To: County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Health Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Robert Gonzalez, 707-565-4416
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Environmental Health Disaster Contracts - Request For General Fund Contingencies
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a budget resolution programming $123,250 of General Fund Contingencies to support Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU) Lightning Complex Fire and Glass Fire recovery efforts in Sonoma County. (4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
The Health Officer proclaimed a local health emergency due to contaminated debris from household hazardous waste/materials and structural debris resulting from the destruction of a large number of structures in the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU) Lightning Complex Fires and the Glass Fire incident (“2020 Fires”) on August 24, 2020 and September 2020, respectively.
The Board adopted Urgency Ordinances for the 2020 Fires (Nos. 6323 6327) establishing requirements for the removal of fire damaged debris from private property.
The budget resolution provided with this summary authorizes the use of General Fund Contingencies in the amount of $123,250 to support the completion of recovery efforts from the 2020 Fires. Total amount of contracts are $147,000 with $23,750 already expended. These funds will be used to cover the costs of the work of two consultants that the Department contracted with to provide fire disaster monitoring services, including environmental, engineering, geotechnical, and geological consulting services for site clearing and materials abatement on affected properties. Costs associated with the LNU Lightning Complex Fires and the Glass Fire incident are not eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement.
Discussion:
For both the LNU Lightning Complex Fires and the Glass Fire incidents, the Board adopted Urgency Ordinances (Nos. 6323 and 6327 respectively) establishing requirements for the removal of fire damaged debris from private property. Section 4 (b) and (d) of those Ordinances read:
4. Removal of Fire Debris
(b) Application. The Director [of Environmental Health] shall adopt an application that discloses the appropriate licensed contractors and appropriate plans to meet the cleanup requirements. The Director shall approve or disapprove the application of a property owner based on the adopted cleanup requirements.
(d) Certification. Upon completion of the work described in the approved plans, the property owner shall submit a certification of successful completion of the work to the Director. The Director shall approve the certification if the property meets the adopted cleanup requirements.
In addition, Section 5(b) of those Ordinances read:
5. Hold on Building Permits.
(b) Any issued County of Sonoma building permit to repair or reconstruct a fire damaged structure or private infrastructure shall be held in abeyance until fire debris cleanup is completed on the affected property and the Building Official receives confirmation by the Director of an approved certification.
Within several months of the 2020 Fires, Environmental Health staff were deployed to regular, customary duties. In order to provide fire survivors with quick and efficient turnaround time for their approved certification, so building permits could begin to issue, the Department contracted with consultants David Bush, Professional Geologist, and Rebecca Ng, Registered Environmental Health Specialist to provide fire disaster monitoring services.
Services provided by the contractors include the following:
- Review of documentation submitted by licensed professional contractors and consultants to ensure that property certification reports for asbestos data, disposal manifests and soil clearance reports meet cleanup requirements.
- Provide technical expertise and professional stamp of approval related to fire disaster monitoring services including environmental, engineering, geotechnical, and geological consulting services for site clearing and materials abatement. (All documentation provided by registered geologists and engineers by private property owners requires secondary review by a similarly licensed professional on behalf of the County.)
- Evaluate, review and verify that impacted properties have been cleared of all debris, including all hazardous and potentially hazardous materials, and ensure that property clean-up completion certification report submittals for asbestos data, disposal manifests, and soil clearance reports have been submitted.
There were a total number of 231 properties affected by the 2020 Fires (84 from LNU and 147 from Glass), and with the assistance of the contractors, 214 properties have been cleared for rebuild.
The following is a list of contracts to be funded with the proposed General Fund allocation. Costs associated with the LNU Lightning Complex Fires and the Glass Fire incident are not eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement.
|
Contractor |
Remaining Contract Amount($) |
Term |
Supported Incident |
|
EGS Consultants, Inc. dba Environmental Geology Services (David Bush) |
34,050 |
October 1, 2020 - October 1, 2022 |
Glass Fire |
|
EGS Consultants, Inc. dba Environmental Geology Services (David Bush) |
40,200 |
October 1, 2020 - October 1, 2022 |
LNU Complex Fire |
|
Ng, Rebecca |
30,000 |
August 18, 2021 - June 30, 2022 |
Glass Fire |
|
Ng, Rebecca |
19,000 |
August 18, 2021 - June 30, 2022 |
LNU Complex Fire |
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
10/13/2020: Adoption of the Glass Incident Cleanup Emergency Ordinance
10/02/2020: Ratification of Local Emergency, Glass Fire
9/22/2020: Continued the proclamation of local health emergency due to the LNU Lightning Complex Fires
9/01/2020: Adoption of LNU Lightning Complex Fires Cleanup Emergency Ordinance
8/31/2020: Ratification of Local Health Emergency
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY 22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
123,250 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
123,250 |
0 |
0 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
123,250 |
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
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Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
123,250 |
0 |
0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Staff has been advised that several contracts that were paid out of the LNU and Glass fires Disaster Funds have been closed out without using the full allocation of funds. The unused funds total approximately $200,000 and will be returned to the General Fund. This Board item requests $123,250 in General Fund appropriations to cover related service costs associated with two previously declared disasters.
|
Staffing Impacts: None |
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|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Budget Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None