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03/16/2020 ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL EMERGENCY MEETING OF MARCH 16, 2020 The Anaheim City Council emergency meeting of March 16, 2020 was called to order telephonically at 5:03 P.M. pursuant to Brown Act related provisions of Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-25- 20 in response to COVID-19. The meeting notice, agenda, and related materials were duly posted on March 16, 2020. PRESENT: Mayor Harry Sidhu and Council Members Stephen Faessel, Denise Barnes, Jordan Brandman, Jose F. Moreno, Lucille Kring, and Trevor O'Neil (two present in Chamber, five present via teleconference). STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Chris Zapata, City Attorney Robert Fabela, and City Clerk Theresa Bass City Attorney Robert Fabela provided information regarding the need for an emergency meeting and action. He explained the Brown Act defines the need for an emergency as activity that severely impairs public health, safety, or both, as determined by a majority of the legislative body. MOTION: Council Member Moreno moved to determine the need for an emergency meeting and action, seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Faessel. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Sidhu and Council Members Faessel, Barnes, Brandman, Moreno, Kring, and O'Neil); NOES — 0. Motion carried. Mayor Sidhu provided opening remarks regarding the City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the difficulties that are being faced by staff, residents, businesses, and the community overall. He noted he had met with community leaders, stakeholders, community groups, non-profits, and business groups in order to mobilize them to provide assistance to the residents of Anaheim. CITY MANAGER'S UPDATE: City Manager Chris Zapata advised City staff was practicing social distancing and was working on prevention and a response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, which requires an all-hands-on approach to protect Anaheim residents. Mr. Zapata reported the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated and Fire Chief Pat Russell has been appointed Incident Commander due to his experience with many local and national emergencies, including the Hurricane Katrina response and the Canyon Fire emergency in Anaheim. He reported staff has been communicating with Federal, State, County, and local governments, along with schools, businesses, and healthcare institutions and continuously communicating to Anaheim residents, customers, and the City workforce. Chief Communications Officer Mike Lyster provided a brief overview of the City's communication response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He reported he has been coordinating with Orange County (OC) Health Care, the lead agency for COVID-19 in the area, Anaheim businesses, schools, faith leaders, and partners in addressing homelessness. Mr. Lyster reported the City began communications efforts on February 5, which have expanded to multiple daily updates with timely Orange County case tracking and new state and federal guidelines. He noted communications included extensive social media and key updates, also shared in Spanish. City Council Minutes of March 16, 2020 Page 2of8 He reminded City Council and residents that www.anaheim.net/coronavirus is the central location for information. Mr. Lyster provide a brief overview of significant communications from the City which include the March 11 issuance of Governor Gavin Newsom's new policy regarding public gatherings; the March 12 announcement of temporary shutdowns and rescheduling of events of Anaheim's theme parks, sports, and entertainment venues and the Anaheim Convention Center; and the March 13 notification from Anaheim school districts of a two week shutdown of Anaheim schools effective as of March 16. Additionally, he reported the temporary closing of Anaheim's libraries and community centers and the suspension of many programs offered through Anaheim Community Services. Mr. Lyster reported the City has been communicating with residents about what is happening at local stores and encouraged them to use patience and common sense while purchasing food and the impact the runs on stores have to the Anaheim community. He also reported the City has shared California's updated guidelines regarding seniors, which urges anyone above 65 or anyone with a chronic medical condition to stay home as much as possible and updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Mr. Lyster reported homeless and senior information has been added to the City's website, in addition to new federal guidelines regarding the "15 Days to Slow the Spread" initiative. He reported tonight the City will be sharing additional information about closures impacting Anaheim, including the closure of City Hall to the public from March 17 through March 31 as it is in the best interest of the public health of residents, businesses, and City employees. Additionally, the City will be sharing with the public ways they can conduct business online such as paying their utility bills. He reported the Planning, Building, and Public Works Departments are looking at ways to continue some services for timely matters by utilizing a call-in or appointment service. Mr. Lyster reported there will be no impact on essential services such as Police, Fire, Medical, and Power and Water, which will continue as usual with no disruption. He assured the community there were no issues with Anaheim Public Utilities and City water meets or exceeds all state and federal guidelines. He noted COVID-19 is an airborne virus and there are no concerns about it existing in, or being transmitted from, properly treated water. Lastly, he noted the proposed action by the City Council is a preparatory move to ensure access to state and federal resources, if needed by Anaheim, but does not reflect an actual State of Emergency in Anaheim. Community Services Director Larry Pasco provided a brief overview of Anaheim's Senior Program. He reported Meals on Wheels was providing hot lunches to older adults through the Congregate Cafe Lunch program on weekdays at the Brookhurst Community Center which closed on March 13 and will remain closed through March 31 pending any additional changes in direction related to the COVID- 19. He reported Meals on Wheels has agreed to make modifications and will reconvene an interim program at the Brookhurst Community Center to deliver frozen meals directly to the seniors through Wednesday, March 18. On Thursday, March 19, he reported Meals on Wheels will continue to provide the frozen meals cooked in the Meals on Wheels Kitchen for lunch but participants will pick up the lunch at Brookhurst Community Center in a drive-thru manner outside of the center. He reported Community Services staff will assist with distribution and location logistics so the service can continue; Federal regulations will continue to apply. Mr. Pasco reports staff has inquired about making additional frozen meals available for distribution at Anaheim's other senior program sites, including the Downtown Community Center and the East Anaheim Community Center, but Meals on Wheels cannot add additional distribution sites due to the City Council Minutes of March 16, 2020 Page 3 of 8 Federal guidelines they must follow and the limited staffing and volunteers on hand for their Countywide commitments. He advised they are prepared to provide Community Service staff with food handling requirements to assist with home delivery of frozen meals but are also actively looking into whether federal regulations can be relaxed to provide meals to Anaheim's seniors in easier fashion. He reported Meals on Wheels will be providing staff their distribution list to contact seniors with updated meal information. Mr. Pasco reported staff will provide information and updates to participants of the senior program from all sites. He also reported staff is coordinating an Emergency Assistance Fund for seniors, in partnership with the Anaheim Community Foundation, to address emergency needs and donations can be made at http://www.anaheimcf.orq/seniors/. He also reported staff will also be taking phone calls from seniors and the public to provide information or updates at (714) 765-4511 and for inquiries related to in-kind donations for supplies that seniors need. Mr. Pasco reported the Senior Safety Net program will continue to operate out of the Downtown Community Center with a shift to telephone appointments when possible. He noted staff is working diligently to continue this critical service with limited disruption and will provide additional information to City Council and the public as soon as possible. Lastly, he reported City workers displaced due to facility closures can be used to assist with the senior community and the public where needed. Police Chief Jorge Cisneros reported the Anaheim Police Department (APD) is monitoring, analyzing, and implementing guidelines to provide essential services. He reported the APD's Department Operations Center (DOC) opened on March 13 and has been monitoring local, state, and national issues about COVID-19. He noted APD continues to provide full service but has changed methodology due to current conditions and may continue to change. He encouraged Anaheim residents, businesses, and visitors to follow the CDC guidelines regarding social distancing, hygiene, and to remain calm. He also encouraged residents to contact APD should they see something out of the ordinary. Fire Chief Pat Russell reported he recommends Anaheim move into an Incident Phase and noted it is critical Anaheim does its part to flatten the curve of the transmission of COVID-19. He recommended reducing exposure by following CDC and Orange County Health guidelines, identifying mission critical services, and modifying work schedules to meet this demand. He noted Anaheim has activated the EOC and will use the doctrine of the Emergency Operations Plan and the Continuity of Operations Plan to maintain consistency and help bring Anaheim back to normal as soon as possible. Chief Russell advised the resolution before City Council will allow the City to seek funding for reimbursement for costs associated with dealing with this incident through the declaration of the Stafford Act, as well as reimbursement from the state. He noted it will also provide Anaheim access to resources and supplies, if necessary. He reported staff members in APD's Emergency Preparedness Division and EMS Managers are constantly monitoring the situation. Chief Russell recommended the City take a three-pronged approach of Preparation Mode, Response Mode, and lastly, Recovery Mode, to provide safety for Anaheim employees, first responders, residents, and visitors. As the Incident Commander, he noted the EOC has been activated and will be run under the National Incident Management System (NIMS) guidelines. Additionally, he reported all City departments will be represented in the EOC. He noted he will be developing daily Incident Action Plans (IAP) and will work with the Citizen Policy Group for IAP objectives which could be static or change daily, depending on the situation to address and meet every need of the City and its City Council Minutes of March 16,2020 Page 4 of 8 residents. Lastly, he noted it is time for Anaheim to lean forward and do its part to try and contain COVID-19 aggressively and safely. PUBLIC COMMENTS (all agenda items): City Clerk Theresa Bass advised public participants were notified through the posting of the agenda on how they may participate in the meeting. She advised members of the public were instructed to submit any comments in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to publiccomment(canaheim.net and those comments would be made part of the official public record of the meeting. She reported there were no members of the public present inside the City Council chamber or in the lobby who wished to address City Council. Ms. Bass read a public comment submitted by Christian de Vera: "Hi, my name is Cristian and I am an 18-year old full-time student and worker in west Anaheim. What can residents do to prevent burden on our local infrastructure including hospitals, emergency services, and law enforcement? Will there be any relief for workers impacted like those working at hotels or restaurants surrounding Disneyland?What can residents do to support one another during this time? How can we safely support local businesses? Are their food banks that will support the most vulnerable in the community?" Ms. Bass read a public comment submitted by Gerald Smith: "What is the plan for every Californian to lose their home in this time of mandatory shutdown of jobs? Will rent and mortgages be suspended? Will loans be deferred?" Ms. Bass read a public comment submitted by Tanya: "Will venues be required to suspend/postpone events? It is irresponsible to continue to hold events at this time." CONSENT CALENDAR: R100 1. RESOLUTION NO. 2020-030 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE D116 CITY OF ANAHEIM proclaiming the existence of a local emergency regarding Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), seeking all available financial aid from federal, state and county authorities, directing the City Manager and Director of Emergency Services to take steps to protect public health and safety, and increasing purchasing authority of the City Manager. Discuss and provide direction on the City's response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), authorize the City Manager to take the necessary measures concerning public safety, including but not limited to closures of city facilities and the cancelling and rescheduling of City Council meetings. City Manager Chris Zapata reported the resolution proclaims an emergency and provides for the City Manager to address needs as they arise in the community due to COVID-19. He noted it also provides for the City Manager to have increased spending authority up to $250,000 through December 31 and activates the EOC. DISCUSSION: Mayor Sidhu noted it was important to come together and put aside differences as a City and as a City Council to focus on helping Anaheim. He requested all non-essential agenda items be delayed and only the agenda items relating to the COVID-19 response be placed on the next few City Council meeting agendas. He reported the development of outside task forces that have been established to bring capabilities from outside City Hall and noted he will be in touch with City Council to assist on those items. He asked everyone to work together in this unprecedented City Council Minutes of March 16, 2020 Page 5 of 8 crisis to bring Anaheim together, provide leadership to the community, and help neighborhoods within the public health guidelines during these trying times. Mayor Sidhu reported Assembly Bill 89 amended the Budget Act of 2019 by appropriating $500,000,000 to be used for any purpose relating to COVID-19 and could be increased to $1 billion. He noted it passed by a vote of 68-0. Mayor Pro Tern Faessel expressed his support for the actions of the Community Services staff for senior residents and hoped it is looked back upon as the strongest example of the Anaheim Way. MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem Faessel moved to approve RESOLUTION NO. 2020-030 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM proclaiming the existence of a local emergency regarding Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), seeking all available financial aid from federal, state and county authorities, directing the City Manager and Director of Emergency Services to take steps to protect public health and safety, and increasing purchasing authority of the City Manager, and authorize the City Manager to take the necessary measures concerning public safety, including but not limited to closures of city facilities and the cancelling and rescheduling of City Council meetings, seconded by Council Member Kring. DISCUSSION: Council Member Barnes expressed her support for the actions of the Community Services staff for senior residents. She noted she contacted Meals on Wheels and thanked Community Services Director Larry Pasco for ensuring the program will flow through senior centers as well as community centers. She noted she contacted several mobile home parks to ensure resources were being made available for seniors in those communities. She also noted many Anaheim suppliers, including Disneyland and the Convention Center, are providing food to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. Council Member Barnes requested the City Manager expedite a more streamlined information link for seniors on the City's website. She encouraged Anaheim residents not to panic and noted the City has safety measures in place. She also encouraged residents to contact the City Council if they need assistance. Council Member Brandman thanked City staff and City Council for their hard work and for working diligently together. He expressed his support for the resolution and encouraged staff to continue working with federal and state authorities to get Anaheim through the crisis. Council Member Moreno thanked City Council for coming together so quickly for the emergency meeting. In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry, Fire Battalion Chief Alan Long advised Anaheim has implemented several safety measures for City employees. He reported firefighters are assessed daily, including a temperature reading, at the beginning of each shift and again at 8:00 P.M. He also noted additional custodial servicing was taking place at each fire station. He noted if a staff member is symptomatic, then they begin the quarantine process. He reported COVID-19 testing is not completed by Anaheim Fire and Rescue. In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry, Battalion Chief Long advised the same screening process could take place for all City employees. He reported Anaheim is looking into alternate employee schedules and alternative worksite plans. He noted the EOC has identified the roles that must be present on-site and those that can work remotely. City Council Minutes of March 16, 2020 Page 6 of 8 In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry, Battalion Chief Long reiterated Anaheim does not have test kits available and Orange County (OC) Health Care Agency is taking the lead on testing which is currently limited to those who are symptomatic and meet the criteria of the OC Health Care Agency and those who are vulnerable. He noted Anaheim is working on a plan with OC Health Care to test large groups of people in the shortest amount of time and could include a drive-thru facility. Council Member Moreno expressed his support for testing City employees because they are working effectively as first responders. In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry regarding sanitation supplies, Battalion Chief Long advised hand sanitizers have been ordered for public facilities along with increased sanitization and cleaning of points of contact. He also noted hand sanitizer is in high demand and supplies are hard to obtain, but the City was able to place an order. He advised hand sanitizer was being placed in front of elevators and entry doors. In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry, Chief Communications Officer Mike Lyster noted Anaheim was no longer having major City events or gatherings for the very near term, community centers and libraries have been closed, but remaining facilities do undergo regular cleaning. He did advise custodial staff has been cleaning and sanitizing the touchpoints such as elevator buttons, door handles, and counters. He also advised they are taking preventative measures such as wearing gloves during cleaning to protect themselves from COVID-19. In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry, Mr. Lyster provided a brief update regarding homeless shelters. He reported homeless shelters already address a very high standard because of the threat of infectious diseases and noted additional cleaning of touchpoints are taking place at each facility. He reported anyone entering homeless shelters is being given a temperature screening and residents are being educated on symptoms, hygiene, and social distancing practices. He also noted additional hand washing stations and hand sanitizer have been made available and all non-essential visits have been prohibited. Mr. Lyster reported shelter staff is prepared to handle cases, should they see them, and have the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Additionally, he reported quarantine spaces have been identified at each shelter and emergency response plans have been created. He also noted shelters were encouraging employees to stay home if they feel ill. Mr. Lyster reported City Net is educating people on the streets about best practices and are handing out sanitation kits which includes hand sanitizers and some other personal items. He reported if there are not enough beds in the shelters, they are working with the Anaheim Homeless Collaborative to find space for the homeless who request a bed. Council Member Moreno expressed his appreciation that large businesses such as Disneyland and the Honda Center are closing their venues completely and paying their employees through the month of March. Council Member Moreno inquired about whether closing businesses outright was considered along with establishing a direct line for business owners to call the City with questions. Mr. Lyster advised opening up a call center was being reviewed but would refer to staff to clarify the intent of the closures as ordered by Governor Newsom. Mayor Sidhu thanked Council Member Moreno for his inquiry regarding restaurant closures but felt the item, along with many others such as a moratorium on evictions and rent increases, were being City Council Minutes of March 16, 2020 Page 7 of 8 handled by state policy and he wished to focus on the resolution at hand. He did advise if it is not covered by Governor Newsom's order, he will convene another special meeting to consider a specific policy that would need adoption. Mayor Sidhu reported he has been in touch with Big City Mayors on a daily basis to discuss these issues and provide feedback to the Governor. Council Member Kring reported she was on day four of a five-day quarantine as a precaution. She thanked staff for their hard work and thanked Meals on Wheels and Caterina's Club for providing meals to seniors and children in need. She reported Anaheim Regional Medical Center was up to speed and ready to accommodate patients as needed. In response to Council Member Kring's inquiry, Mr. Zapata advised the Fullerton Armory was not currently open but he would confirm. She encouraged residents to be safe, not to panic, and noted Anaheim's water supply is safe for use. She also encouraged residents to investigate disability insurance and unemployment insurance if they have been laid off. Mayor Sidhu thanked City Council for respecting the staff and the public by calling into a meeting, practicing social distancing, and not putting others at risk. Council Member O'Neil thanked Anaheim staff for their hard work and continued updates on the crisis. He thanked Mayor Sidhu for his leadership in calling the meeting and proposing the directive to put Anaheim in the best position to get through the crisis. He also encouraged staff to continue to work with stakeholders to make sure the City is in a good position to assist when the crisis is over. In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry, Mayor Sidhu reported he is working with stakeholders in the next couple of days to see how the City can assist financially during this crisis. He advised he will provide regular updates to City Council through Mr. Lyster as to his discussions. Mr. Zapata reported programs are being developed at a legislative level to help small businesses and large businesses. He advised he has asked Anaheim's lobbyists and consultants to look out for Anaheim businesses. He has also asked Big City Mayors from all over the country to work to develop best practices for what the recovery should look like. He also noted he asked other Orange County cities to convene to look at recovery in the area in tourism and entertainment. Council Member Moreno requested the City look at deferring any fees currently being collected that may create a burden for businesses and or individuals. In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry, Mr. Zapata advised if the City Council would like to investigate the establishment of an Emergency Rental Assistance program, it would need to be agendized and staff could then provide analysis to how that can happen. In response to Council Member Moreno's inquiry, City Attorney Robert Fabela advised he would need to research if the City has the authority to limit rent collection from residents and local businesses. Council Member Moreno requested a memo on Mr. Fabela's findings. Council Member Moreno suggested including the Orange County Apartment Association, local Anaheim Realtors, and local business associations, including the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and the Anaheim Small Business Organization, to investigate rent moratoriums. He encouraged Mayor Sidhu to include big lender financial institutions to investigate mortgage moratoriums. Council Member Moreno encouraged the City to investigate using 311, Anaheim Anytime, and the MyAnaheim App as a guide to provide information and to reduce the strain on staff constantly City Council Minutes of March 16, 2020 Page 8 of 8 answering phones. He requested Mr. Lyster provide more regular reports to the public about food supplies in Anaheim on the City's website. Council Member Moreno would like to hear from the City Attorney at the next City Council meeting about ways the City can assist its residents if the state does not act or does not do enough. Mayor Sidhu thanked Council Member Moreno for his suggestions and noted the City Council meeting on March 24 will be teleconferenced with limited essential items necessary for fighting the COVID-19 crisis but will give the City Manager the authority to place the most critical items on the agenda. MOTION: Mayor Pro Tern Faessel moved to approve RESOLUTION NO. 2020-030 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM proclaiming the existence of a local emergency regarding Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), seeking all available financial aid from federal, state and county authorities, directing the City Manager and Director of Emergency Services to take steps to protect public health and safety, and increasing purchasing authority of the City Manager, and authorize the City Manager to take the necessary measures concerning public safety, including but not limited to closures of city facilities and the cancelling and rescheduling of City Council meetings. seconded by Council Member Kring. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES —7 (Mayor Sidhu and Council Members Faessel, Barnes, Brandman, Moreno, Kring, and O'Neil; NOES —0. Motion carried. COUNCIL COMMUNICATION: Mayor Sidhu thanked staff, acknowledged efforts by the Fire and Police Departments, and recognized the need to seek state and federal assistance during this local emergency declaration. He thanked his colleagues for coming together so quickly. ADJOURNMENT: At 6:17 P.M., Mayor Sidhu adjourned the March 16, 2020 City Council emergency meeting. Res•ectfully submitted, Ala 1111 ss, CMC City C erk