City Council Meeting: November 9, 2020

We're live mayor, thank you. Good afternoon and welcome to this special meeting of the city council and successor agency of November 9. We are as you can see meeting remotely again. We have a couple of council members that will be joining us as the meeting progresses. So with that we'll have the clerk calling the roll. Thank you, mayor. Council member gordo is absent will join us in a little while. Council member kennedy is absent will join us in a little while. Councilman Madison President. Councilman Masuda here, council member mark austin. Yeah. Council member wilson you're vise mayor hampton must to be your mayor. Tonic here there's a quorum of the council present. Thank you, council member masuda, would you lead us in the pledge please? Please stand your right hand over your heart. Ready? Begin. I pledge allegiance in america and to the republic jackson's election one nation under a valuable assets of liberty and justice. Bush thank you. >> we have one ceremonial item on wednesday wednesday. As you know, it's veteran's day . And the city of pasadena has always pause to remember this important holiday and salute all of our military veterans. this year is no exception. But due to the pandemic, our event is not. It is not going to be held in its typical location in front of city hall. Our veterans day committee in collaboration with pasadena media has produced a special one hour tribute that will be broadcast on cape pass on 11:00 A.M. On wednesday November 11th and in a first while the another first I should say. This year guest speaker will be a woman veteran staff sergeant cmo nick collins one of our pasadena marines from the 2nd battalion 20 3rd marine regiment. Staff sergeant collins was born greensboro, alabama has been on active duty for over 10 years, has received many decorations and commendation. He's married and has a child. And so I hope you'll be able to tune into kay pass on wednesday at 11:00 A.M. To watch the pasadena veterans day program and I'm appreciative to the committee and to kay past who have been working hard to pull together and in in these extraordinary circumstances. I would like to read the proclamation. Our annual veterans day proclamation that will be read during that ceremony whereas the history of the united states is rich with the deeds of those past and the residents that have served in our armed forces with honor and distinction. Whereas you recognize these courageous men and women who represent the best our nation and community have to offer and with their service these veterans have proven that america's freedoms are worth protecting and whereas in order to provide an opportunity for passing is used to train as tomorrow's leaders the passing unified school district hosts the junior rotc program at blair high school and whereas it is therefore fitting that we honor all americans who have served in the military and we encourage those who will serve our nation in the future. Now therefore I terry talk mayor of the city of pasadena on behalf of the city council do hereby proclaim November 11th 2020 as veterans day in the city of pasadena and reaffirm the deep appreciation of a grateful community for the patriotism sacrifice and service of our veterans. So I urge you to tune in on wednesday at 11:00 that completes the ceremony. And we can move right to special items. First we have a at 19 update from Dr. Go. Our public health officer. Good afternoon, mayor. Vise mayor and council members in the united states. We are unfortunately seeing unprecedented levels of coping 19 cases last friday. The cdc reported a seven day moving average. Pardon me. Actually today the cdc reported seven day moving average of one hundred and four thousand new cases a day at 900 50 deaths a day. Cumulatively our country has reached a total of nine million nine hundred thousand cases and over two hundred and thirty seven thousand deaths. This surge in daily new cases is by far the worst the country has seen since the beginning of the pandemic in california covered 19 cases deaths, hospitalizations and icu admissions are trending upward with point four to 4.5 percent daily increases statewide as well as in L.A. County and pasadena. We have not yet reached the levels we saw this summer. However, pasadena is rolling average of daily new cases has quadrupled from three point for about four weeks ago to thirteen point seven new cases daily currently at the peak in July we were seeing on average 31 cases per day. We have received a larger number of reported worksite exposures in the past week than ever before. Individuals should not go to work while sick or if they have tested positive for kovac, 19 or was exposed to someone with kobe 19 even if they have had a negative test or asymptomatic at this time the cdc indicates that you can still spread kobe 19 within 14 days of exposure. Even with a negative test or no symptoms. So you must stay at home for the full 14 days. Our case investigations show that for pasadena has confirmed with kobe 19 most had one or more of these associated risk factors someone in their household with kobe 19 recent leisure travel and or gathering with people who don't live with them who they don't live with. I'm sorry who don't live in their household. Many of the pasadena residents whom our case investigator and contact tracers speak with expressed understanding of the legal order that they received to either isolate themselves from others if they have been confirmed with kovac 19 or to maintain quarantine for 14 days if they have been exposed to someone with kobe 19. >> we thank you for your actions for the greater good of the community even though it might some might represent sacrifice on the part of the individual. After health department investigators carefully to determine based on the best information available that someone has likely been exposed to coping 19 it is a legal obligation for that person to maintain quarantine. The health department's determination holds because we make our decisions based on protected health and situational information that we receive that is not available to others and we act in the interest of the public as we see our numbers rise as far as coping 19 cases. It is important that our business owners and local institutions increase vigilance when conducting symptom exposure screening of your employees and customers. Please review and reassess your internal infection mitigation plans to identify any potential areas you can strengthen. We are available for technical assistance on any of the protocols. It is even more crucial now as we increase in-person school instruction and services for every community member to support school openings. >> by taking these personal actions to follow health officer orders which include to wear face coverings when or around others to avoid gathering with people you do not live with and to maintain isolation if you have kobe 19 and quarantine if you have been exposed to someone with kobe 19 especially when the health department contacts you once again I reiterate that a positive pcr test result subject you to an isolation order whether or not you have symptoms in a negative test result cannot shorten your 14 days of quarantine. I'd like to provide an update on schools as of today ten schools have received technical assistance and limited in-person services on campus and are able to proceed. In addition, seven schools have received both ppe hd and state approval for their T.K. To second grade waivers so they May proceed with in-person instruction. Five additional waiver applications have been received and further processing is contingent upon completion of the application by the schools. All waiver applications have received confirmation of submission within one business day and most waiver applications are fully processed including state approval within a week to 10 days. We continue to provide ongoing technical as technical assistance by phone web conference and onsite to schools and we are continuing to do outreach to schools. I'd like to mention two recognitions for our department in the past two weeks 1500 free flu vaccines were administered to the public at pasadena unified school sites. This significant accomplishment was a resource intensive effort that included a medical point of dispensing exercise for drive through vaccination or drive through vaccine administered and was made possible by our health department staff from all throughout the department including our emergency preparedness program and communicable disease program and would not have been possible without student nurses from cal state L.A. And as sousa pacific university volunteers from the medical reserve corps of L.A. And partners at the pasadena educational foundation usd and the L.A. County department public health. Finally ppa hd lead epidemiologist Dr. Matthew feaster received an award from the california communicable disease controllers association last week giving recognition from physician and epidemic allergist colleagues from across the state for his outstanding contributions above and beyond the call of duty during an unprecedented time for the benefit of the people of california. This is additional affirmation of the exceptional team we are fortunate to have here in pasadena with outstanding individuals such as Dr. Feaster committed to serving our community. I'd be happy answer any questions. Thank you doctor go counselor masuda thank you doctor. Go. Do we monitor people that are caught not wearing masks so we do have it. We do have liaisons in for example the high density commercial areas in our city with informational cards who can help provide information to rein people that face coverings are required in pasadena. You see I wasn't really surprised but when trader joe's a recently said they had their positive a quite a few positive tests not extremely high but I was surprised because I go shopping there and they were very honest by putting out that number. >> so are our other companies doing the same? That type of thing. So the health department would would notify individuals if there were a risk to the public and we needed to let people know if you were at a certain public location a certain time you May have been exposed then we would do a press release and let everybody know. I think that companies should disclose where there is benefit to the public. But I think it's really what it does is it reminds us all that as we go about our essential businesses that we should just protect ourselves and protect each other. So I think that that was a helpful reminder from from that company and I appreciate that. >> thank you, doctor. Thank you, mayor. Like most other questions for Dr. Go mr wilson. I know that you wanted to start collecting data on how the partial reopening is some of the schools were going. I know we've had a few schools open a few weeks and you were eager to see how that led to see if there's an opportunity because we're tkd to second grade before we looked at going to sixth grade. What do you what indicators you're looking at for those schools and what's happening so far? Does that bode. With respect to bringing on more elementary school students under these campuses? Yes, you're correct. The data that we're able to collect now is based really on about maybe two weeks off of opening at the most that any schools have had and it's been with the limited in-person services. So most of the schools that have brought on a small cohort of kids, some of them with just kindergartners, a portion of it can earn class. So we are with our site visits collecting data on how they are implementing the protocols and providing technical assistance at the same time. What we will track of course is exposure so infectious individuals who are on campus we would like to know those numbers and we want that to be reported to us and for the past two weeks we haven't had any yet. And then if there were someone on campus then we would do it. Of course an outbreak or a case investigation and assess from there who would need to what next steps would need to be taken to protect everyone. As far as an outbreak, you know, you'd have to have an exposure first and then you would have to have up to 14 days of incubation and then case per case cases presenting and then getting tested and getting test results getting reported to us. So I think we're good several weeks out before we feel confident that we're seeing well we'd have to see an exposure first before we could say there are certain number of exposures that didn't result in outbreaks. I think that's the kind of information that we would feel would be useful in informing next steps. So can you restate in terms of what your timeline and what you're hoping to see before you would see they start allowing third to six and how many weeks? Is that? I guess nothing's going to happen at this point between now and the end of the year I wouldn't think given where the holidays are. Well, as I said, fortunately there haven't been exposures reported to us yet. >> of course as the case rates go up we know that people will show up on campus with kobe 19 and so once that starts happening then we'll be able to track over the course of four to six weeks, you know, whether that particular individual had exposed others and resulted in subsequent cases. So that's about the amount of time once there is a case on campus that we would need to see if one particular case resulted in additional cases. I think that the we we're going to continue with trying to open as many schools as are interested and willing to implement the protocols and open tkd a second. So our goal is to maximize that number right now and we do have a queue and we're working with them to get there. Their application is complete and we do have these limited service in-person services as well for older grades that are happy that schools are proposing and that are there 10 schools that are approved to conduct those kinds of services right now. And I know you mentioned that our rolling average for cases had gone up. Got being reflected in their rolling average. With respect to average daily deaths, no deaths have not for us have not increased. When I peeked at the the county dashboard earlier today did not look like deaths in the county hasn't have increased yet. We do know they lag because of the clinical course and so we have seen hospitalizations tick up a little bit in the county and certainly in the country there. >> greg, I'm just proud of the dashboard looks like our last reported death was a month ago. That's your best, you know? that's right. I mean I guess that's a good sign in the sense that you treatment regimens and probably the people who are getting the illness are better equipped to deal with it. I agree and it really probably also reflects the lower age of 18 to 40 year old demographic that's driving the case increases. Last question I have is in the news today you probably could noticed it was a very exciting day for pfizer. Their announcement of a vaccine against their trial is suggesting 90 percent effective which I guess is a very staggering high number. Can you comment about that information and what the implications are and if that's where that goes next and when something like that May have some sort of benefit to the city of pasadena? I think that's very exciting news and is I think should reflect that we will be moving toward safe and effective vaccine in the coming months. The it's what's important to keep in mind is that data has not been published yet. And so the governor has assembled a task force that will of experts from across the state who will be reviewing that data once it's available. And then there's the ability of the manufacturing process to scale up at this time based on the current estimates even with the initial phase of vaccine availability, not all health care workers in california would be able to get vaccine because of quantities just aren't enough. The governor addressed that a little earlier today in his briefing. And so I think it's it's optimism but realistic about the timeline extending well into next year. When do we think we'd see the first vaccines and I mean obviously would be probably two very small select group. >> but given where they are on their trials is that you know, jan, what's not to be widely available but what is your sense around first vaccines do you have. Yeah, I do give my estimate even though I don't have a lot of information right now as far as updates I think you know, after approval that it might be a couple months before health care workers can can get the vaccine. >> we are identifying locations already in the state for what they call prepositioning. So just getting the system ready to accept the vaccine that does become available and deliver it as quickly as possible to those health care workers for phase 1. And so I think again it will probably be first quarter and the first quarter next year for health care workers. Okay. Well, fingers crossed. Thanks very much. Dr. Go. Victor gordo, welcome. This is all the jobs I had to join by telephone was delayed in getting back to the city so snowed in. Go. The question Mr. Will start first talking about vaccines. How do we have any idea what that infrastructure looks like at this point? Will vaccine be made available for example by health jurisdiction? The means of distribution? Yes. That is what the system looks like right now we practice this every year with flu vaccine. And so the distribution system is expected to utilize that structure that's already existing. In addition, we are expecting our healthcare partners both health care systems that multi jurisdictional like kaiser and sutter throughout the state to do a large share the delivery and also our pharmaceutical partners like cbs and and others have been named as helping to directly administer vaccine the large much most of the vaccine delivery I expect will be through those channels and a small portion through public health. So. So given that the distribution system by health jurisdiction has been to be its own health jurisdiction should put a significant advantage. I would want to see a blended in as we have on other issues with the L.A. County health departments cultures that's completely separate. So what are we doing to prepare ourselves help as a health jurisdiction? Just so the capacity to through our health department to ensure that we're receiving and our health care workers are making the vaccine directly to the parts of the health department and our partners meetings immediately as it's made available. So the structure is in place. It's the medical and health operational area called the malaak. There is a coordinator for the region and we are a member of that as long as as well as long beach and L.A. County and L.A. County dpa and dhs. And so we work through that channel for the distribution both for our request for ppe for example as well as our vaccine requests and so it will go through the existing structure that's already in place. But you're confident that they understand we cannot allow passengers to be elected in the L.A. County health department jurisdiction otherwise it defeats the purpose of having our own health jurisdiction with our own health department. But we make sure that every time the left leg is absolutely intend in terms of schools I May have missed this at the beginning of your presentation. >> I apologize. But you had what do you anticipate to be a reasonable reopen timeline if there is one in the next these four schools I'm hearing in some public schools jan, have you had conversations with our local schools and including the usda as to what a reasonable timeline that you might anticipate might? Absolutely. We are having weekly meetings with the usda and we have been for for quite some time for several months. We also had a larger meeting with all of the principals in the district just last week and we will continue to do that and they the schools are dictator in their own opening timelines as asap. Usda has mentioned that it won't be earlier than January and the other schools because the waiver processes open and the ability to have limited special services provided on campus as well is available. The schools are determining when they are capable of meeting the protocols and and getting our technical assistance to be able to start opening. Have we seen an uptick in people applying for the waiver since last discussion on this issue? >> yes, I think because we are posting all the approved applications online it helps folks to have a better sense of what's needed and and so we have seen an increase in requests and applications and you believe we have the staff necessary in the health department to assist that schools begin to apply for the waivers and move their way back to to operation? Well, the there is no delay on our end as far as the processing of the waiver and meeting with the school. So if there ever if there is additional resource needed, I would request that from the city manager. Okay. Thank you, mary. What are your to go doctor? Go. just one other issue in terms the the progress from tier 1, the purple 2 tier to the red level. Can you comment on that or we you know given the fact that some trend lines are moving in the wrong direction? Is there any forecast in terms of when we maybe look when L.A. County May be able to move to the next tier, the trend line has to change and move in the other direction in order for us to make progress toward the red tier. So I I still do hope that any of that every day that we can move that direction but it requires the cooperation and actions of every everybody in L.A. County. So the the limiting factor is that you have to meet criteria for at least two weeks. So we haven't met that criteria as a county for many weeks and it's I think, you know, in terms of the positivity. So there are two metrics there's the case metric which is the one that's holding us in the purple tier and there's the positivity rate which reflects a large amount of testing throughout the county which is good that is that has been in a lower tier but even that is moving upward as well. So it won't be in the next few weeks there. Any indication from sacramento ,from the state department of health that their contemplating any modifications to that system? >> yes, I mean there they are. They are constantly reevaluating and looking and there are some messages, you know, from from jurisdictions that are for and against changing for a framework because it's difficult for everyone to be suddenly put in a new framework. But the county the state is certain most certainly considering what is the best. Given the current situation they have essentially changed the framework by way of allowing more activities while in purple just in the past few weeks allowing more personal care services. So I think they are there. It's not the framework that they're there. They're bound to they're bound to the welfare of this of the people the state and so they are reassessing. Ms. Magoffin. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Ball. One of the questions that come up was is this considering any any more of the opportunities for businesses to open on a very limited basis? You know, 10 percent, 15 percent, even 25 percent capacity which I know occurred in the past. But we've I've been hearing from some businesses that, you know, is there something between, you know, being shot all the way down until the next year or even the launch or purple, red, orange I think and wait till the worst tier or. Is there any discussion about perhaps allowing some businesses to reopen on a very limited occupancy basis? >> I think so. What I've heard on state calls is certainly the recognition of as we move into colder weather. The limitations that it places on businesses that are trying to operate outside. What can we come up with as far as guidelines for ventilation for indoors that might? Is there a way to identify standards that can help reduce risk indoors? So again, those conversations are happening and with the experts on those kinds of that kind of science and so I think that we should stay tuned. I don't know how it's going to pan out but I. But as I said, they have been able because of the science because of what what has been observed been able to move some services that were previously prohibited in purple to be allowed in purple and then if so if those changes are made prior to movement from one chair to another chair without come through your office through the health department city manager office. >> so the what has happened in the past is that the state will announce new guidance or a new framework and that essentially equates to the state health officer order and then the local health officer has to either issue an order that also mirrors that or we can still remain more strict if we choose . But it just depends on the epidemiology here. Thank you. Scanning Dr. Go. Thank you for your update from day one. You have been extremely responsive under very difficult circumstances. But many of us didn't know the extent of the difficulties and we learned on a in some respect on a case by case basis. But then by your ingenuity and collective thought in talking to others I believe you made great strides in keeping hastening to save what I would like to know is what is the relationship between our health department in chap care in our response as a community chap caris an extremely valued partner they are our frontline health care providers and are in essential community clinic. They are in our building. One of their locations is in our building along with wesley clinic which is another federally qualified health center in our building. And so we rely on these health care partners to do the work of medicine providing the care to their their patients and that includes copay testing. Both are f f q eight c's or fully qualified health centers in the city have received from some federal funding to do covert testing and we've supported them through that. We supported them through their work site exposures when their staff have come in with infectious with covered and so and in assessing their needs for ppe and and also testing the different testing options. Right now we are encouraging or trying to make available some testing supplies that we have for rapid antigen tests to be available to our are. Again our healthcare partners. Additionally, what I would like to know is the service those are the services that are being provided by trap care. Discounted through this coded crisis in the kind of care I'm referencing the care associated with keeping our folks healthy in our community and then if they are negatively impacted by cobra that they receive the medication that they need particularly if they do not have to be hospitalized because the majority of people who contract kovac 19 do not have to be hospitalized. So as as a primary care provider they would be providing all that medical care and medical consultation that patients need. I have not received any complaints or issues at the health department about any lack of service. And I also just have to mention and provide the thank you to the to our chep care leadership for providing their location on lake for the state funded testing site. That is the bulk of the free testing available in the community. They're continuing to do that. I'm asking them to please allow us to expand some hours to expand our testing available to our community. So I just have to put that thank you in there. But yes, they are their primary care providers and so they take care. Their population the lab last question of how often are you in contact in this collaboration with the clinic which has grown from one base if you will, I believe to several spaces including as you mentioned I believe it's called the catherine barker clinic on lake and howard. But at one time I thought they had expanded to several other locations. Del mar another location on lake. I think that particular building is being sold. So I want to know what that collaboration looks like as a daily weekly, monthly or on an as needed basis. So in nonacademic times we generally have routine regular meetings at least quarterly during this time. I have Dr. This chief medical officer Dr. Scott kim on my speed dial on my phone so we text each other. We just talk to you. Yes. I think this morning to try and sort out this antigen testing situation and make sure that they have their sub the supply that they are entitled to test for our community members. And so it is rapid and frequent communication with cheap care. >> well, again, Dr. Go I just want to thank you for your responses. But more importantly I want to thank you for your leadership of the health care professional advising this council on what to do in these very precarious times. Thank you. All right. Well, thank you. Other public comments, mark, there are should I go now, please? Thank you. the first is from erica foy passing a resident on October 15th the mayors of california's 13 largest cities signed a letter to gov. Gavin newsom urging the state to consider reopening schools because they are quote extremely concerned about the effects of prolonged distance learning and lack of access to in-person classroom resources on our children, end quote. The letter goes on to request quote our state leaders to continue to be proactive, collaborative and creative in finding pathways to providing critical education and services to our children, end quote. I encourage all of you to visit passing a soul cycle to see what created what getting creative looks like. They have 50 stationary bikes eight feet apart under a tent. If solar cycle can return, why can't our kids? Shouldn't we be getting creative like solar cycle and allow schools to provide an in-person education in a similar way? Let's not wait to be quote invited to advocate for kids. As Dr. Peggy legal recently shared with council quote the harm we are doing to so many by keeping our kids out of school greatly outweighs the possible harm the very few who might get seriously ill. Please reevaluate your school closure policy and allow our children to get back to in-person education and quote the next communist from mary forest. Pasadena resident I would like to address the purpose of the school opening letters you received at the last council meeting as it was not meant as an attack on the ppa hd to open schools. We understand that you are within certain limitations due to the state the letters we're asking you to advocate for school openings on the state level. Dr goh mentioned to the vise mayor that she has been advocating for gyms to open on the state level but no one in pasadena city government has committed to speaking out for our students. Nothing is more essential than our children's health and education each council meeting Dr. Goh advises on the coded numbers but leaves out other implications of the disease learning regressions, anxiety, depression are all are a small snippet of the impact coded 19 and snippet of the impact of covered 19 and should be considered in your number reporting numbers are starting to go up in cases because people are willing to put fear aside and live with the risks of cove. It is time for you to speak out at the state level to open schools before the damage to the children is irreversible. From allison pinsky pasadena resident on October 30 get governance governor garrett governor newsome announced that his four school aged children will be returning to in-person learning and will be in school in person full time this month. He is quoted saying quote are facing back into school and we are phasing out of our very challenging distance learning that we're that we've been doing as so many parents are doing up and down the state end quote. I cannot overstate how much that I and many other parents in pasadena want to face back to in-person learning. In fact, 21 of california's 58 counties are offering some form of in-person instruction. I would think this would be possible for pasadena considering we have our own health department that could be working with schools to get them get them open. We know covered cases are going up and still most parents would choose to send their kids to school knowing the risks involved. Again, parents could opt out and choose to keep their kids home. Listen to the pediatricians that I've spoken. If not here if not here is newsome again quote we absolutely believe that the social social, emotional learning that occurs in the classroom is the best place for our kids. Certainly the best place for their parents as well, end quote. And that complete public comment on this amir. Thank you. Thank you, doctor. Go. Thanks for all your good work. We'll move to item two the the item with regard to food bank Mr. Wang mayor, just a moment as Dr. Goh steps out, bill wong and jim wong into the room. Thank you, Dr.. take care. I think it was a I think it's appropriate following Dr. Go's presentation on on the update. The next couple of items are covered related as well. I've asked bill wong and jim ward to give a presentation this afternoon regarding staff's recommendation in terms of using some funds we're receiving from the federal government to help support our community and what is a very difficult time. So with that when I turn it over to jim. Jim, thank you. Steve, that hit the mike. Thank you. We're good now. Ok. All right. This is a staff recommendation with regards to funding for of of the city's food bank and food pantries program. The recommendation consist of a secret exemption and appropriation of a little over two hundred six thousand dollars in city funds to cover the cost of the food programs for the period spanning November through January and authorization for the exemption of competitive bidding and competitive selection processes. And then last but not least you prioritized federal community development block grant cv funds to increase the capacity of food programs to alleviate culvert 19 food insecurity powerpoint charts by points. Not if we're going to pull up the powerpoint right now. Okay. The while the parkway is being loaded up just a little bit of background the course as we know that the corbett pandemic has resulted in millions of job losses across the country leaving families without food nationwide feeding the feeding america organization has reported a 60 percent increase in across the nation in a number persons needing assistance and in sync with the. And also the center for disease control projects food insecurity will continue to increase especially among households with children locally. Of course the pandemic has hit pasadena hard like all communities. Yeah, it's it's my analysis network here it is. Okay. I think we're okay. All right. And the economic hardship and food insecurity are expected to continue well after the local emergency declaration is lifted . Okay. Thank you. Locally there are a network of programs to address food insecurity. The first being the great plates delivered program. This provides prepared meals from local restaurants for older high risk adults. And then there's a network of 20 local food banks and pantries that are currently operating in the city. Ten of these programs currently receive funding support from the city in the amount of two hundred forty five eight hundred seven dollars that is funded for the period May through end of October and the one of the staff recommendations is to provide an additional allocation of two hundred six thousand two hundred dollars in city funds to fund eleven programs to continue these services through the end of January 2021. And here is a table listing the funding for the additional two hundred and six thousand dollars. We have seven existing food banks and pantries in the line pasadena senior center san gabriel valley ywca. That's a new program in harvest village ministries which does delivery of food. The total of those projects and programs is two hundred six thousand two hundred dollars. Next flight with respect to the additional federal funding that that is soon to be available. As you May where the city has received a little over one point two million dollars in cvg coronavirus funds from to date and that has been used primarily to fund the emergency rental assistance program. We are told by hud that the city will be eligible to receive an additional allocation of one point twenty two million dollars and the safra convention with respect to those funds is to prioritize the allocation to increase the capacity of local food programs to address food insecurity as a result of the pandemic. The funds would be administered by parks recreation and community services and more details and a staff recommendation will be brought back to council on November 16th with a substantial amendment to the federal annual action plan for past fema and budget authorization and that would leave self that that that was the end of our present recovery point. And so mayor and council and again I want to thank jim for that presentation. We heard some good news and we discussed a little bit about it during Dr. Go's presentation about pfizer's announcement. But we know we're we're certainly still many months away from a vaccine being widely distributed and we know that the economic impact of the cove 19 shut down is going to persist for some time from staff's vantage point we can think of really no need that's greater than ensuring that local families can feed themselves. The city council should be commended for all that it's done to support the food pantries and the food banks. We think that by programing this slightly more than a million dollars in future cpb money to ensure that we can continue to provide that necessary food support for our community. We think that will go a long way to getting us through to hopefully towards the tail end of this pandemic. So with that we're happy to answer any questions that you May have Mr. Manager. Just so I'm clear, the action you're asking us to do today as as opposed to what would happen on the 16 well surrounding. thank you. I'll turn to bill and jim to correct me. But at the council we're bringing we would need to do a substantial amendment for cdc jolla cbd cbd. If we were to do this if we were not to do this, then we would not make that amendment. That's right. So. So there's two parts here at the two hundred six thousand dollars is to continue the current funding current support to the food pantries and then the recommendation that we have is that you would you would direct us to prioritize the feed the ctg the new ctg covered dollars for food, further support for food insecurity and we would come back on the 16th with a specific recommendation for those dollars in a public hearing that's required in order to allocate those dollars . So tonight are we. Are we allocating dollars from some other from other than cpg the 260? Yes we would be taking two hundred and six thousand dollars from the general fund and there is a possibility that we can get that two hundred and six reimbursed through the ctg dollars. But matt hawksworth is with us finance director. He can explain but in essence we would be dipping into our reserves. Two hundred six thousand dollars. Correct. Matt? yeah. But not hearing about. >> okay. Sorry. Good afternoon there and counsel. Yes. If if we do not use cvg dollars then we would have to go through the normal fema reimbursement process and then get reimbursed some at some point down the road. The cwg program would be more beneficial because the funding of it would be immediate and the funding of it would be complete 100 percent. So there's some distinct advantages to using this funding rather than relying on fema to reimburse the future. >> that's what I'm trying. I'm sorry man. I'm trying to be sure I understand we have to go through the amendment process. Next week to take advantage of the ctg down ctg dollars. But tonight we're allocating general fund reserve dollars in anticipation of substituting the ctg money. What are we doing? >> that's an accurate statement. Okay. I understand council member kennedy followed by council member wilson. Can we please turn to slide 5 of the slide again? >> take us a couple of seconds to bring it up. No problem. Of the organization of the organization have received resources. How many of them under the first bullet you would consider as ethnically insensitive or primarily billing with a particular ethnic group? And the reason I'm asking this question hopefully it's obvious but it's to make sure that we comprehensive outreach with the limited funds that are available for this purpose. Council member kennedy I'm going to ask brenda harvey williams if she can hear me to step in as her department has familiarity with the food banks and food pantries that we've been dealing with in the staff report. There is an attachment that lists out all the programs. Brenda, I'm not sure if you heard the question the council member was asking. I'll try to paraphrase it. Do we have a comfort level that the existing food programs in the city are quote culturally ethnically sensitive in terms of the communities they serve? >> I guess in response to that question I would like to just read you the food banks that we're currently utilizing its first african methodist episcopal church and I say utilizing I mean funding first church of the nazarene foothill unity center for all of those all of those. >> harvey williams r I believe on attach. A yes. All I want know from the professional experience are there the city manager or your experience or your team is the answer to the question that the city manager paraphrased I would say yes. Okay that's fine. And is there anything else that you believe you could do if you had additional resources of that would support that broad effort that you've already articulated both by word in previous presentations to this council and by your or the report and I would add that one of the items that we've been talking about amongst the staff is when we initially started the food bank and pantry program we were trying to do as much as we could as fast as we could because this started back at the beginning of the cold crisis. So I think the one thing we could probably do would be to for the cvg funding open it up to all food banks and pantries and in the city there May be some more. We went with the list that we did because they were all currently partners of the los angeles regional food bank which meant that they already met a certain criteria. So the one thing we might and to offer or to allow to apply more than just the agencies that are on this current list. Then my last question is my office specifically has been engaged with the los angeles regional food bank each week because of the I would say courtesy and commitment of mike warner in my field. Deputy or district lay suzanna caught us. We've been providing particularly seniors but not exclusively seniors with a box that's pretty heavy I'd say somewhere around 20 25 pounds of food and I learned last week from massport us that the food banks May not make those boxes of food available because they don't have sufficient staff to pack them. And I'm wondering is there a role for you to find out if that is in fact the the way they're moving and if it is. Is there a way for us to provide some minimal resources just to pack the boxes? And as I said or would like to reiterate, my office has been distributing these boxes with the help of certain departments actually in the city including fire so we can continue this. I want to see if there really is a way for us to continue the program because we started right at the beginning of the cold that outbreak because again the President Of the path to being the sister city organization and his church were just committed to helping people with limited resources. Council member it's my understanding that the food bank will be actually returning to the way they did things kind of pre covered and that would be providing pallets of food and allowing the partner agencies the option selecting the types of food and the quantity in the quantities that best fits the needs of their customers and that's the reason why they would be diskin. One of the reasons why they would discontinuing the boxes so the 7 food banks and pantries that we work with for example were actually pleased of the change of not having the prepackaged boxes because as deliverers of large you know because they serve large numbers of people they preferred the option of getting the particular foods that they need to supplement the foods that they receive from other sources. So in terms of packing the boxes that you you've personally been delivering to your constituents, you know, we could talk off line about ways to potentially get those boxes packed for you. But in terms of what the pantries need, they actually prefer that the prepackaged boxes are going away and they'll be able to make the selections of the types of food that they need. Okay. I don't want to be a contrarian. I just want the efficient. It has worked for us in the past. One of the ladies who receives the boxes in my district I think she's mine to let's say about 93 94. She's spry but still it's a big help to her on a fixed income. I'll take you up on your offer to meet off line and see if there's a way that my office can continue to provide food assistance. So thank you very much for your leadership. In this program and your leadership throughout your important department and for our city. Thank you, mayor. Did we lose them or lose them? Looks like we might have lost the mayor. I think I was up next. Do you want me to wait? Or should I go and you can keep going. >> I think we'll try and get the mayor back on is if that's ok with the vise mayor. Go ahead by me. Go ahead, andy. My is happy unhappy, satisfied said some valid questions. Looking at the staff report this program has been running for the last six months. Zack corrections May mahmud asad to yes. Ok we've spent two hundred forty five thousand dollars which is about forty thousand dollars a month. Is that correct? Yes, I believe that's correct. I haven't done that math. I'll trust you. Yeah, yeah. You know, I remember having a discussion before about this being a very effective way to get food in the hands of those who really need it. We talked about maybe expanding and there were some statement that there really was not that these partners didn't have capacity to distribute a lot more food through this network . Is that still the case? I remember that properly. I think that would vary per each agency. I think some of the larger agencies and even some smaller ones they would have additional capacity if they had additional funding that was more reliable because if you do the math under the two to six thousand dollar request which is November, December, January that's seventy thousand dollars a month just shy of that. So almost I would say quite a doubling but a 80 percent increase of funding. is that correct? Or are these agencies prepared for an 80 percent increase or how is that number derived? Well, the why is there a large increase? I'm sorry. >> the increase was due to the addition of one provider and that's harvest village ministries. They are on they provide they're delivering food to some of the people who cannot go to the food banks and get the food. So that was the one thing that was that added in our second iteration of the funding they received and they are providing that for fifty five thousand dollars. So they kind of up. The ones who upped the average are the ones you see that its delivery only so are they actually providing delivery services to the other food pantries? Are they actually taking food packaging and also delivering it? They're not packaging but they are taking they deliver the food from pantries and from some other sources to individuals who cannot go to a pantry or another location to receive the food. >> so they're delivering to seniors and they're delivering two those who can't and otherwise get their did we do we know what the the I mean it's a huge part of this new budget. So they're delivering to approximately a thousand residents per month and they're delivering specifically to families, seniors and disabled people who are in need and unable to pay for the food delivery services, unable to get the food and unable to pay some other way of getting it delivered. >> what's the frequency of deliveries? Weekly well, it varies depending because they're picking up from such a large variety of different organizations. It just depends summer. Some of it is prepared food that's delivered daily some of is from the food providers, some of the agencies that they deliver for the salvation army families and transitions which is a ptsd organization friends indeed. Lincoln avenue church, the senior center first church of the nazarene foothill unity center outward bound adventurers huntington hospital local medical offices the health department. It's just a wide variety so some of their deliveries are daily and some are weekly. It just varies in how low they've been getting. They've been providing that service before. Is this a new service? They actually have been providing the service under a grant from our health department. It was and the grant ran out and so we've been funded then starting back in July when we came for an appropriation. We started funding them with these dollars. So they've been doing this for quite some time. it's just there was a shift in the funding from a grant to this mixture of general fund money which hopefully will be reimbursed. Okay. In that 55 thousand dollars of food delivery is not exclusively to the food banks that are listed attachment a you listed some other organizations that weren't on that list, correct? It's a much broader list of agencies that they deliver from ok. I don't remember that being covered in the presentations. I appreciate your sharing that with us. Then I wanted to ask about this funding source that 26000 is going to be submitted to fema. Is that the same funding source that we've been that we use for the forty five thousand dollars? That's correct. So council member will say we would apply for reimbursement through fema but if the city council is supportive of the staff recommendation and we go forward next week with a substantial amendment with our ctg documents we would be able to hopefully reimburse ourselves sooner through the ctg grant rather than wait for the fema dollars to 40 the previous to us the 245 was from that it was to be through the fema reimbursement. >> so this would be a shift if we were make this cpb allocation that to us six would come from the cdc dollars that would be our hope. If not it would be like the former dollars and it would be in line for fema reimbursement. You get the same reimbursement program that we have been attaching our great page program to similar. Mr. Hawksworth can put a finer point it looks like the same percentages only. >> it's the same percentages. The only difference is is that the great plains program is its own fema funded program. So we're going to apply for great plates as the great plates. This funding would go through our whole city fema reimbursement request but the percentage allocations are the same year. That's that's right. Okay. I think there's my question. Thank you very much. I'm giving you one. I'm only on the phone. I'm going to I'm going to have to ask the vise mayor to chair the meeting. Okay. Mayor tory, do you have any questions? No. Okay. Was anyone talking to you that had questions about this might happen? >> victor here I would like to just one question. Go ahead. Doesn't the thank you. Steve on the on the hope for reimbursement for cvg I assume for a moment would we. Were we not to make this transfer from ctv to you or not reimburse ourselves? What would these dollars be available for? in other words, what are we foregoing with the opportunity cost of the cbd cbd dollars if anything? Right. >> so you're asking what can we use these dollars for if we don't? If we weren't using this, correct? Correct. I'll turn to to jim wong certainly that the dollars could be used for another round of rental assistance. Jim, what other eligible uses? Yes, well they're very broadly these cvg cobra dollars can be used on any program activity that addresses the pandemic and alleviates the impacts of the pandemic. >> those are the very general broad guideline that hud provided. So we're rental assistance food programs certainly so we're limited. We're limited to use the use of these dollars to coded kobe specific issues and programs. >> that is correct. Is that correct? That is correct. These are not regular ctg dollars or cbd C.V. Dollars or dollars. >> okay. Thank you. Anyone else with any questions I could see everybody's faces. Oh. Almost everybody says they smell if I might. It's one of just a follow up question. I'm glad that comes to gordo mentioned that I'd ask when we come back to the cvg recommendation and spending plan that I'm supportive conceptually but I think it's important for us to understand those alternatives. What the other need buckets are so we can look at this holistically before committing to put half of it in this program and certainly I understand the priorities the need for feeding programs but I think we should keep our choices open and ask staff to make a complete presentation with respect to clarity on. Thank you Councilman Wilson. I totally agree with that. And I would like for that to come back to us. I know that the mayor is still on the line and I'm sure you would like maybe chime in on that. But we should know exactly what else these dollars could be used for and what what our other needs are and you know, not depleted a double bleed all of the dollars on food programs because there are a lot of food programs right now. And to me it seems like, you know, with homelessness and everything that we have going on and people not working this money could be better used with rental assistance since people are out of work right now. So it would be very helpful to get that information back. Oh, the mayor is now on the line so he could take it over here. I've been following. I understood there further questions for staff when I would just mention council members rental assistance would be the other likely candidate to use these funds and we come back next week with the substantial and we'll make sure that we have some information on that program. >> we've awarded nearly a million dollars in rental assistance and so from our perspective the most utilitarian thing we could do would be food support. But we'll be sure to have additional information next week. Thank you, mayor. >> all right. I do have. Mayor, we do have three public comments on this item. >> very good if I'm if I May. More what's the reason I asked the question is, you know vise mayor hampton is correct. I mean there are huge regional and local efforts related to food and food distribution. The reason I asked the question is, you know, could we do a better position to use these dollars for areas where there isn't a huge and maybe use our partnerships through the regional food bank and with the county to augment food distribution in the city? I just hope you like I have enough information to be able to make that decision. At the moment I just don't know what else is out there. That could cover the food distribution piece if we were if we were more aggressive in our partnerships. Understood. Up I was right from the staff's perspective. We're very we were mindful of the council's concern early on in the pandemic about the economic impact on residents and and the concerns over food insecurity. So it was from that that that brought us to this point where we are making this recommendation and we understand if the council wants to explore other options or if we think perhaps what was such a concern in the spring, perhaps the concerns alleviated a little bit through efforts on a more regional basis. So between now and next week we'll see what additional information we might be able to develop in that regard. >> I don't think it's a matter of it not being a priority. I mean I think it's a priority for us for every member council . But there has been an infrastructure that's been built out throughout los angeles county food poor food distribution and I'm wondering if our local resources that are very limited are better put to use. I don't I don't know that previous germany just asking the question whether we should put our resources to areas where our residents are or not included in the regional program and ask our staff to beef up our partnerships with in areas with the larger food distribution system that is in place in our local nonprofits which helps them whether it's packaging, whether it's using city vehicles to bring food from the regional food bank. You know that's something that came up early on in the pandemic that I'm not certain we ever did. We did but we did. so I'd like to hear more about that when we come back. Thank you. Mayor yes. Okay. Sorry we were frozen for a second there, sir. >> yeah, I'm sorry. I'm I'm afraid I have an unstable connection doing the best I can. Okay. Public comments. Sure. Rosalind thomas, pasadena resident, morning star outreach ministry 5 a 1 c 3 nonprofit organization founded in 2010. We started our food pantry program in February 2015 with once monthly food distributions giving away food baskets and grocery store gift cards. In May 2013 we partnered with L.A. Regional food bank and began twice monthly food distributions. This partnership enhanced our ability to provide more food a greater variety of items and better quality products to our recipients with the support of Councilman Councilmen john kennedy's office. We continue to give away free turkeys for thanksgiving and christmas. In 2013 we began our back to school program providing back backpacks filled with school supplies. Families with children as well as clothing give away giveaways providing brand new brand new jackets, t shirts, socks, hats and gloves. The grants we have received from the passing of city council have allowed us to buy more food because we are serving twice as many families . The need is greater than ever before. We fear that without continued grant support we will not be able to meet the needs of our community. We are grateful for the grants we have received and hope that we can count on the city council's continued support. From paul little passing and chamber of commerce I want to thank Dr. Go on the staff of the passing the health department for everything they have done and the extraordinary effort they have all put in to keep passing and safe, safe and healthy. During the pandemic a key component of our community's health is the ability of families to access food especially when there May be employment challenges along with health and safety concerns. Food insecurity is real for a growing segment of our neighbors at the chamber of commerce. We fully support the recommendation to continue support for local food banks. This is an important initiative that directly impacts the health of our residents and the well-being of our entire community. Please continue funding the identified food banks as recommended by your staff. Thank you paul and paul little pasta and chamber commerce from karl pinon pinay no dear passing it resident. Dear mayor and council members on behalf of st. Andrew's catholic church food based food pantry. Thank you for your continued support of those families in need with your past su