Title
a. Receive the abbreviated COVID financial summary and direct the Budget and Finance Division to begin the 3-to-4-month process for a comprehensive report if desired;
b. Direct staff to contract with Tetra Tech or another Emergency Management professional to add to the AAR by including community input;
c. Direct staff to initiate the process of implementing and training 3 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) teams; and,
d. Direct Staff to develop a multi-year plan necessary to implement the recommended changes to the Office of Emergency Services (OES), including OES as a standalone Department as well as the addition of recommended staff positions.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive the abbreviated COVID financial summary and direct the Budget and Finance Division to begin the 3-to-4-month process for a comprehensive report if desired;
b. Direct staff to contract with Tetra Tech or another Emergency Management professional to add to the AAR by including community input;
c. Direct staff to initiate the process of implementing and training 3 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) teams; and,
d. Direct Staff to develop a multi-year plan necessary to implement the recommended changes to the Office of Emergency Services (OES), including OES as a standalone Department as well as the addition of recommended staff positions.
SUMMARY/ DISCUSSION:
The County is required by Cal OES and FEMA to perform an AAR of every Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation. The Board received an independent AAR produced by Tetra Tech, on July 13, 2021. The Tetra Tech AAR included several recommendations for improvement in several areas. In addition to the AAR recommendations, the Board requested additional information regarding the COVID-19 EOC activation. The items addressed in this report are as follows:
1. Financial report of all expenditures and revenues due to COVID-19
2. Options and cost for a broader AAR incorporating community input
3. Proposed training program and future response structure for County Disaster Service Workers (DSW) EOC deployment.
4. Plan to implement Tetra Tech recommended changes to Office of Emergency Services (OES) including costs and resources required.
5. Priority of implementation of the above 4 items.
Financial report of all expenditures and revenues due to COVID-19:
The following summary of expenditures and revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic include all captured expenditures and revenues from the EOC, Natividad Hospital, Sheriff’s Office, Department of Social Services, and Health Department beginning in March 2020 through September 2021. This summary is not intended to provide the detail of a thorough 3-4-month financial report, but rather, a snapshot of the financial exposure and recovery to date.
The EOC handles COVID-19 related financial issues for the Department of Social Services. Natividad Hospital, Sheriff, and the EOC. The Health Department manages their own COVID-19 related financial matters. A listing of expenses and reimbursements from March 2020 through September 2021 is attached to this report as Attachment A.
Options and cost for a broader AAR incorporating community input:
Tetra Tech has proposed an additional cost of $24,800 to broaden the AAR to be inclusive of input from community partners and selected community members. They will seek input from the CAO and the Board for specific community partners that interviews are desired. Proposals from additional vendors can be sought. Funding for this proposed from Cannabis Tax Assignment Fund.
Proposed training program and future response structure for County Disaster Service Workers (DSW) EOC deployment:
This pandemic has revealed that the County’s Disaster Services Workers. (DSW) program needs improvement. Although ALL County employees are DSWs, it was difficult to obtain agreement from the various departments to assign 60 to work as DSWs in the EOC for extended periods. The County has a history of EOC Teams, but that has not been kept current. OES will collaborate with CAO and DHR to develop 3 EOC teams as follows:
• Each Team will consist of approximately 60 members (DSWs). The teams will be identified as Section Chiefs, Deputy Section Chiefs, Branch Directors, Deputy Branch Directors, and Unit Leaders
• Department Heads will be requested to approve Section Chief candidates (Operations - Logistics - Finance - Planning Sections)
• Identified Section Chiefs, with the approval of Department Heads, will work with OES and HR to identify Deputy Section Chiefs and Branch Directors
• Branch Directors, with approval from Department Heads, will work with OES and HR to identify Deputy Branch Directors and Unit Leaders
• OES will provide training opportunities for specific section positions, to include WebEOC training for all
• OES will schedule and facilitate a minimum of one functioning EOC exercise each year for all teams
• OES will maintain complete team rosters and update as members are added or replaced.
Plan to implement Tetra Tech recommended changes to Office of Emergency Services (OES) including costs and resources required:
Emergencies and disasters, for a variety of reasons, including climate change, are increasing to levels not seen before in both size and magnitude. The Office of Emergency Services for the County of Monterey needs to change and adapt to keep up with the demands in order to fulfill its mandated mission. OES is no longer only writing Emergency Response Plans but provides support for an entire “Whole Community” approach to emergency management. OES staff is responsible for writing or updating 35 Emergency Response Plans, managing 46 Programs, leading 16 Projects, and participating in 44 committees. OES also provides services for non-emergency event planning, (such as the U.S Open golf or Car Week). OES is also increasingly working directly with County Department Heads at their level as part of the whole community approach and use of DSWs.
Several California Counties, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz), have made changes to their Emergency Management organizations after devastating disasters. These changes included increasing the staff size to roughly double and classifying their OES as a standalone Department. To meet the increasing demands on OES, including the additional training required for the EOC Team personnel and exercises, leadership required for the EOC Section Chief positions, long term Disaster Cost Recovery, increasing focus on resiliency, outreach, and changing emergency environment, the following changes are proposed:
• OES transitions to a County Department, the Department of Emergency Services (DES)
• Emergency Services Manager position phased out as DES Director position is filled.
• Addition of a Deputy Director position. Approximate cost with Benefits = $190,000. ($30,000 Difference between budgeted Manager position and newly created Director position and $160,000 for Deputy Director position)
• Reclassification of Senior Secretary position to Administrative Secretary. (Approximate Cost is $10,000)
• Addition of 2 Staff positions: 2-Emergency Service Coordinators, (Approximate Cost with Benefits is $148,000 each position)
• Eliminate 1 Emergency Services Planner position ($142,000 savings)
The positions listed, specifically the addition of Emergency Service Coordinators and elimination of Emergency Services Planner, can be phased in after the creation of the Department, Deputy Director, and secretary reclassification, over the next 2 years.
Priority of Implementation:
Staff recommends the following priorities to the 5 items above:
1. Receive the abbreviated COVID financial summary and direct the Budget and Finance Division to begin the 3-to-4-month process for a comprehensive report if desired.
2. Direct Staff to develop a multi-year plan necessary to implement the recommended changes to the Office of Emergency Services (OES), including OES as a standalone Department as well as the addition of recommended and appropriate staff positions
3. Direct staff to initiate the process of implementing and training 3 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) teams.
4. Direct staff to contract with Tetra Tech or another Emergency Management professional to add to the AAR by including community input.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
OES coordinates with the CAO Budget Office and County Counsel. Department of Social Services, Department of Health, and Sheriff/Coroner were some of the many EOC participants that were interviewed and had input into this AAR.
FINANCING:
Funding for the original AAR was through the OES budget and a COVID-19 grant they received for this purpose. Additional funding would be required for AAR augmentation, however, OES can seek an additional grant for this purpose. OES staff positions, budget report staff, and training staff for EOC Teams implementation funding has not been identified and would be a general fund cost.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives are: Economic Development; Administration: Health & Human Services; Infrastructure and Public Safety.
_X Economic Development
_X Administration
_X Health & Human Services
_X Infrastructure
_X Public Safety
Prepared by: Gerry Malais, Emergency Services Manager
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer
Attachments:
Board Report
Attachment A
COVID-19 After Action Report