APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT NIKKI FORTUNATO BAS
RESOLUTION APPOINTING COUNCILMEMBER JANANI
RAMACHANDRAN TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF OAKLAND AT THE
EAST BAY REGIONAL WILDFIRE PREVENTION COORDINATING
GROUP AS A MEMBER, AND APPOINTING COUNCILMEMBER
TREVA REID TO REPRESENT TH E CITY OF OAKLAND AS AN
ALTERNATE MEMBER
WHEREAS, on December 19, 2023 the Oakland City Council approved resolution 90040 C.M.S. authorizing The City Of Oakland to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among jurisdictions in the east bay hills to form a Wildfire Prevention Coordinating Group to improve region wide collaboration on wildfire mitigation activities and to reduce wildfire risk throughout the east bay hills; and
WHEREAS, the series of historic wildfires throughout California and the Western United States in recent years demonstrates that the impacts of global climate change will continue to have potentially devastating local effects throughout the region; including habita t destruction, loss of life, economic impacts, infrastructural damage, and public health hazards associated with air quality; and
WHEREAS, reactive approaches to fire management and containment are deployed during times of crisis and overextend local and state resources; and
WHEREAS, the spread of wildfire does not respect political or jurisdictional boundaries; burning embers travel widely a nd air quality impacts from smoke extend throughout the region; and
WHEREAS, a large portion of the East Bay region, including the East Bay Hills from Hercules to Fremont are a CalFire designated high fire hazard severity zone; and
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WHEREAS, a more coordinated approach among jurisdictions and investment in vegetation management and other wildfire prev ention programs will help to mitigate the number and severity of wildfire events; and
WHEREAS, regional intergovernmental coordination may prove both more effective and more efficient in developing a nd implementing best practices, as well as sharing expertise and other resources; and
WHEREAS, the East Bay Region contains more than 20 municipalities, counties, and fire districts, including the City of Oakland, that may benefit from a coordinated fire management approach; and
WHEREAS, with support from local community organizations and individuals concerned with wildfire prevention, a group of public offici als representing the counties, municipalities and fire districts in the East Bay Hills decided to create a formal structure for interested cities, counties and fire districts in the East Bay Hills to co llaborate and meet thei r common goals regarding regional wildfire prevention; and
WHEREAS, these public officials have agr eed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which provides the legal basis for the jurisdictions to work together to accomplish agreed upon goals, would be the most efficient and e ffective legal structure to create this intergovernmental collaboration, referred to as the “Wildfire Prevention Coordinating Group” (WPCG); and
WHEREAS, the counties of Alam eda and Contra Costa, the cities of Berkeley, Oakland, Pinole and Richmond, and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District have all cont ributed financing to facilitate discussions about forming a WPCG and developing a draft MOU; and
WHEREAS, the participants in the MOU, re ferred to as Participating Agencies, would themselves decide upon goals, objectives, activities , any required budget and staffing, to support the WPCG; and
WHEREAS, participants have discussed several potential areas of collaboration, including:
developing and implementing joint plans to redu ce flammable wildland vegetation and replace it with wildfire resistant vegetation where appropriate; partnering together to identify and apply for state, federal or other grant funds to assist with regional wild fire risk mitigation activities; collaboration on local building and fire code updates; and planning t ogether for wildfire evacuations and response, especi ally those that cross jurisdic tional boundaries between one or more of the Participating Agencies; and
WHEREAS, each Participating Agency would appoint one member and one alternate from its governing body to serve on the WPCG. More specifically, all WPCG members and alternates shall be elected or appointed members of Boards of Supervisors, City or Town Councils, Boards of Directors, or a functional equivalent; and
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WHEREAS, the WPCG will designate one of th e Participating Agencies to serve as the WPCG's "Fiscal Agent," in which role that enti ty will (i) facilitate ongoing discussions of the WPCG, (ii) serve as the WPCG treasurer, and (iii) enter into contracts on behalf of the WPCG, if necessary; and
WHEREAS, signing the MOU and appointing a member to the WPCG would not obligate any Participating Agency to include other Participating Agencies in their individual wildfire prevention and risk mitigation activities; and
WHEREAS, signing the MOU and appointing a member to the WPCG would not alter any of the Participating Agencies’ jurisdictional boundaries, existing cooperative efforts at the staff or Board/Council levels, or substantive legal authorities; and
WHEREAS, the MOU supplements, and does not re place, any prior or future agreements between any two or more Participating Agencies, including for contracted, shared or cooperative fire prevention and/or emergency medical services; and
WHEREAS, the City Council’s Rules of Procedures provide that “the President of the Council shall recommend appointments to regional and local boards and agencies, as appropriate, subject to confirmation by the Council”; and
WHEREAS, Council President Nikki Fortunato Ba s recommends that Councilmembers Janani Ramachandran and Treva Reid be appointed to the Wildfire Prevention Coordinating Group as a member and alternate to represent the City of Oakland; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That Councilmember Janani Ramacha ndran is hereby appointed to the Wildfire Prevention Coordinating Group as a me mber and Councilmember Treva Reid as an alternate;
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO,
JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California