220908 -- City Council -- Agenda Questions
Council questions and staff responses for items on September 8, 2022 City Council Meeting
8.6 Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding an ordinance consenting to and extending
the Mayor's renewal of a disaster declaration due to a public health emergency.
Sponsors: Bryan Woods
Question: Are there any current funding options available that would require us to be under a disaster
declaration for Covid at this time? If the disaster declaration is allowed to expire, and we later decided
to reinstate it, what is the minimum amount of time required to reinstate it? I notice that this item is
consistently recommended for approval by staff, can you outline why staff recommends approval this
week?
Response: Maintaining the current COVID disaster allows the City to purchase any supplies, testing kits,
etc. that are COVID related at 90/10 cost. If the City ends the disaster declaration there could be issues
with purchasing resources. The State of Texas Assistance Request (where the City orders test kits) is the
funding opportunity the City is using and there are not any others that are known currently. The City has
not requested nor purchased any supplies for quite some time now. At the CEOC, there are several cases
of test kits in storage in case they are requested. The City has not had any requests for test kits for a few
weeks now.
Gov. Abbott renewed the Statewide disaster declaration on August 20th.
https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-renews-covid-19-disaster-declaration-in-august-
2022. The authority for declaring a local disaster comes from the Gov. Code Sec. 418.012 “Executive
Orders” the Mayor may issue executive orders, proclamations, and regulations and amend or rescind
them. Executive orders, proclamations, and regulations have the force and effect of law. In Gov. Code Sec.
418.108 a Disaster Declaration lasts for 7 days, unless consented to by Council for a longer time (may only
go for 30 days). In Gov. Code Sec. 418.014 “Declaration of State of Disaster” a state of disaster may not
continue for more than 30 days, unless renewed by the Mayor. This is the current pattern we follow to
extend this declaration.
If the disaster declaration expires the Mayor may issue a new one at any time. It will only last for 7 days
and the Council may extend or not. The risk of not renewing is missing out on a funding opportunity if one
arises. I am not sure if the City enacts a declaration after an opportunity arises if the City can participate
or not.
Staff recommends renewing the disaster declaration to take advantage of funding opportunities made
possible by the Governor’s renewed disaster declaration.
9.1 Public Hearing, presentation, discussion, and possible action on Budget Amendment 4 amending
Ordinance No. 2021-4286 which will amend the budget for the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year in the amount of
$21,491,393.
Sponsors: Mary Ellen Leonard
Question:
Item 6: I was under the assumption that Solid Waste was fully staffed following the career fair several
months ago. Are they not fully staffed? How many openings are still unfilled?
Item 10: There has been substantial public objection to this purchase. Is item 9.1 a decision point on the
purchase?
Response:
Item 6: We currently have two vacant solid waste operator positions, although one has been filled pending
a start date. There were nine vacant positions earlier this year. Although almost fully staffed, we used
more than expected overtime earlier in the year to cover staff shortages.
Item 10: The Council voted unanimously to approve the purchase on August 25th. The item is on the
budget amendment to move the funds needed to execute the contract from the fund balance of the
General Fund. Earnest money has already been provided.