REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 9, 2024
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Continuation of the Proclamation of Local Emergency - 2023 August Tropical Storm Hilary
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Continue the Local Emergency Proclamation within San Bernardino County related to the 2023 August Tropical Storm Hilary, that was initially proclaimed by the Director of Emergency Services on August 20, 2023, and ratified by the Board of Supervisors on August 22, 2023.
(Presenter: Daniel Muñoz, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-5807)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health, and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as there is no cost or financial impact associated with the continuation of this local emergency. However, the County has incurred costs resulting from this local emergency. These costs could potentially require the use of additional Discretionary General Funding. Should this occur, a future item will be submitted to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On August 18, 2023, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Tropical Storm Warning for the County. This event warned of conditions of peril to the safety of persons and property within the County, in the form of infrastructure damage from extreme weather, especially due to burn scars from the Apple and El Dorado fires, which could create conditions of dangerous and potentially catastrophic flooding, mudslides, and debris flows.
Due to the extensive anticipated damage resulting from this storm event, the Chief Operating Officer (COO), while serving as the Director of Emergency Services, proclaimed the existence of a local emergency on August 20, 2023. On August 22, 2023 (Item No. 98), the Board ratified the action taken by the COO. The impact of the tropical storm event resulted in the need for the County to take actions, measures, and steps deemed necessary to assure the safety and welfare of San Bernardino County residents and property.
The extension of the Local Emergency Proclamation allows the County to extend certain emergency environmental notifications and permits in the impacted communities as a part of ongoing recovery and mitigation efforts. The County continues to work on environmental projects that require Natural Resources Conservation Service type permits that allow the Department of Public Works to return facilities to pre-storm conditions and capabilities to prevent loss of property and life. Approval of this item will help the County to continue to secure these permits that should expire in the early summer of 2024. Maintaining the local emergency proclamation allows the necessary Federal and State approvals to be obtained for mitigation work to move forward and the time for this work to be completed. The Board last took action to continue this local emergency on November 14, 2023 (Item No. 29).
Pursuant to Government Code section 8630(c), the Board shall review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the Board terminates the local emergency. Board approval of this recommendation would continue the local emergency for an additional period in accordance with Government Code section 8630(c).
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 7, 2023; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on December 18, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on December 19, 2023.