ITEM TITLE:
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#21-54 - Rescinding the Valdez COVID-19 Local Government Disaster Declaration
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SUBMITTED BY: Sponsor: Mayor Sharon Scheidt
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve Resolution #21-54
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SUMMARY STATEMENT:
On September 29, 2021, after a series of Council work sessions regarding the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Sharon Scheidt declared a local government disaster in Valdez.
* At that time, Mayor Scheidt outlined the disaster was being declared specifically due to the impacts of the pandemic on our local hospital and the ability of healthcare providers to care for the sick and injured.
* Section 6 of the declaration set a benchmark for revisiting or rescinding the declaration as the point in time when the Providence Alaska medical system was no longer operating under crisis standards of care.
* Under state statute and Valdez municipal code, a local government disaster declaration made by the mayor remains in effect for seven days unless otherwise extended by a vote of the city council.
On September 30, 2021, Council passed Resolution No. 21-40, extending the COVID-19 local government disaster declaration until rescinded.
* The current disaster declaration does not have an automatic expiration date. Council must take action to rescind the declaration, based upon formal benchmarks noted in Resolution No. 21-40.
* Section 2 of the extension of the local government disaster declaration set a benchmark for revisiting the declaration as the point in time when the Providence Alaska medical system was no longer operating under crisis standards of care or the second regular Council meeting in December 2021, whichever occurred first.
In early December, City administration received notice from Providence Valdez Medical Center administration that that while the state of Alaska crisis standards of care protocol remains in place for Provi...
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