AGENDA ITEM
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CARLO TOMAINO
CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:
title
RESOLUTION TERMINATING THE LOCAL EMERGENCY DECLARED BY THE CITY AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
summary
Summary:
Pursuant to State law, and the Signal Hill Municipal Code (SHMC), the City proclaimed a local emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City Council will consider adopting a resolution terminating its COVID-19 local emergency.
recommendation
Recommendation:
Adopt the resolution, entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL, CALIFORNIA, TERMINATING THE CITY’S LOCAL EMERGENCY DECLARED BY THE CITY AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
body
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
Strategic Plan Objectives:
Goal No. 1: Ensure public safety is a high priority.
Goal No. 6: Promote a transparent and open government.
Background and Analysis:
In late 2019, an acute respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus, known as COVID-19, began to spread globally and rapidly, resulting in severe illness and death around the world. The World Health Organization (“WHO”) described COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The WHO reports that to date the disease has caused over 6 million deaths worldwide.
The California Emergency Services Act (“CESA”) (Government Code section 8550, et seq.) authorizes the proclamation of a local emergency when conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a City exist. Similarly, section 2.76.060(A) of the SHMC empowers the Director of Emergency Services (City Manager) to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency if the City Council is not in session, and require that the City Council shall ratify the proclamation within seven (7) days thereafter, or the proclamation shall have no further force or effect.
On March 4, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in response to COVID-19. Also on March 4, 2020, the County of Los Angeles and the County Public Health Officer declared a local and public health emergency as a result of COVID-19. Pursuant to Government Code section 8630(a) and SHMC section 2.76.060(A), the City Manager acting as the Director of Emergency Services proclaimed a local emergency as a result of COVID-19 on March 19, 2020. The proclamation was ratified by the City Council via Resolution No. 2020-03-6557 on March 24, 2020. The City’s proclamation of a local emergency assisted in a coordinated health response, coordinated public services to respond to the emergency, and helped mitigate effects on its residents.
Although the requirement under Government Code section 8630(c) to review the need for continuing the local emergency every 60-days until terminated was waived by Governor Newsom’s State of Emergency proclamation issued on March 4, 2020, the City Council has taken formal action to approve the continued need for the local emergency since it ratified the statewide emergency proclamation on March 24, 2020.
The public health community’s response to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 has changed over time in response to the fluctuating presence of the disease. Fortunately, the State and County are currently experiencing a significant decrease in confirmed cases, test positivity rates, and related hospitalizations. In fact, California’s death rate as a result of COVID-19 is the lowest amongst large states. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are now widely available, and vaccination rates are increasing. Most businesses are operating as normal and Los Angeles County has reduced the number of restrictions countywide in response to current conditions.
In light of the foregoing, numerous public entities have terminated their COVID-19 emergencies. The statewide emergency declared by Governor Newsom terminated on February 28, 2023. Also on February 28, 2023, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution terminating the Countywide COVID-19 emergency, effective March 31, 2023.
Although, the nature of COVID-19 continues to remain in flux, the State, County and City have successfully developed infrastructure to effectively combat the spread of the disease that have transformed a once crisis event into a manageable situation. Pursuant to Government Code section 8630(d) which provides that the City Council shall proclaim the termination of the local emergency at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant, the proposed resolution finds and proclaims that the conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property that arose as a result of COVID-19 no longer exist, thereby terminating the City’s COVID-19 local emergency.
The proposed resolution makes the findings under Government Code section 8630(d) and proclaims that the conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property that arose as a result of COVID-19 in the City of Signal Hill no longer exist. Upon adoption, the City’s local emergency declared in response to COVID-19 will automatically terminate.
Attachment:
A. Resolution