07 Staff Report.Continuation of Emergency Proclamation
PREPARED BY: Arn Andrews
Assistant Town Manager
Reviewed by: Town Attorney and Assistant Director of Emergency Services (Chief of Police)
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 05/05/2020
ITEM NO: 7
DATE: April 29, 2020
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Recommendation for Continuation of Local Emergency Proclamation
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation for continuation of Local Emergency Proclamation.
BACKGROUND:
On February 10, 2020, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and Department of Public
Health declared a local emergency and local public health emergency to aid in the regional
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 4, 2020, the Governor of the State of California
took similar action and declared a state of emergency for the entirety of California. On March
16, 2020, the Health Officer of Santa Clara County issued an Order directing all individuals living
in the County to shelter at their place of residence beginning March 17, 2020.
Per the County Health Officer, the Order was to ensure that the maximum number of people
self-isolate in their places of residence in order to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
In addition, the Order identified many business types as non-essential services requiring their
complete closure through April 7, 2020. On March 31, 2020, the Public Health Officer issued
another order superseding and extending the shelter at home requirement through May 3, as
well as clarifying and strengthening certain terms of the prior shelter order.
Subsequently, on April 28, 2020 the Public Health Officer extended the shelter-in-place
directive through May 31, 2020 with only modest revisions to non-essential services. The
cumulative result of these public health efforts is the continuation of significant restrictions
affecting Town residents and unprecedented impacts to the business community.
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SUBJECT: Continuation of Emergency Proclamation
DATE: April 29, 2020
DISCUSSION:
On March 12, 2020, Town Manager and Director of Emergency Services, Laurel Prevetti, issued
a Proclamation of Local Emergency in response to the global Coronavirus pandemic and its
spread in the Santa Clara County community. On March 17, 2020, the Town Council ratified the
Proclamation of Local Emergency. Resolution 2020-008 (Attachment 1) as adopted by Council
stipulated among other things that “The Director of the Office of Emergency Services is hereby
directed to report to the Town Council within sixty (60) days on the need for further continuing
the local emergency.”
Per the Town’s Municipal Code the proclamation of a local emergency allows the Town to:
1. Make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection
of life and property as affected by such emergency; provided, however, such rules and
regulations must be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the Town Council;
2. Obtain vital supplies, equipment and such other properties found lacking and needed
for the protection of life and property and to bind the Town for the fair value thereof
and, if required immediately, to commandeer the same for public use;
3. Require emergency services of any Town officer or employee and, in the event of the
proclamation of a state of emergency in the County in which this Town is located or
the existence of a state of war emergency, to command the aid of as many citizens of
this community as the Director deems necessary in the execution of the Director's
duties; such persons shall be entitled to all privileges, benefits, and immunities as are
provided by State law for registered disaster service workers;
4. Requisition necessary personnel or material of any Town department or agency; and
5. Execute all of the Director's ordinary powers as Town Manager, all of the special
powers conferred upon the Director by this chapter or by resolution or emergency
plan pursuant hereto adopted by the Town Council, and all powers conferred upon the
Director by any statute, by an agreement approved by the Town Council, and by any
other lawful authority.
Since the proclamation of local emergency, the Town Council and Town organization have
responded to a multitude of issues related to the County-wide Covid-19 mitigation efforts. Of
note, the Town Council has enacted the following:
• On March 24, 2020, the Town Council adopted an Interim Urgency Ordinance for a
moratorium on evictions due to nonpayment of rent for residential tenants where the
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SUBJECT: Continuation of Emergency Proclamation
DATE: April 29, 2020
DISCUSSION (continued):
failure to pay rent results from income loss resulting from the novel coronavirus (COVID-
19) and suspending all deadlines related to land use entitlements.
• On April 4, 2020, the Town Council amended existing human services grant agreements
with West Valley Community Services, Counseling and Support Services for Youth, Next
Door Solutions, and Live Oak Senior Nutrition to donate an additional $10,000 to each
organization, for a total of $40,000, to assist Town residents with needed services due
to COVID-19 and related Public Health Orders.
• On April 21, 2020, the Town Council approved the waiver of rent and utilities for the
Town of Los Gatos lessees New Museum of Los Gatos (NUMU), Friends of the Library,
Billy Jones Railroad, Soccer and Little Leagues, and Los Gatos-Saratoga Community
Education and Recreation (LGS Rec) for the duration of the Santa Clara County shelter-
in-place order due to significant business disruption.
In addition to the aforementioned Council actions, the Town Manager both in her role as
Director of Emergency Services and Town Manager has directed the following activities:
• Partial activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to function virtually and
continue to follow standard emergency procedures for preparing the necessary
documentation on the Town’s activities and expenses related to COVID-19.
• Development of policies and procedures for the closure of most Town facilities and
structuring a remote workplace organization.
• Development of safety procedures for equipment and staff that require functioning in
the field.
• Development of policies and procedures for remote Town Council and other public
meetings.
• Coordination with Los Gatos service providers regarding nutritional and financial needs
of vulnerable populations.
• Development of a dedicated webpage for COVID-19 information and routine
dissemination on the Town’s social media platforms.
• Coordination with the Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Management.
• Coordination with the City of San Jose County food distribution team and Silicon Valley
Strong.
• Implementation of virtual building inspections and electronic permit submittal,
resubmittal and partial issuance.
• Contribution of a donation of towards the maintenance of shower facilities for the
Town’s homeless population.
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SUBJECT: Continuation of Emergency Proclamation
DATE: April 29, 2020
CONCLUSION:
Given the continuation of State and County proclamations of emergency and the extension of
local shelter-in-place orders through May 31, 2020, the continuation of the Town’s emergency
proclamation is warranted. The Director of the Office of Emergency Services recommends
reporting back to the Town Council within the next sixty (60) days on the need for further
continuing the local emergency.
COORDINATION:
This report was coordinated with the Town’s Disaster Council and Town Attorney.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Total fiscal impact is unknown at this time and at the conclusion of the emergency event, staff
will seek any reimbursable expenses allowed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA).
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachment:
1. Resolution 2020-008