RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PASADENA
AUTHORIZING REMOTE TELECONFERENCE MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL,
ALL CITY SUBORDINATE BODIES, AND ALL CITY NON-PROFIT CORPORATION BOARDS AND THEIR SUBORDINATE BODIES, FOR THE PERIOD JULY 18, 2022 THROUGH AUGUST 17, 2022
WHEREAS, the City of Pasadena is committed to preserving and fostering public access and participation in meetings of the City Council, all City subordinate bodies, and all city non-profit corporation Boards and their subordinate bodies, as required by the Ralph M. Brown Act (Cal. GOV. Code §§ 54950 - 54963), so that any member of the public may attend and participate as the bodies conduct the public's business; and WHEREAS, the Brown Act makes special provisions for remote teleconferencing participation in meetings when the Governor has declared a state of emergency pursuant to Government Code section 8625, and either state or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing, or an in-person meeting would present imminent risks to the health and safety of attendees; and WHEREAS, such conditions continue to exist in the City of Pasadena.
Specifically, on March 4, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a Proclamation of a State of Emergency with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pasadena's Health Officer has issued numerous Health Orders regarding safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a June 14, 2021 Order To Comply With California Department Of Public Health Guidance For The Use Of Face Coverings And Select Sector Guidances And Public Health Protocols (which, among other orders, requires physical distancing of at least 6 feet) and a July 21, 2021 Order For Wearing Of Face Masks In Public Settings (requiring face masks be worn, regardless of vaccination status, in all indoor public settings). While on March 3, 2022, Pasadena's Health Officer updated local orders regarding the wearing efface coverings (changing from requiring masks indoors to strongly recommending masking), Pasadena's Health Officer continues to strongly recommend mask wearing and social distancing; and
WHEREAS, over the recent 4th of July weekend, Los Angeles County's COVID case rate hit its highest point in nearly five months, as two Omicron subvariants, BA.4 1 #R58MOXKEODE51Hvl
and BA.5, have become dominant nationwide and appear to be among the most contagious yet of this pandemic. Los Angeles County is hovering right below the COVID transmission level of "high" (the worst on the CDC's three-tier scale), which would indicate that a region is experiencing significant spread and that transmission is starting to exert stress on hospitals, and is close to reinstating a universal indoor mask mandate - which Pasadena would follow suit and mandate as well. One of the biggest concerns with regard to these subvariants is their ability to reinfect people even after suffering from an earlier Omicron subvariant, creating the possibility for elevated infection levels through the summer and in to the fall. Pasadena's Health Officer, Dr.
Ying Ying Goh, recently stated that Pasadena is in a significant surge - without coming down from the last surge - because of the BA.4 and BA.5 variants. Pasadena's confirmed case rates are extremely high (well above the CDC high transmission level), and are underestimated because only a small proportion of people with COVID are taking PCR tests; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 9868, on October 4, 2021, by Resolution No. 9871 on November 1, 2021, by Resolution No. 9878 on November 29, 2021, by Resolution No. 9884 on December 13, 2021, by Resolution No. 9885 on January 10, 2022, by Resolution No. 9891 on February 7, 2022, by Resolution No. 9894 on February 28, 2022, by Resolution No. 9902 on March 21, 2022, by Resolution No. 9905 on April 11, 2022, by Resolution No. 9911 on May 9, 2022, by Resolution No.9914 on May 23, 2022, and by Resolution No. 9926 on June 20, 2022, the City Council found that the then-existing situation with regard to COVID-19, was causing, and would continue to cause, risks to the safety of persons within the City and directed that the City Council, all City subordinate bodies, and all city non-profit corporation Boards and their subordinate bodies shall conduct their meetings with remote participation in the manner authorized by Government Code § 54953(e), and such legislative bodies shall comply with the requirements to provide the public with access to the meetings as prescribed in Government Code § 54953(e)(2); and
WHEREAS, as required by Government Code § 54953(e)(3), the City Council now finds that it has reconsidered the circumstances of the state of emergency, the state of emergency continues to directly impact the ability of the City Council, all City 2 #R58MOXKEODE51Hvl
subordinate bodies, and all city non-profit corporation Boards and their subordinate bodies to meet safely in person, and state and local orders regarding the promotion of social distancing and mask wearing remain in effect.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Pasadena as follows:
Section 1. Recitals. The Recitals set forth above are true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference.
Section 2. Remote Teleconference Meetings. The City Council, all City subordinate bodies, and all city non-profit corporation Boards and their subordinate bodies shall continue to conduct their meetings with remote participation in the manner authorized by Government Code § 54953(e), and such legislative bodies shall continue to comply with the requirements to provide the public with access to the meetings as prescribed in Government Code § 54953(e)(2).
Section 3. Effective Date of Resolution. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption and shall be effective until the earlier of August 17, 2022, or such time as the City Council adopts a subsequent resolution in accordance with Government Code § 54953(e)(3) to extend the time during which meetings may continue to be held remotely by teleconference in compliance with that section.
Adopted at themeeting of the City Council on theday of
_, 2022 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Approved as to form:
/s/ Theresa Fuentes
Theresa E. Fuentes
Assistant City Attorney
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Mark Jomsky, City Clerk
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