For City Council Meeting [June 9, 2020]
TO: Honorable City Council
APPROVAL: Rod Foster, City Manager
FROM: Sean Grayson, Fire Chief
Title
Request City Council to 1) Receive an Update on and Confirm the Continued Existence of a Local Emergency Throughout the City of Rialto in Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak.
Body
BACKGROUND:
On March 12, 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution 7600 declaring a local emergency in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. In the action staff indicated that the item would be brought back to the City Council for updates at each City Council meeting for the duration of the local emergency. The City Council received an update on and approved continuation of the local emergency on March 24, 2020; April 14, 2020; May 12, 2020; and May 26, 2020.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
On March, 16, 2020, the City of Rialto cancelled all City events and activities and closed all City facilities to the public. City facilities remain open to provide services via phone, email, fax and scheduled meetings through means other than face-to-face.
Since the City’s declaration of a local emergency and actions on March 16, 2020 there have been significant directives from the State of California and the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health. Effective March 18, 2020, the County of San Bernardino Health Officer ordered the cancellation of gatherings of any number of people within the County through at least April 6, 2020. The order also requires the closure of all movie theaters, gyms, health clubs, bars, adult entertainment establishments, and other businesses that serve alcohol but do not serve food. Food and beverage establishments must follow guidance issued by the California Department of Public Health that requires restaurants to be closed for dining and open only to drive-through, pick-up and delivery.
On March 19, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a Stay-At-Home order for all of California. This order limited the continued operations of businesses and entities to those that are critical infrastructure as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. After the order the City made modifications to the work environment, has provided work from home assignments and moved to a platoon staffing model rotating personnel weekly outside of police, fire and public works field which maintain normal staffing and operations.
In the April 14, 2020 action, the City Council confirmed the continued closure of City facilities to the public through May 31, 2020, and the cancellation of all City events through the end of fiscal year 2019/2020 June 30, 2020. The City Council also provided direction with regard to follow-up action with grocery stores for COVID-19 safety.
Effective May 8, 2020, San Bernardino County rescinded their previous COVID-19 orders and put in place regulations supportive of the State of California Roadmap to Modify the Stay At Home Order and the Governor’s actions for the State to enter early Stage 2 reopening. In this stage manufacturing and logistics sectors can reopen as can most retail by curbside pick-up and offices that cannot telecommute. All businesses that can reopen are subject to modifications to the work and/or customer service environment to account for social distancing and other measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Based upon direction at the April 14, 2020, City Council meeting staff has visited all grocery stores within the City and shared standards previously communicated through the Community Development Department as well as presented the City’s expectations for facility, staff, and patron safety related to COVID-19. Relevant enforceable standards from the State of California and County of San Bernardino as well as City of Rialto best practices were promulgated to help ensure continued social distancing practices, capacity limitations, employee safety procedures, and patron safety procedures in grocery stores. On May 12, 2020, the City Council adopted a Resolution Urging Employers to Implement Protective Measures for Grocery and Pharmaceutical Workers and Members of the Community.
On May 26, 2020, the City Council approved the City’s Reopening Plan which included:
● The return of City staff to normal work scheduling on June 1, 2020, to accommodate increased customer service capability and continued modification of the work environment to prepare for full reopening.
● The reopening of most customer service facilities in the City on June 29, 2020, if not earlier.
● The implementation of Employee and Customer Service Safety Practices.
● The cancellation / rescheduling of City Events through the summer and planned reintroduction of events in the fall.
● Modification to the processes to conduct City Council meetings beginning June 9, 2020, for in-person attendance of the City Council in coordination with the City Clerk.
● Future expansion of reopening to be authorized by the City Council, or Director of Emergency Service where appropriate, aligned with the State of California Reopening Stages, and the County of San Bernardino Recovery and Resiliency Plan.
Continue the Local Emergency
The number of COVID-19 cases and deaths has continued to grow throughout the world. Additional cases are reported daily in California and San Bernardino County specifically with cases reported in Rialto. The increased number of cases and compliance with state and county orders have generated citywide impacts including: the closure to all City facilities to the public, the closure of specific City facilities and their related programs and services, the closure of a variety of businesses, the closure of County facilities and resources within the City, limitations on access to county and state resources including the closure of County courts. With increasing cases and profound impacts on the community a local emergency still exists in Rialto in response to COVID-19.
Director of Emergency Services Order
On June 1, 2020 the Director of Emergency Services issued Proclamation No. 2020-01 Affirming the Continued Existence of a Local Emergency and Declaring a Curfew in response to civil unrest, disturbance and violence in Rialto and surrounding communities. The order was aligned with the orders of neighboring cities and made in support of the existing local emergency in response to COVID-19. The curfew is in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day until such time as it is terminated by the Director of Emergency Services or the City Council. On June 4th the proclamation was amended changing the time to 9:00 pm to 5:00 am.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The requested City Council action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
The requested action is consistent with General Plan goals 5.7 “Maintain a high level of emergency response capability” and 5.8 “Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.”
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney reviewed and supports this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The financial impact remains unknown at this time. Expenditures related to the event to date have been accomplished within existing purchase orders and the City Manager’s authority and have been attributed as an event expenditure.
Any additional expenditures using the Director of Emergency Services authority under the local emergency will be presented in subsequent reports to the City Council for the duration of the local emergency.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
• Receive the update on and confirm the continued existence of a local emergency throughout the City of Rialto in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.