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HomeMy WebLinkAboutagenda.council.special.202003301 AGENDA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING March 30, 2020 5:00 PM, City Council Chambers I.CALL TO ORDER II.ROLL CALL III.COUNCIL COMMENTS AND BOARD REPORTS IV.CITY MANAGER UPDATE V.ACTION ITEM Ordinance #04, Series of 2020 - Emergency Response Appropriations VI.ADJOURN 1 MEMORANDUM TO:Mayor and City Council FROM:James R. True, City Attorney Sara Ott, City Manager Pete Strecker, Finance Director DATE:March 27, 2020 RE:Request for Emergency Response Appropriations from General Fund Balance SUMMARY: This is the second reading of Ordinance #04, (Series of 2020) being considered by Council as an emergency ordinance pursuant to Section 9.12 and Section 4.11 of the Aspen City Charter. This Ordinance provides new appropriations of $200,000 from the City’s General Fund for the purpose of aiding City of Aspen residents experiencing housing, childcare and food insecurity due to the drastic reduction of employment opportunities resulting from the impacts of COVID-19. These financial resources are proposed to be transferred to Pitkin County Human Services to administer through its existing qualifications framework. This includes Pitkin County verifying income, household size, needs, and leveraging eligibility for existing state and federal aid programs. An intergovernmental agreement (IGA) would be executed by the Aspen city manager with Pitkin County to document details of tracking and reporting on the funds used for City of Aspen residents. These funds may be eligible for reimbursement in the future through state and federal relief packages; however, there is no guarantee. Further, reimbursement processes take time, while the need is immediate for the City’s economically vulnerable residents. BACKGROUND:The City of Aspen has been under a local disaster emergency declaration since March 12, 2020 due to COVID-19. Since the declaration, several Public Health Orders for local and state public health officials, as well as Executive Order from Governor Polis, has halted most aspects of Aspen’s hospitality economy. This has put some residents in immediate financial hardship for the most basic living needs unemployment rises in our city. As of March 19, 2020, midday, at least 50% of the 382 requests for relief that have been from City of Aspen residents. For these applications, County staff are conducting interviews and qualifying people as quickly as reasonably possible. Based on initial estimates, assistance is projected to be typically $100-$800/month for food plus additional dollars for rent assistance depending upon income and family size. 2 Without greater specifics at this time, an initial contribution of $200,000 is proposed to add a significant boost to the County’s efforts as bridge funding. FINANCES: This is a new appropriation request from the fund balance of the City’s General Fund. While the City’s collections (from taxes and fees) will be muted for 2020 relative to previous forecasts assumed when the 2020 Budget was adopted, this additional $200,000 can be supported from current reserves and will be factored into future spending authority decisions for this year. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Ordinance #04, Series 2020. 3 ORDINANCE NO. 04 (SERIES OF 2020) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO ADOPTING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS TO THE 2020 MUNICIPAL BUDGET IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 WHEREAS,the City of Aspen declared a local disaster emergency on March 12, 2020 pertaining to the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury or loss of life or property resulting from COVID-19; and WHEREAS,whereas the City of Aspen commenced and continues to support crisis response efforts (through both personal and other resources) led by the Pitkin County Incident Management Team; and WHEREAS,on March 17, 2020 Pitkin County Board of Commissioners adopted emergency spending authority for its Public Health Emergency Response programs to provide additional resources for rental, food and childcare assistance for those experiencing financial distress as a result of the COVID-19 impact; and WHEREAS,current resources dedicated within Pitkin County’s budget appropriation are likely to be insufficient to address the aggregate demands for relief, including those from City of Aspen residents; WHEREAS, the City of Aspen (the “City”) is a legally and regularly created, established, organized and existing municipal corporation under the provisions of Article XX of the Constitution of the State of Colorado and the home rule charter of the City (the “Charter”); and WHEREAS, Section 9.12 of the Charter authorizes the City Council to enact emergency appropriations through an emergency ordinances adopted pursuant to Section 4.11 for the preservation of public property, health, peace, or safety upon the unanimous vote of City Council members present or upon a vote of four (4) Council members, whichever is less; and NOW THEREFORE,be it resolved by City Council, Section 1. That the budget for the City of Aspen, Colorado for fiscal year 2020 be amended to include an additional one-time emergency appropriation of $200,000 from the City of Aspen’s General Fund. These additional resources shall be released to Pitkin County under an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the purpose of providing financial relief to City of Aspen residents in the areas of rental, food and childcare assistance under the existing Pitkin County qualification’s structure for relief. City Council does hereby authorize the City Manager of the City of Aspen to 4 execute suchIGA on behalf of the City of Aspen, subject to the approval of the City Manager and the City Attorney. Section 2. It is hereby declared that, in the opinion of the City Council, an emergency exists; there is a need for the preservation of public property, health, peace, or safety of the City of Aspen, its residents, and guests. This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage by the City Council at the second reading of the Ordinance. The City Clerk is directed that publication of this ordinance shall be made as soon as practical and no later than ten (10) days following final passage. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional in a court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions thereof. This ordinance shall not have any effect on existing litigation and shall not operate as an abatement of any action or proceeding now pending under or by virtue of the ordinances amended as herein provided, and the same shall be construed and concluded under such prior ordinances. INTRODUCED AND READ as provided by law as an emergency ordinance by the City Council of the City of Aspen on the day of , 2020. _______________________ Torre, Mayor ATTEST: _______________________ Nicole Henning, City Clerk FINALLY adopted, passed and approved this _______ day of ______________, 2020, by the unanimous vote of all City Council members present; or a vote of four (4) council members. _______________________ Torre, Mayor ATTEST: _______________________ Nicole Henning, City Clerk 5