EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: July 19, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
BY: James Colin, City Clerk
SUBJECT: City Hall and Tate Street Reopening Plan
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council: provide direction to City Manager to reopen City offices to the public per staff recommendation with a proposed start date of Tuesday, September 6, 2022.
Background
At the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic (COVID), all City facilities were closed to protect public and employee health. During this period, City business shifted to primarily virtual public interactions and meetings. Technology enhancements were quickly implemented to expand and facilitate conducting City business virtually and remotely. The learning experience has suggested longer-term service delivery enhancements and options.
Many Bay Area jurisdictions are in various stages of reopening their facilities to employees and the public but are mindful of the uncertainty of the COVID-19 situation which requires a flexible and nimble approach. For public health and safety, enhanced hygiene measures have been put in place in accordance with County Health protocols (e.g., hand sanitizers and extra cleaning), and hybrid employee work schedules have been implemented. East Palo Alto has been operating in a hybrid format for a while with allowance for part-time work from home and part-time work in the office. However, most customer and staff meetings continue to be conducted virtually, which many find convenient and beneficial through the enhanced technology tools.
While many residents and customers have become accustomed to interacting virtually with City staff during the past two years, including submitting electronic and online submittals, it has always been anticipated that in-person services would be reinstituted at the appropriate time.
With the gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions by the San Mateo County Department of Health, the Council discussed the reopening of City Hall on June 7, 2022, and directed the City Manager to return to the Council in July 2022 with a reopening strategy for City offices.
Also on June 7, 2022, the City Council directed the Interim City Manager return to the Council at a later date with options regarding hybrid public meetings.
Analysis
City staff has discussed reopening the offices at City Hall (2415 University Avenue) and the City Permit Center (1960 Tate Street) for in-person customer services. The common goal is the safety of the public and employees when reopening City offices for services. While the objective is to reinstitute public office hours, virtual meetings and appointments will continue to be encouraged and is still preferred whenever feasible.
Hybrid employee work schedules with a combination office and remote work hours will continue and will vary among departments based on the level of public interaction for each City department. However, hybrid work schedules will be adjusted as needed to ensure sufficient staff coverage during the hours when City offices are open to the public The primary operational change that is recommended at this time is reopening City offices for in-person customer services. Slight differences in public office hours are suggested for City Hall and the City Permit Counter to reflect the different service functions and the level and type of visitor needs. The proposed hours for both locations are indicated below:
Table A
Proposed City Public Office Hours
Weekday City Hall City Permit Center
Monday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm 9:00 am to 4:00 pm1
Tuesday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Wednesday By Appointment or Virtual Only
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
By Appointment or Virtual Only
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Friday By Appointment or Virtual Only
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
By Appointment or Virtual Only
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Both offices will be closed from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for lunch.
The proposed schedule in Table A provide staff with the ability to serve the public while being able to keep a pulse on any exposures to COVID-19. To manage staff and the community’s potential exposure to COVID-19, it is imperative to have at least two days per week where the offices are not open to the public for face-to-face interactions. Reason being, if a staff member tests positive for COVID-19, or staff is made aware of a potential exposure, having two days to professionally clean the office and adjust to a virtual option only, is key.
The above City Public Office Hours are subject to a “meet and confer” discussion with the City’s employee groups. Therefore, along with allowing adequate time for staff to plan a smooth transition for reopening City offices, staff proposes to reopen offices to the public on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, after the Labor Day weekend unless the COVID-19 situation affects reopening plans.
While both City offices are proposed to be closed to the public on Fridays, some staff will still be working on Fridays at both City offices and will be available to handle urgent drop offs/pick ups from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
City Permit Center
The City Permit Center is expected to receive a higher volume of in-person customers than City Hall, During the Permit Center hours, on-call staff will be available from the Community and Economic Development Department (Building, Planning, Housing) and the Public Works Department for “one-stop” services. However, staff will continue to encourage customers to make appointments to ensure that appropriate staff are available to address their needs.
Virtual meetings and online plan submittals will also continue to be emphasized for efficiency.
Since space is constrained, a maximum number of customers will be allowed in the Permit Center, with an outdoor sitting area provided if needed.
Office hours are shorter in the afternoon than at City Hall to allow staff to complete administrative work, process plans and permits, and return phone calls before the end of the workday. For the convenience of customers that may find it difficult to drop by the Permit Center before 4:00 pm, extended office hours will be offered once a week until 6:00 pm. Staff will monitor the level of customer activity and staff support. Adjustments will be proposed as needed with the goal of ensuring responsive city services.
City Hall
Public office hours at City Hall are proposed to be available four days per week, but hybrid work schedules for City Hall staff will continue to be considered where feasible. Most of the public services at City Hall before COVID-19 were conducted online or by phone, and this is expected to continue. Because City Hall only permits controlled access, visitors will be encouraged to make an appointment, or drop-in visitors will be required check-in at the lobby to enter City offices. Staff will contact the County to confirm that City offices can be open to the public at 9:00 am, which is an hour earlier than the opening of the library.
Other Considerations to Enhance Service Delivery to the Community One of the principal reasons customers visit City Hall or the Tate Street office is to inquire and or apply for a business license. On June 7, 2022 the Council awarded HdL an agreement to provide Business License Tax Administration. The Business License Tax Administration Service is a turnkey approach for the City, meaning that City staff will no longer be engaged in the day to day operations of providing Business Licenses. HdL will manage all of the business tax operations conducted by the City. Part of this solution will be to provide a website where businesses, in addition to filing and paying for taxes, can obtain copies of applications, general support and FAQs, schedule appointments, and request copies of their tax registration.
Businesses will also be able to inquire, apply and pay for their Business License Tax over the phone. To support the online application process following this transition, staff proposes a computer be set up at Tate Street that people can utilize to apply for a business license should they not have access easily themselves and prefer not to use the phone.
Hybrid Options for Public Meetings
The City Council appropriated funding in the FY 2022-2023 budget to accommodate the technology that may be needed to offer hybrid public meetings. Hybrid public meetings would allow for the participants in the public meetings (Council/Board members, staff/consultants and the public) to attend and participate either in person or remotely. That is, a hybrid of the way meetings were held prior to COVID-19 restrictions and how they are held currently. The expected cost exceeds the City Manager’s authority to enter into contract now to procure the necessary services to modify the Council Chambers for a hybrid scenario. Staff will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) on or before July 22, 2022 and will immediately review submittals. Staff intends to return to the City Council in September with a contract for the necessary services required to convert the City Council Chambers to a hybrid set up with the ultimate goal of having the hybrid option available in October 2022.
Next Steps
Staff will meet and confer with the City employee groups on the proposed reopening of City offices and contact the County regarding the proposed office hours. While hybrid employee work schedules will continue, adequate staff coverage will be provided during public office hours. Staff will also monitor any changes in the COViD-19 situation that might affect the reopening.
The City Manager requests authority to make minor changes to the proposal described in this staff report at the conclusion of the meet and confer process, if necessary.