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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE- SPECIAL CLOSED SESSIONSalas, Diana From: Tim Johnson <tjohnson@jlkrllp.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2020 12:27 PM To: eComment; Iglesias, Cecilia; Penaloza, David; Pulido, Miguel; Sarmiento, Vicente; Bacerra, Phil; Villegas, Juan Cc: Ridge, Kristine Subject: SA Council Special Closed Session Item- 3.17.19 City Council (cc City Manager Ridge) ... At tonight's special closed session item #1, you will be addressing the city's concerns with regards to COVIDI9 and the threat to public safety and facilities. Earlier today, the Board of Supervisors met to address various COVIDI9 items. One of the items that the Board was to address was the County's response with regards to the homeless population. As you know, the county operates a large shelter in Downtown Santa Ana, The Courtyard. The Courtyard houses over 400 folks on a nightly basis, feeds well more than 400 people, and those who sleep there are very close together. The Armory houses fewer people nightly but it is my understanding that the sleeping mats are very close together also and the group gatherings are larger than recommended. In the Board's special meeting today, they outlined a 4 point response as follows: 1. The Health Care Agency is to identify homeless folks who are elderly or have chronic health issues to find alternative arrangements for them, 2. Direct outreach teams to educate street homeless about COVIDI9, county services and linking them to services, 3. Direct the CEO to provide alternative food services, and 4. Direct shelters to implement new sanitation procedures. I am concerned that the county is not understanding the gravity of this situation. I am also concerned that our own government, both county and city, is essentially forcing people, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, to violate CDC guidelines. Yes, the above is a start but falls far short of what is needed to assist those who are struggling with safe shelter as well as those in our community who have secure housing. Below please find my comments to the Board sent last night, which apparently fell on deaf ears because the above does not seem to address the less than 6 foot proximity of sleeping space, the shear intensity of the number of homeless folks utilizing homeless shelters. The county is continuing to disproportionately impact our community here in Santa Ana and it is time that they take steps to remedy this situation. At a minimum, they should be acknowledging it and then discussing how best to move forward with a solution that will help those in need and our own community here in Santa Ana. It was my hope that the County would be taking immediate steps to reduce the number of people housed at The Courtyard and increase distance between folks according to the guidelines that our governments and health care leaders have suggested/mandated. The county has 100%full control over its own land and needs to take steps to spread out this population across the county. Some areas that are initially known to me that the county could easily provide shelters, trailers, tents, etc...: 100 acres by the Great Park, John Wayne Airport Main Street Parking lot, National Guard Armory or other locations in Orange/Costa Mesa/Tustin, County Fairgrounds, and Fairview state property. This vulnerable population deserves to be safe and our communities also needs to be assured that our county government is taking steps to address this issue before it turns into a bigger crisis than it is right now. By the way, these same issues need to be addressed by our own city at The Link. Fortunately, the link has a lot more space available in comparison to the 200 or so folks there, but I hope that the city is taking measures to segregate populations into small groups, increasing personal space, and isolating the vulnerable populations (over age 60/65 and those with health issues) into hotels/motels or other secure housing. The City needs to lead at the Link. The City needs to push the County to immediately address the shear number of people housed at The Courtyard to immediately disperse them into more appropriate housing situations while maintain safety, sanitation, and needed services for this population. Restaurants: As you know, the governor and many others have called for restaurants to cut occupancy in half. This should be the case at The Courtyard also. By not reducing the number of people who are eating at The Courtyard at one time, this again does not appear to be abiding by the spirit of the call for restaurant reductions. • Vulnerable Populations: As you know, the experts have called for those over the age of 60 and those who have medical issues to be quarantined or sheltered in place in order to prevent not only the spread but also getting the virus. The majority of the population of those who are residents/participants at our local shelters including The Courtyard and The Armory are likely either over the age of 60 or medically vulnerable. • Hygiene/Handwashing: As you know, it is highly recommended to wash hands frequently and to utilize hand sanitizer. There are many individuals who do not have secure housing to where they do not have safe and clean places to wash their hands. Now, in the light of the above information, I would hope that you will take dramatic, immediate, and important action in order to protect the most vulnerable in our county including those who are literally homeless on the streets and those who may be in emergency shelter. The county should be immediately implementing new housing strategies for those who are housed in emergency shelters including spreading them out across multiple locations. Obviously, with the concentration in Santa Ana and possibly the lack of physical structures available for this crisis, I would urge you to utilize available county land in other areas of the county. This may mean that tents and/or trailers and portable hygiene accommodations are needed as well as the use of hotels and motels as called for by the governor. As a reminder, the county has full and 100% control over the 100 acres by the Irvine Great Park as well as a John Wayne Airport parking lot on Main Street that is generally empty although right at this moment it is only about half empty due to the county utilizing it to store what appears to be fleet cars for auto dealers or something similar. Additionally, the county can easily work with the State of CA to utilize the Fairview site as well as other various National Guard Armory facilities in Costa Mesa, Orange, and Tustin among others. I also urge you to not allow homeless folks to congregate in unsafe gatherings especially with them being a vulnerable population likely with inadequate resources for hygiene. Please consider measure that will not allow those who are currently receiving shelter services to just walk out on to the streets of Santa Ana as that is not healthy for them or for others. I implore you to take quick action to help the flatten the curve and heed the advice of your very own advisors as it relates to the most vulnerable in our community. I pray for wisdom for the entire board and our county staff as well as our national, state, and local leaders. Thank you for serving. Z�oset�l�c��-gr(y 4m�1Nsl,WK Mtgmrsns Proudly part of the PKFglobal family Tim Johnson, CPA Partner 4 (949) 860-9892 (714) 743-1065 tjohnson@jlkrllp.com 2601 Main Street, Suite 580, Irvine, CA 92614 This message (including any attachments) contains confidential information intended for a specific individual and purpose, and is protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient, you should delete this message. Any disclosure. copying, or distribution of this message, or the taking of any action based on it, is strictly prohibited. JLK Rosenberger is a California Limited Liability Partnership and a member firm of PKF International Limited. a family of legally independent member firms and does not accept any responsibility or liability for the actions of inactions on the part of any other individual member or correspondent firm or firms. Orozco, Norma From: Suter, Monica Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2020 2:18 PM To: Ridge, Kristine; Pulido, Miguel; Villegas, Juan; Sarmiento, Vicente; Penaloza, David; Solorio, Jose; Iglesias, Cecilia; eComment Subject: COVID-19 Input from SEIU Local 721 Santa Ana Chapter Attachments: Letter to Mayor -Council n City Mgr 3 17 20 with Attachmts.pdf Dear Mayor, City Council and City Manager Ridge; Please see the attached letter from us regarding Item 55C tonight and related closed session discussions. Your review and consideration of the attached prior to decision making is appreciated. Respectfully, w4wH ca Monica M. Suter SEIU Local 721 Santa Ana Chapter LOCAL 721 IN. March 17, 2020 Subject: COVID-19 Closures, SEIU Local 721 Comments for Council Item 55C (email) SEW SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION, cIw, cLC Dear Mayor, City Council and City Manager Ridge (7�zcatiare); OFFICERS BobSchoonover PRESIDENT We appreciate the urgency, proactive measures taken by you all, and we offer our Linda Dent assistance, where feasible and safe, to help address the COVID-19 crisis. These comments VICE PRESIDENT are submitted for tonight's City Council Agenda Item 55C and closed session. Lillian Cabral SECRETARY Meet and Confers are most useful prior to implementing changed working conditions. David Green TREASURER Although requested of HR, we have not yet met and conferred regarding the impact of DIRECTORS closures and unknown changes being developed (without labor input) for your approval LA. COUNTY tonight. This letter and the attached are submitted for tonight's 3117120 City Council APRES DENT MeetingItem 55C and closed session comments. We also request that HR be directed VICE PRESIDENT q VICE KelleyDixon PRESIDENT to re-establish the City's safety committee —remotely, to work with management, labor and Lydia Cobra/ employees, to collaboratively address this crisis, safety concerns and reduce risks. Carolyn Dasher Patrick Conte Valenciais Garner During this crisis, we request that: Steven Gimian Adolfo Granados 1. all existing City employees be paid (as previously budgeted for) until at least the Aline MendizabMendoza al F. Tony Menremainder of this Fiscal Year, whether working, sick, care -taking, or sick themselves; Omar Perez 2. all employees —who were texted/directed not to work at closed centers or asked not to Jose Sanchez Grace Santillano anticipate future hours on timesheets--be fully paid without adverse fiscal impacts; Veryeti Vessel 3. non -sick employees be allowed to complete work tasks still needed and/or remote) Sharonda WadeP y; LAIOC CITIES 4. the below and enclosed `solutions be considered: ('subject to meet and confer): Simboe Wright VICE PRESIDENT • Healthy employees might be able to assist others with tasks required due to COVID-19 impacts; Stacey Karnya VICE PRESIDENT • Encouraging and promoting the use of remote work & schedule flexibility for care -taking; Joaquin Avalos • Providing emotional community support (staff staying in phone contact with eldedy/vulnerable); Pedro Conde Kesavan Korand • City staff assisting "meals on wheels" or other service providers during this crisis, etc. Guillermo Martinez Andy Morales Vctor M. Vasquez We look forward to your leadership being instrumental to stabilize the economic impacts to i Salvador Zambrano our dedicated part and full-time service providers (members), many of whom are residents TRI-COUNTIES Grace Sepulveda and who spend their paychecks in the City. Our Chapter members are an important part of VICE PRESIDENT Santa Ana's community and are ready to assist to be a part of the solution. Rosa Castro VICE PRESIDENT Roberto Camacho Wishing you and yours much health and safety during these unprecedented times, Jesse Gomez Charles Harrington Liza Roche INLAND AREA Christi Bell Monica M. Suter VICE PRESIDENT Cheylynda Barnard SEIU Local 721 Santa Ana Chapter President VICE PRESIDENT Mike Beato Enclosed (1): "SEIU Local 721 COVID-19 Position" Document` Tim Burke Orac)o Diaz Barbara Hunter Roger Nunez C: City Clerk (for Transmission into City Council Meeting Minutes Comments) Tara Stoddart HR Executive Director Steven Pham David Warpness RETIREE MEMBER Santa Ana Chapter Board, WSO Eunique Ferguson & President Bob Schoonover Charley Mims OCLF Executive Director Gloria Alvarado htto:/rwww.seiu721 wa 1545 Wilshire Blvd Ste 100 • Los Angeles CA 90017-4510 • Tel (213) 368-8660 • Fax (213) 380-8040 222 W Caimen In Ste 201 • Santa Made CA 93458-7777 • Tel INS) 623-52%• Fax INS) 6235 57 6177 River Crest Or Ste B • Riverside CA 92507-0786 • Tel (951) 571-7700 • Fax (951) 653{310 1651 E 4th St Ste 250 • Santa Ana CA 92701-5169 • Tel (714) 541-1 ON • Fax (714) 541.1084 77-933 Las Marshes Rd Ste 2057Aiea C • Palm Desert CA 922114131 • Tel (760) M5-1368 • Fax (760) 404-0712 44421 101h St W Ste I • Lancaster CA 93531J335 • Tel (877) 7214968 • Fax (6611206-7800 2472 Eastman Ave Ste 30 • Venture CA 930035774 • Tel (805) 6504420 • Fax (805) 650-1028 LOCAL III SEIU 721 COVID-19 POSITION SEW SEIU LOCAL 721's POSITION ON EXPANDED WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS DURING THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY The COVID-19 crisis is developing rapidly and SEIU Local 721 is acting swiftly to move employers to take concrete and prompt steps to accommodate the needs of our 95,000 members. Our union recognizes that the COVID-19 crisis is bringing instability and creating a financial crisis for working families. It's our priority to ensure that our members have the protections and support in this unprecedented moment in history. It will be important for our union members' employers to continue creating immediate policies in response to the CODVID-19 emergency and to revisit them as needed. This situation is changing by the minute, and our members who are on the frontlines of the crisis must be protected every step of the way. Additional Sick Leave We expect employers to provide additional sick days for all SEIU 721 represented employees to use when they are required to be absent from work due to the COVID-19 emergency. This includes, but is not limited to illness of the employee or their family member, dependent care, self -isolation, and quarantine. Closures and Service Interruptions Employees will remain in full paid status during facility closures or service interruptions in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Sanitation Employers will ensure that hand -washing and sanitizing stations are available in all facilities, and that extra steps are taken to clean and disinfect facilities regularly and thoroughly. Page 1 of 4 SEIU 721 COVID-19 Position — March 16, 2020 Special Precautions for Frontline Services In areas where there is high public traffic, the employer will make an effort to screen the public before entering buildings. In addition, the employer must provide all necessary personal protective equipment and supplies to avoid the contamination of public buildings with the COVID-19 virus. Communication We expect employers to communicate regularly with employees and their representatives, including periodic information updates, hot lines, consultations, and, where appropriate, negotiations. Employers will provide employees and the union all departmental COVID-19 protocols which have been developed or are in the process of development. Employers must meet and confer as soon as possible with the Union regarding COVID-19 protocols, including, but not limited to expanded telecommuting opportunities, access to personal protective equipment, emergency procedures, and steps to be taken in the event of confirmed cases of contamination. Expanded Telework To reduce the spread of the disease, and in recognition of employees' child care challenges due to mandatory school closures, where operationally feasible, employers should encourage the participation of telework by employees during the COVID-19 emergency. Employers will make every reasonable effort to promptly approve requests for telework. All employers will develop an Emergency COVID-19 Telework Plan, which may be implemented in the event that it becomes unsafe for employees to travel safely to or work safely at their normal work location. Page 2 of 4 SEIU 721 COVID-19 Position - March 16, 2020 Modified Work Schedules During the COVID-19 emergency, we expect employers to consider employee requests for modified work schedules to meet child care challenges resulting from school closures. Attendance Policies A moratorium must be placed on corrective or disciplinary actions in response to employee absences due to the COVID-19 emergency. Protections for Part Time, Temporary, and Recurrent Employees We expect employers to provide regular pay for part-time, temporary, and recurrent employees who have their regular working hours reduced/eliminated due to the COVID-19 emergency. This may include hours reduced/eliminated for reasons such as a building closure or program suspension. Employers must continue to provide the healthcare contribution for temporary and recurrent employees who may otherwise lose eligibility due to a reduction/elimination of hours during the COVID-19 emergency. Jails and Detention Facilities The employer will ensure all visitors are screened for COVID-19. In addition, all workers will be screened prior to coming into jails to avoid COVID-19 transmission to inmates and staff. If inmates are found to test positive for COVID-19, isolation measures that meet CDC's latest guidelines to will be enacted to isolate the individual and those that might have been exposed. Protocols, Training, Personal Protective Equipment, and Testing for Healthcare Workers Protocols - Employers must provide written procedures or plans for screening patients for airborne infectious diseases, and a system of controls to reduce employee exposure. Training -Training shall be provided on the critical skills needed during the emergency, including the collection of nCoV-19 pathogen Page 3 of 4 SOU 721 COVID-19 Position - March 16, 2020 specimens in the field from a Person Under Investigation (PUI); the safe use of personal protective equipment needed to collect such pathogens in the field; cleaning of contaminated, or potentially contaminated rooms. Self -Assessment of Competency - An employee shall not be assigned to activities related to the prevention and management of the nCoV-19 pathogen until the employee has acknowledged that he/she has been trained and achieved personal competency in such activities. • Personal Protective Equipment - Employees will be provided with and trained on the safe use of personal protective equipment as per CAL OSHATitle 8, Section 5199 and CDC regulations regarding "Novel or Unknown Pathogens" and "Disease/Pathogen Requiring Airborne Infection Isolation." Testing - Each employee who has collected nCoV-19 specimens in the field or who has decontaminated a room for the nCoV-19 pathogen or who has otherwise come in direct contact, shall be tested for the pathogen, medically evaluated, and quarantined if necessary. As the COVID-19 situation develops, our union is standing strong to make sure that our workers are safe and protected. Now more than ever, it is absolutely imperative that employers hear the demands of our union members and ensure that our members are properly equipped and trained to the point of competency. We understand the challenges of this rapidly developing situation, but will continue to hold employers accountable to quickly respond to and address our members' concerns. We represent over 95,000 public sector workers — we know that worker safety is the key to ensuring that critical pubic services continue being delivered when they are most needed. Page 4 of 4 SOU 721 COVID-19 Position - March 16, 2020