For City Council Meeting [July 27, 2021]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Sean Grayson, Fire Chief
Title
Request City Council to Receive an Update on, Confirm the Continued Existence of, and Provide any Further Direction in Relation to the Local Emergency Throughout the City of Rialto in Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak.
(ACTION)
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; May 26, 2020; June 9, 2020; June 23, 2020; July 14, 2020; July 28, 2020; August 11, 2020; September 8, 2020; September 22, 2020; November 10, 2020; December 8, 2020; January 12, 2021; January 26, 2021; February 9, 2021; February 23, 2021; March 9, 2021, March 23, 2021; April 13, 2021; April 27, 2021; May 11, 2021, May 25, 2021; June 8, 2021; June 22, 2021; and July 13, 2021.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
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 including a Stay-At-Home order for all of California; the State of California Roadmap to Modify the Stay At Home Orders; County Monitoring List restrictions; a four-tiered color-coded blueprint for reopening; a Limited Stay At Home Order; a Regional Stay-At-Home Order; the rescission of the Regional Stay-At-Home Order; and transitioning of San Bernardino County and the City of Rialto through the Purple, Red, Orange and Yellow Tiers.
On January 26, 2021, the City Council appointed a COVID-19 Community Committee for a one-year term with Mayor Robertson, Councilmember Perez and City Clerk McGee serving as the Council appointment representatives to be supported by staff and community members.
On June 15, 2021 the State of California began a process to roll back Emergency Orders and effectively reopened the state to all sector without COVID-19 restrictions for those persons that are fully vaccinated.
Vaccinations remain available for everyone age 12 and older. The vaccination rate as of July 22, 2021 for the City of Rialto is approximately 49% fully vaccinated and 57% with any vaccination amongst those 12 and older. The number of COVID-19 cases and deaths have risen in unvaccinated populations and there continue to be several “variants of concern” that impact the world, California and San Bernardino County specifically with cases reported in Rialto.
Continue the Local Emergency
There are still significant impacts on our community, our businesses and to our City services. As such, a local emergency still exists in Rialto in response to COVID-19. The recommended action will continue the local emergency until the next regular Council meeting action on the subject.
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 has reviewed and supports this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The financial impact of the local emergency 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, confirm the continued existence of, and provide any further direction in relation to the local emergency throughout the City of Rialto in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.