HomeMy Public PortalAbout11) 10A_Continuity Plan_Staff ReportMANAGEMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
DATE: August 18, 2020
TO: The Honorable City Council
FROM: Bryan Cook, City Manager
By: Brian Haworth, Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT: COVID-19 BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council is requested to:
1.Approve a COVID-19 Business Continuity Plan, which identifies the City’s service
goals and priority initiatives during the pandemic; and
2. Direct staff to return to Council on September 15 with a staff report outlining
accomplishments to date and proposed actions for the next 60 days.
BACKGROUND:
1.Back in March, California was among the first round of states to issue a stay-at-home
order. That mandate was administered locally by the Los Angeles County
Department of Public Health requiring—among other things—social distancing,
aggressive hygienic precautions, business and facility closures, and self-isolation
when feasible.
2.Since that time, public health directives have been in flux, from relaxing certain
conditions to reclosing segments of the economy. As of July 31 (the writing of this
report), Los Angeles County continues to see record levels of COVID-19 reported
cases and deaths (over 186,000 cases and nearly 4,500 deaths). In Temple City,
those figures tally 389 cases and 37 deaths. While there have been some reported
bright spots with cases stabilizing and hospitalizations declining, history continues to
show that COVID-19 and its impacts remain unpredictable.
3.Last month, Council vetted and adopted a COVID-19 economic recovery plan. The
strategy articulated a timely approach to expend federal CARE Act funds; it also
identified a series of initiatives that the City could take to support the local business
City Council
August 18, 2020
Page 2 of 2
community. This practice ultimately set a precedent for staff to look
comprehensively at City services and operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
That proposed plan is attached and incorporates the economic recovery
component.
ANALYSIS:
Across the US, the current health crisis has altered how municipal governments need to
view, develop, and deploy business continuity plans. While emergency preparedness
efforts have primarily focused on natural disasters, the COVID-19 situation is requiring
local governments to further rethink current priorities and essential functions.
Over the past month, the City’s management team has crafted a recommended business
continuity plan for services and internal operations during the pandemic (Attachment A).
Intended to be proactive yet fluid, the plan’s five goals and nearly 80 recommended
actions take into consideration public health orders, minimal service interruption, and no-
net budgetary impact.
Should Council approve the business continuity plan, staff will return on September 15
with a report of accomplishments to date and a proposed work program for the next 60
days. This reporting process will occur regularly thereafter, culminating 30 days after the
Governor lifts the COVID-19 state of emergency.
CITY STRATEGIC GOAL:
Actions contained in this report align with the strategic goal of good governance.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the requested Council action.
ATTACHMENT:
A. COVID-19 Business Continuity Plan
COVID-19
BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN
pg. 1 of 4
Aug. 6, 2020
citizen engagement
1. Promote community solidarity.
a. Issue regular community messages from the Mayor
b. Provide visual messages of hope, respect and empathy
c. Encourage resident-driven initiatives
d. Initiate targeted campaigns
2. Go virtual.
a. Amend current video production contract to support future virtual initiatives
1. Enhance social media functionalities, as needed
b. Move suitable events and recreational programming onto a virtual platform
c. Broadcast interactive town hall meetings and other informational events
3. Create “get-out-of-the-house” opportunities.
a. Provide socially-distanced outdoor exercise classes and similar activities
b. Create community events or programs that adhere to public health guidelines
4. Support the vulnerable senior population.
a. Solicit and implement recommendations from the Committee on Aging
b. Leverage and create programs that boost wellness and eliminate isolation
c. Modify existing contracts to expand necessary services
financial solvency
5. Evaluate reserves and revenue losses.
a. Identify budget gaps on a continual basis
b. Review development proposals that are delayed or no longer moving forward
1. Determine impact on projected tax base
c. Participate in informational seminars regarding COVID-19 revenue trends
1. Incorporate assumptions into financial forecasts
d. Recommend quarterly financial adjustments via Council action
1. Communicate financial changes, challenges and opportunities
2. Propose modifications to City operations and programs
3. Evaluate non-essential government services
6. Document reimbursable COVID-19 expenses.
a. Categorize invoices and payroll (as required to mitigate health impact)
b. Maintain separate COVID-19 expense records
c. Retain records for five years after final reimbursement payment
1. General ledger
2. Budget records (FYs 2019-2020)
3. Payroll and timesheets
4. Receipts and invoices
5. Agreements
6. Correspondence
ATTACHMENT A
COVID-19
BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN
pg. 2 of 4
Aug. 6, 2020
financial solvency (cont.)
7. Monitor legislative funding proposals.
a. Advocate for local needs
b. Leverage partnerships with elected officials and professional organizations
public information
8. Maintain a resource-based COVID-19 website.
a. Update subsections regularly
b. Build brand awareness: templecity.us/coronavirus
9. Use social media and mass notification platforms as key information tools.
a. Create ongoing content that reflects popular content and community concerns
1. Ensure that messaging is original; include a balance of information
2. Monitor engagement levels, trending posts and “bitly” statistics
b. Provide responses to direct messages within one business day
10. Disseminate information to those without online access.
a. Leverage local print media by issuing news releases
b. Craft and strategically disseminate regularly-issued reports of noteworthy items
c. Establish and man a community hotline for coronavirus and related inquiries
d. Leverage reach of the City’s cable channel, Rosemead Blvd. billboard and traffic message boards
11. Message proactively.
a. Develop FAQs, address rumor control and provide adequate public notice on modified services
b. Publicize public discussion of newsworthy Council items
c. Continue cross-information gathering from other departments and external stakeholders
d. Translate critical messaging collateral into Chinese, as needed
response & recovery planning
12. Formalize City’s response to COVID-19.
a. Initiate preliminary emergency response
1. Proclaim local emergency
2. Activate emergency operations center
3. Develop city facility and response protocols
4. Establish crisis action team
5. Issue situational reports
6. Adjust responses, as needed
b. Adopt a COVID-19 service continuity plan
1. Modify initiatives and schedule, as needed
c. Continue regional response efforts
1. Maintain coordination with Disaster Management Area D
2. Attend and participate in LA County Public Health teleconferences
3. Issue ongoing status reports to the County Office of Emergency Management
COVID-19
BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN
pg. 3 of 4
Aug. 6, 2020
response & recovery planning (cont.)
13. Ensure that City emergency operations plans address COVID-19.
a. Update the City’s emergency operations plan
b. Develop a phased reconstitution strategy
14. Assist with local economic recovery.*
a. Finalize plan for Council approval
b. Implement key components
1. Financial assistance
2. Technical assistance
3. Business-friendly policies
4. Marketing/promotion
c. Issue status reports
* Incorporates by reference the adopted Economic Recovery Plan (July 7, 2020).
service delivery
15. Finalize a continuity-of-government plan.
a. Define various stages with identified closures, precautions and service modifications
b. Articulate essential and non-essential city services
c. Use as a guiding document moving forward; amend as needed
16. Position governance to remote meetings.
a. Train local officials and staff on videoconferencing technology
b. Recommend ongoing technological or procedural improvements
c. Include a telephonic option for the community
17. Shift to remote working arrangements (where applicable).
a. Employ web-based telephonic and document sharing tools
b. Establish and maintain a protocol for daily staff check-ins
c. Provide adequate IT support
18. Enhance internal communications.
a. Hold regular conference calls between management and front-line staff
b. Create and maintain an agenda of critical issues for ongoing focus and assessment
c. Encourage staff to recommend service improvements
1. Identify best practices or lessons learned
d. Communicate COVID-19 precautions and related personnel actions
e. Use internal input as basis for external communications
19. Grow online services.
a. Add new online service capabilities
b. Enhance document archiving systems
c. Post signage at City facility entrances advertising online services
d. Assign and train staff to administer online service requests
COVID-19
BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN
pg. 4 of 4
Aug. 6, 2020
service delivery (cont.)
20. Further employee support.
a. Reinforce and modify practices for safe work environments
b. Offer flexible scheduling and employee childcare services
c. Promote available employee assistance resources
d. Create temporary job duties for continued employment
e. Provide administrative leave
21. Continue critical projects.
a. City Yard
b. Deferred Compensation
c. Design Standards
d. Election Outreach
e. Financial Policies
1. Debt Management
2. General Fund Reserve
3. Purchasing
f. Grant Funding Opportunities
g. Homeless Plan
h. Housing Element
i. Las Tunas Repaving
j. LED Retrofits
k. Legislative Analysis
l. Measure A Fund Programming
m. Primrose Park
n. Records Management
o. Temple City Library