-19 in the United. On March 4, 2020, the Health Officer of Los Angeles County determined that there is an imminent and proximate threat to the public health from the introduction of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County and declared a Local Health Emergency and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors concurrently proclaimed the existence of a local emergency for the County of Los Angeles; and WHEREAS, on March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom of the State of California declared a State of Emergency in response to the COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 19); and, WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) publicly characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic; and, WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020 Governor Newsom of the State of California issued Executive Order N-25-20 in a further effort to confront and contain COVID-19 that among other things suspended certain provision of the Ralph M. Brown Act providing local agencies with greater flexibility to hold meetings via teleconferencing; and ITEM DAPPROVED CITY COUNCIL 3/16/2020 Special Meeting WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United declared a National Emergency due to the continue spread and the effects of COVID-19; and, WHEREAS, the State of California and numerous other public and provide organizations have announced the cancellation or postponement of all events where social distancing cannot be reasonably achieved; and, WHEREAS, the City’s ability to mobilize local resources, coordinate interagency response, accelerate procurement of vital supplies, use mutual aid, and seek future reimbursement by the State and Federal governments will be critical to successfully responding to COVID-19; and WHEREAS, the City Council does hereby find the following: 1. That the above recitals are true and correct and based thereon, hereby finds that the spread and potential further spread of COVID-19 constitutes a situation that severely impairs the public health safety within the City of Azusa and constitutes conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the City of Azusa; 2. That these conditions are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City of Azusa; 3. That the conditions of extreme peril warrant and necessitate the proclamation of the existence of a local emergency; 4. That these conditions justify the holding of an emergency meeting of the City Council as authorized by California Government Code section 54956.5 for the purpose of declaring a local emergency. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED that a local emergency now exists throughout City of Azusa: IT IS HEREBY FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that during the threatened existence and actual existence of the local emergency, the powers, functions and duties of the Director of Emergency Services and the emergency organization of the City shall be those prescribed by state law, by ordinances and resolutions of the City and approved by the City Council. IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that, as authorized in Government Code Sections 8630 and 54956.5 and Chapter 26 of the Azusa Municipal Code and based on the foregoing, an "emergency" as defined in Government Code section 54956.5(a) and Azusa Municipal Code Chapter 26 and a "local emergency" as defined in Government Code section 8558(c) hereby exists within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Azusa and is deemed to continue to exist, and shall be reviewed at least once every 60 days, until its termination is proclaimed by the City Council of the City of Azusa. IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED to ensure that City vendors are paid in a timely manner, City Council has been requested to give authorization to the City Manager and the City Treasurer to approve the claims and demands, make payments thereon, and finally to bring those claims and demands to the City Council at future meetings for ratification of the payments made. IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that the City Council will utilize, to the extent reasonably feasible and appropriate, the ability to conduct its council meetings via teleconferencing and other electronic means to permit councilmembers and members of the public to adopt social distancing to the greatest extent possible while still proceeding with the efficient handling of the City's business, in compliance with California Executive Order N-25-20. IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that a copy of this proclamation be forwarded to the Director of California Governor's Office of Emergency Services requesting that the Director find it acceptable in accordance with State law; that the Governor of California, pursuant to the Emergency Services Act, issue a proclamation declaring an emergency in Los Angeles County; that the Governor waive regulations that may hinder response and recovery efforts; that recovery assistance be made available under the California Disaster Assistance Act; and that the State expedite access to State and Federal resources and any other appropriate federal disaster relief programs. IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that said local emergency shall be deemed to continue to exist until is termination is proclaimed by the City Council of the City of Azusa, State of California. PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 16th day of March, 2020. ___________________________________ Joseph Romero Rocha Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr. City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF AZUSA ) I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution No. 2020-C11 was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Azusa, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 16th day of March 2020, by the following vote of the Council: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: ___________________________________ Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr. City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: ___________________________________ Best Best & Krieger, LLP City Attorney