Item 5AGENDA ITEM NO.5
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
City of West Covina I Office of the City Manager
DATE: April 5, 2022
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: David Carmany
City Manager
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO.2022-31 DETERMINING THERE IS A NEED TO
CONTINUE THE LOCAL EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED ON JANUARY 26, 2022 DUE TO
DAMAGES CAUSED BY HIGH WINDS
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-31 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST
COVINA, CALIFORNIA, DETERMINING THE NEED TO FURTHER CONTINUE THE LOCAL
EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED ON JANUARY 26, 2022 AND PREVIOUSLY CONTINUED ON
MARCH 1, 2022, DUE TO DAMAGES CAUSED BY HIGH WINDS
BACKGROUND:
Southern California suffers from high wind conditions know as Santa Ana winds. As a result of heavy
winds over the period of January 21, 2022 through January 23, 2022, there were downed power lines,
resulting in power outages, and severe damage to trees throughout the City, causing damages to homes,
vehicles, roadways, fences, and other structures.
On January 26, 2022, the City Manager, acting in his capacity as the City's Director of Emergency
Services, proclaimed a local emergency as authorized by Government Code section 8630 and West
Covina Municipal Code section 8-7(a)(1), due to the damage caused by the high winds on January 21,
2022 through January 23, 2022.
The City Council ratified the local emergency proclamation on February 1, 2022.
Section 8-7(a)(2) of the West Covina Municipal Code empowers the City Manager, as the Director of
Emergency Services, to request that the City Council review and reevaluate the need for continuing the
local emergency at least once every thirty (30) days until the City Council terminates the local
emergency. The City Council determined there was a need to continue the local emergency on March 1,
2022.
DISCUSSION:
West Covina is seeking reimbursement for wind damage related expenses through the Governor's Office
of Emergency Services (Cal OES). The City has submitted its Proclamation of Local Emergency and
request for assistance as a result of the extreme wind storm that occurred the weekend of January 21,
2022 to Cal OES.
Staff most recently met with Cal OES on February 24, 2022 and discussed the damage assessment,
which is still being evaluated by Cal OES. Cal OES has recommended that the City keep the local
emergency in effect until the reimbursement process is complete. Therefore, staff is requesting that the
City Council determine there is a need to continue this local emergency.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the proposed resolution and approved it as to form.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options:
1. Approve staffs recommendation; or
2. Provide alternative direction.
Prepared by: David Carmany, City Manager
Attachments
Attachment No. 1 - Resolution No. 2022-31
CITY COUNCIL GOALS & OBJECTIVES: Protect Public Safety
Achieve Fiscal Sustainability and Financial Stability
ATTACHMENT NO.1
RESOLUTION NO.2022-31
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, DETERMINING THE
NEED TO FURTHER CONTINUE THE LOCAL
EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED ON JANUARY 26, 2022 AND
PREVIOUSLY CONTINUED ON MARCH 1, 2022, DUE TO
DAMAGES CAUSED BY HIGH WINDS
WHEREAS, the California Emergency Services Act (Government Code Section 8550 et
seq.), authorizes the City Council, or an official designated by ordinance of the City Council, to
proclaim a local emergency when the City is threatened by conditions of disaster or extreme peril
to the safety of persons and property within the City that are, or are likely to be, beyond the control
of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City; and
WHEREAS, if the City Council is not in session, West Covina Municipal Code Section
8-7 empowers the City Manager, as the Director of Emergency Services, to proclaim the existence
or threatened existence of a local emergency when the City is affected or likely to be affected by
a public calamity which is, or is likely to be, beyond the control of the services, personnel,
equipment, and facilities of the City, requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions
to combat; and
WHEREAS, starting on January 21, 2022, and continuing through January 23, 2022, the
City of West Covina experienced high winds; and
WHEREAS, the high winds caused widespread power outages and severe damage to,
among other things, trees, homes, schools, businesses, vehicles, sidewalks and roads; and
WHEREAS, on January 26, 2022, the City Manager, as the City's Director of Emergency
Services, declared a local emergency as authorized by Government Code section 8630 and West
Covina Municipal Code section 8-7(a)(1), through Proclamation 2022-01, due to the damage
caused by the high winds; and
WHEREAS, on February 1, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-16,
ratifying the City Manager's proclamation as required by Government Code section 8630(b) and
West Covina Municipal Code section 8-7(a)(1); and
WHEREAS, Section 8-7(a)(2) of the West Covina Municipal Code empowers the City
Manager to request that the City Council review the need for continuing the local emergency at
least once every 30 days until the City Council terminates the local emergency; and
WHEREAS, on March 1, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-22,
determining there was a need to continue the local emergency; and
WHEREAS, the City is seeking reimbursement for expenses incurred due to the damage
caused by the high winds through the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). Cal
OES is still in the process of evaluating the City's request; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager has requested that the City Council review the need for
continuing the local emergency in accordance with Section 8-7(a)(2) of the West Covina
Municipal Code, and determine there is a need to continue the local emergency in order to keep
the City's request with Cal OES active.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA,
CALIFORNIA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council has reviewed the need for continuing the local emergency
as required by West Covina Municipal Code section 8-7(a)(2), and determines, based on the
foregoing recitals, that there is a need to continue the local emergency.
SECTION 2. This local emergency shall continue to exist until the City Council proclaims
the termination of the local emergency. The City Council shall review the need for continuing the
local emergency in the manner required by law.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution
and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of April, 2022.
APPROVED AS TO FORM
Thomas P. Duarte
City Attorney
Dario Castellanos
Mayor
ATTEST
Lisa Sherrick
Assistant City Clerk
I, LISA SHERRICK, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK of the City of West Covina, California,
do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 2022-31 was duly adopted by the City Council
of the City of West Covina, California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 5th day of April,
2022, by the following vote of the City Council:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Lisa Sherrick
Assistant City Clerk