EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: September 6, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
BY: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
Greg Henry, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Agreement with Youth Community Service for Oversight and Coordination of East Palo Alto Pandemic Aid Staff
Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with Youth Community Services to provide oversight and coordination of City Pandemic Aid Staff in amount not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and waiving the formal bid procedures under section 2.84.070(D) of the Municipal Code.
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 1: Enhance Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Priority No. 5: Improve Communication and Enhance Community Engagement Priority No. 6: Create a Healthy and Safe Community
Background
The widespread, deleterious effects of the outbreak of novel coronavirus (named “COVID-19” by the World Health Organization) continues to strain communities throughout the Bay Area and the world.
On March 17, 2020, the Council proclaimed a local emergency for COVID-19 and further authorized the City Manager to make repairs, alterations, or improvements to the City’s public facilities, take any directly related and immediate actions required by the emergency, and buy the equipment, services, and supplies for those purposes.
On July 20, 2021, following the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Regular Update agenda item, the Council authorized $25,000 in funds to be used for a vaccination incentive card program. Council direction was that residents should receive incentive cards for completing a COVID-19 vaccination schedule.
Following review, the City Manager determined the best use of City resources would be to outsource the administration of this program to Youth Community Service (YCS).
On May 26, 2022, the City Council authorized a sixth amendment with YCS to extend the term through September 31, 2022. YCS has provided excellent management of the gif card program.
Beginning in March 2020, City staff began supporting testing efforts (primarily supporting County testing programs). Support expanded to vaccinations when they were made available.
At the beginning, staff support was provided by existing staff which were reassigned from their primary role to provide COVID support. In November 2020, the Pandemic Aide position was created and used to provide additional support for these efforts. Through June 30, 2022, the City’s COVID response and specifically the Pandemic Aide positions were primarily funded through grants. Oversight and coordination of Pandemic Aide staff was provided by the Administrative Services department.
Since July 1, 2022, the City exclusively has been using the General Fund to support these support efforts.
Analysis
Similar to the incentive card program, the Interim City Manager determined utilizing YCS to provide oversight and coordination of the Pandemic Aides would provide the City with the best outcome. YCS has the expertise and connections to deploy the City’s Pandemic Aides most effectively. Because YCS is currently managing the City’s incentive card program, they are connected with COVID-19 vaccine and testing providers in the City and know which have the greatest need of support.
YCS is proposing an hourly rate of $60 for its Executive Director, and $30 for other staff.
Fiscal Impact
The City budgeted ninety-five thousand dollars ($95,000) in pandemic aide support (including management staff) for this fiscal year (to provide support through December 31, 2022). It is staff’s intent to pay for this contract with these funds, using the savings from no longer having a City staff member directly providing oversight and coordination. The proposed contract with YCS will have a not-to-exceed cap of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000). Since the City initially budget ninety-five thousand dollars, seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) of budgeted funds will remain for Pandemic Aides.
Seventy-five thousand dollars will be adequate for the current Pandemic Aide staffing through December 31, 2022 (as intended) and is sufficient to increase Pandemic Aide staffing should the COVID pandemic require.
Public Notice
The public was provided notice of this agenda item by posting the City Council agenda on the City’s official bulletin board outside City Hall and making the agenda and report available at the City’s website and at the San Mateo Co. Library located at 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto.
Environmental
The action being considered does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378 (b)(5), in that it is a government administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
Attachments
A. Resolution YCS Pandemic Aides