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Home My WebLink About2020-03-20MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 — 2:00 P.M. — CIVIC CENTER COUNCIL CHAMBER 73510 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT, CA 92260 Mayor Nestande read the following public information: In consideration of the current Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic and pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order N-25-20, City Councilmembers may participate via teleconference. Public Participation: In accordance with Order N-25-20 and guidance from the California Department of Public Health on gatherings, remote public participation is allowed in the following ways: City Council Meetings are live -streamed on the City's website: www.citvofpalmdesert.orq/ under the Council Agenda link at the top of the homepage. Public comment may be received by email or voicemail from the time the agenda is posted up until one (1) hour prior to the posted time of meeting convening. Public comment will be accepted by email to citvhall(c�citvofpalmdesert. orq_ as noted above and read into the record during the public comment period for that item, if the sender so requests. Voicemail may also be left at 760-776-6317, up until one (1) hour prior to the meeting, and will be saved and played during the meeting if the caller so requests. Public is strongly encouraged to participate remotely in the meeting using the facilities noted above. City Council Chamber will be available for persons wanting to participate in person, and social distancing and hygiene protocols will be in place. I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Nestande convened the meeting at 2:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Councilmember Jan C. Harnik (teleconference) Councilman Sabby Jonathan Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Kelly (teleconference) Councilmember Susan Marie Weber (teleconference) Mayor Gina Nestande Also Present: Lauri Aylaian, City Manager Robert W. Hargreaves, City Attorney Andy Firestine, Assistant City Manager Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk Grace L. Rocha, Deputy City Clerk III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 20, 2020 IV. NEW BUSINESS A. REQUEST FOR RATIFICATION OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, PROCLAIMING EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY BY THE CITY MANAGER/EMERGENCY CORPS COMMANDER. Ms. Aylaian stated the item before the City Council is for ratification and adoption of the proposed Resolution reinforcing the City Manager resolution proclaiming the existence of a local emergency in the City of Palm Desert in response to the novel Coronavirus/COVID-19. This proclamation was issued Tuesday morning and by noon City Hall was closed to outside business and staff was sent home to work remotely. The City will continue operations necessary for government purposes from City Hall with a select number of people and remotely from home with a greater workforce. She said staff will continue to work in this fashion for some time to come until there is reason to believe the pandemic is no longer a threat to the community. She pointed out that in response to the county, and now the Governor's Office, the manner in which the City runs its operation has changed. We now have seats blocked out in the Council Chamber, creating social distancing seating for the public. The doors are left open to allow for air circulation, and at the entrance, there are hand sanitizers for the public to use. She intends to .. conduct business in this manner in the future, until the pandemic order is lifted. She acknowledges and respects Councilmembers who have role modeled for their woo community what it is to self -isolate by staying at home and participating remotely. She also thanked Councilmembers for helping test out the technology. Although, there is not much in the way of an audience today, she is expecting there will be a fuller agenda next Thursday for the regular City Council meeting, and that people will be participating in the manners that have been made available through the Brown Act. She encouraged people to participate by leaving a voicemail, contacting the City by email, or writing a letter, all of which will be put into the record. However, provisions have been made for those who want to participate in person. At the conclusion of this meeting, she would invite feedback from Councilmembers on how this is working and if they can hear what is being said clearly and/or suggestions to fine tune. In the meantime, the issue before the City Council is simply a ratification of an order that was issued on Tuesday of this week. It did require a special meeting of the City Council, because by law and by the Palm Desert Municipal Code, she has the authority to issue an emergency proclamation, but it must be ratified by the City Council within seven days. Councilman Jonathan commented the proclamation seems to have an expiration date of seven days, which is March 24. However, this emergency situation is not likely to go away by then, so would it make sense to make the life of the proclamation longer to avoid having to extend it. 2 MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 20, 2020 Ms. Aylaian noted the order she issued expires in seven days, but Resolution No. 2020-24, which is before the City Council today states, "The local emergency shall be deemed to exist until its termination is proclaimed by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert." Mr. Hargreaves added that typically resolutions are worded to last for the duration of the emergency, therefore, he recommends Council come back when the emergency has terminated. Councilman Jonathan moved to waive further reading and adopt City Council Resolution No. 2020 - 24, ratifying said Local Emergency Declaration. Motion was seconded by Harnik and carried by a 5-0 vote (AYES: Harnik, Jonathan, Kelly, Weber, and Nestande; NOES: None). Councilmember Harnik pointed out the City Council recently took action to provide a number of incentive programs for businesses, and she's sure the City has received applications for those programs. She thought it would be prudent to put those programs on hold to see where the City stands given the current situation. She recognizes it's something that needs to be placed on a future agenda, suggesting the March 26 agenda. Ms. Klassen said the March 26, 2020, agenda has been posted and delivered, but an addendum could be done. Councilman Jonathan noted the incentive program is a small part of the budget, but if Council is going to address its finances, it needs to look at the bigger picture, adding perhaps a study session was in order where Council is brought up to date. Mayor Nestande suggested talking about it during the Budget Study Sessions. Councilmember Harnik agreed Council needs to look at the entire budget, but before the City goes further with any of the applications for those looking for funds, it would be prudent to simply put a hold on this specific item. It would be in the best interest of the entire City to put those program on hold until everyone understands exactly what the budget looks like. Ms. Aylaian explained that relative to the item on the agenda for today, she would like to share with Council what staff is doing in response to the proclamation. She has formed three separate task forces on specific issues. The first is for governmental operations and essential functions, which is being lead by Assistant City Manager Andy Fireside, who has a team of people that will be working on issues of what is essential to do and how to do it during the coming months. The second task force is business support being headed by Director of Economic Development Martin Alvarez. He has a group of people who are working on what 3 MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 20, 2020 needs to be done relative to the City's businesses, all of which are struggling at this point. The third task force is on communications, which is being lead by David Hermann. He has a team of people that are responding to the flurry of communications and request for information in the form of voicemails and emails being received on a daily basis. They are responding by letting them know what is going on at City Hall and where to find information to answer their questions. She plans to provide an oral update at the March 26 City Council meeting regarding what staff is doing in response to concerns about the budget. Beyond that, she can certainly set up study sessions on the budget, because it will demand greater focus and attention than is possible in a contemporary basis, which changes from day to day. Mr. Hargreaves stated that for the meeting of March 26, under City Manager reports, there is a request for general direction in response to the Coronarius. He said that would be the appropriate time to have this conversation. Councilmember Harnik said she appreciated all the efforts being made to inform the public and to get things running evenly again. Councilmember Weber concurred, stating staff is the first line for responding to the public. Mayor Pro Tem Kelly appreciated the summary by the City Manager on the task force work, because each of those fronts are of paramount importance, and it's reassuring to know each has good leadership. V. ADJOURNMENT With City Council concurrence, Mayor Nestande adjourned the meeting at 2:21 p.m. ATTEST: 111116411611w RA~` E LE D. KLASSEN, CITY CLERK CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA GINA NESTANDE, MAYOR 4