DATE: July 6, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean Rousseau, County Administrative Officer/Emergency Services Director
SUBJECT: Proclamation and Ratification of the existence of a Local Emergency - Accumulating Livestock Carcasses
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Adopt Resolution proclaiming and ratifying a Local Emergency, as a result of accumulating livestock carcasses.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will ensure that the local emergency status proclaimed by the Emergency Services Director Designee on June 30, 2017, remains in effect and allows for the potential recovery of eligible costs.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
No viable options are available.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The recommended action is necessary to ensure specific liability protection, emergency powers of the Emergency Services Director, and potential recovery of eligible costs, if any, from State and Federal emergency funds.
DISCUSSION:
California Government Code (GC), section (§) 8630 authorizes proclamation of a local emergency by your Board or by an official so designated by ordinance when your Board is not in session and cannot immediately be called into session. Fresno County Ordinance Code, Chapter 2.44, designates the County Administrative Officer (CAO) as the Emergency Services Director. The CAO appointed the Director of the Department of Public Health as the Assistant Emergency Services Director and the Assistant County Administrative Officer as the designee, should the CAO or Director of Public Health be unavailable. Pursuant to the County Ordinance, your Board is requested to confirm the proclamation of a local emergency within seven days by ratifying the proclamation and adopting the attached resolution.
Commencing on June 28, 2017, seasonal high temperatures in the County lead to an unusually high number of livestock deaths. In addition, the rendering facility in Kerman, California, encountered mechanical and operational issues, which slowed the rendering process resulting in a large quantity of livestock carcasses accumulating at the rendering facility and at other locations throughout the County.
Pursuant to GC, §8630 and County Ordinance, Chapter 2.44 on June 30, 2017, due to the continued accumulation of such livestock carcasses and the Department of Public Health’s determination that the accumulation will result in a public health hazard that, at times, may require emergency disposal measures necessary to protect the public health and safety, the Emergency Services Director Designee proclaimed the existence of a local emergency. The proclamation was forwarded to the State Office of Emergency Services.
GC, §8630 and County Ordinance, Chapter 2.44 requires your Board to review the need to continue the local emergency at least once every 30 days until terminated. The local emergency must be terminated at the earliest possible date when conditions warranting the proclamation have ended.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Proclamation of the Existence of a Local Emergency
Resolution - Ratification of Local Emergency
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia De La Rosa