HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/16/2024 00. Misc. Distributed at the Meeting Distributed at the DRAFT
Meeting 0/-/(,-.70
RESOLUTION NO. R-2024- COPY
A RESOLUTION ratifying and confirming the Mayor's Proclamation of Emergency and Order
regarding a state of emergency in the City of Yakima due to the extreme
cold temperatures and wind chill.
WHEREAS, on between January 12 and January 15, 2024, the temperatures in the City
of Yakima dropped to between single digits with windchills reaching -11°F according to the
National Weather Service information at Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field; and
WHEREAS, the extremely cold weather conditions threatened the health and safety of all
Yakima residents who did not have adequate heat sources or who might be unhoused; and
WHEREAS, the cold weather shelters already established for the extreme weather were
at or near capacity and needed time to assemble additional space and shelter for those needing
it during the winter weather; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the weather and the need for additional warming shelter space,
especially space for overnight guests, while the other shelters obtained the necessary supplies to
increase capacity, and to provide for the best opportunity for the City of Yakima to address the
immediate threat to life, health and safety caused by the extremely cold weather, the Mayor issued
a Proclamation of Civil Emergency and Order on January 13, 2024, attached hereto and
incorporated herein, in accordance with City Ordinance and State statute; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that it is in the best interests of the City of
Yakima to ratify and confirm the Mayor's Proclamation of Civil Emergency and Order; now,
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA:
1. The City Council of the City of Yakima ratifies and confirms the Mayoral Proclamation of Civil
Emergency and Order issued January 13, 2024.
2. The Proclamation of Civil Emergency and Order are hereby expired effective immediately due
to the increased capacity at the Union Gospel Mission and Camp Hope.
3. The City Council wishes to thank everyone who helped with the efforts to open St. Michael's
church to help shelter those in need while Camp Hope and Union Gospel Mission increased
their respective capacities, and also thanks Camp Hope, Union Gospel Mission and all other
entities and people providing shelter, supplies, food, and hope to those in need during these
extremely cold temperatures.
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 16th day of January, 2024.
Patricia Byers, Mayor
ATTEST:
Rosalinda Ibarra, City Clerk
MAYORAL PROCLAMATION COPY
OF CIVIL EMERGENCY
City of Yakima
January 13, 2024
Proclamation No. 2024-01
WHEREAS, on January 12, 2024, the temperatures in the City of Yakima dropped to 5°F
with wind chills down to -10°F according to the National Weather Service information at Yakima
Air Terminal-McAllister Field; and
WHEREAS, the temperature dipped to 3°F with wind chills down to -11°F on January 13,
2024, during the day according to the National Weather Service information at Yakima Air
Terminal-McAllister Field; and
WHEREAS, the weather forecast for includes highs on Sunday, January 14, 2024 of
13°F to 15°F, with lows on Sunday night between 1°F and 4°F, and similar highs and lows for
Monday, January 15; and
WHEREAS, these conditions threaten the health and safety of all Yakima residents who
may not have adequate heat sources or who may be unhoused; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the cold weather and wind chill levels, I find it necessary to
declare a state of civil emergency to avoid the imminent risk of death or significant injury to
people as a result of these temperatures and wind chill levels; and
WHEREAS, a civil emergency exists requiring me to exercise the emergency powers
vested in me as Mayor by Yakima Municipal Code ("YMC") Chapter 6.06 entitled "Emergency
Powers of Mayor, City Council and City Manager", and
WHEREAS, I have reviewed the situation, consulted with the City Manager and verified
the existence of the emergency cited below, and the necessity for me to take immediate,
extraordinary action as outlined in this Proclamation and Order; and
WHEREAS, in the judgment of the Mayor, extraordinary measures are necessary to
protect the public peace, safety, health and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor is authorized by YMC Chapter 6.06 to take certain actions
necessary to protect persons and property in the event of an emergency; and
WHEREAS, the area impacted or endangered by the current situations includes the
entire City of Yakima city limits; and
WHEREAS, the extreme cold temperatures and wind chill levels qualify as a civil
emergency and requires decisive action to protect the health and safety of persons without heat
or who are unhoused to avoid death or significant physical injury; and
WHEREAS, RCW 38.52.070(2) on emergency powers and YMC 6.06.030(D) authorize
the City to enter into contracts and incur obligations necessary to combat a civil emergency,
protecting the health and safety of persons and property, and providing emergency assistance
to the victims of such civil emergency if needed and appropriate; and
•
WHEREAS, upon the proclamation of a civil emergency by the Mayor and during the
existence of such emergency, the Mayor may make and proclaim various actions and orders
pursuant to YMC 6.06.030(D) in order to address an emergency situation; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to YMC f6.06.030, civil emergency orders by the Mayor"shall, at
the earliest practicable time but in no event more than seventy-two (72) hours after the
proclamation of the respective order(s), be presented to the City Council for ratification and
confirmation, and if not so ratified and confirmed, shall be void", and
WHEREAS, pursuant to YMC 6.06.040 regarding delivery of the proclamation to the
news media, the Mayor shall cause any proclamation issued pursuant to YMC Chapter 6.06 "to
be delivered to all news media within the City and shall utilize such other available means,
including public address systems, as shall be necessary in his or her judgment, to give notice of
such proclamation to the public; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor finds it to be in the best interest of the City of Yakima to declare
and proclaim a state of emergency for the City of Yakima, to establish measures to protect
public health and safety, and to define the geographical area within the City limits to which this
Proclamation and Order applies; now, therefore,
IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED:
1. Determination of Emergency. A state of emergency currently exists and
continues to exist in the City of Yakima as a result of the extremely low temperatures and wind
chills associated with the current weather in the City of Yakima. As a result of this extremely
cold weather, I authorize the City of Yakima to exercise all actions necessary during the state of
emergency to protect the safety, health and well-being of residents of the City, to include, but
not be limited to:
a. allowing places of worship or community centers to operate as extreme
winter weather shelters for those residents in need of a warm place to reside
during this weather without obtaining the permit required in YMC 6.92; and
b. authorizing the City to enter into contracts and obligations necessary to
respond to the declared emergency to protect the health, welfare and
property of the City's residents and to provide emergency assistance as
appropriate and to otherwise suspend the requirements for bidding processes
and formalities otherwise required by law unless mandated by Constitutional
requirements in order to respond tor the emergency that exists.
2. Violation—Penalty. Pursuant to YMC 6.06.050 on "Violation—Penalty," "it is
unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to obey such Order proclaimed by the Mayor or the City
Council" issued pursuant to YMC Chapter 6.06, and any person convicted of a violation of YMC
6.06 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be punished by a fine of not more than Five
Hundred Dollars or by imprisonment in jail for not more than ninety days, or by both such fine
and imprisonment.
3. Subsequent Orders. The Mayor is authorized to issue subsequent Orders
which are additionally necessary to address the present situation, pursuant to and in
accordance with YM 6.06.030 and subject to the approval of the City Council within seventy-two
hours of their issuance.
4. Circulation. To the extent practicable, notices of this Proclamation and Order
shall be made available to all news media within the City of Yakima pursuant to YMC 6.06.040
and to the general public.
5. Presentation, Ratification, Termination. This Proclamation and Order shall at
the earliest practicable time pursuant to YMC 6.0-6.030 be presented to the City Council for
ratification and confirmation, modification, or rejection, but in no event more than seventy-two
(72) hours after the proclamation of this Order, and if rejected, shall be void. This Proclamation
and Order shall remain in effect until such time as it is removed by a subsequent City
Proclamation, Order or Resolution when it is determined that the extraordinary measures are no
longer required for the protection of the public peace, safety, health and welfare, or until
Tuesday, January 16, 2024, when the City Council shall either modify, renew, or discontinue
this Proclamation and Order, whichever occurs first.
DATED this 13th day of January, 2024
Patricia Byers, Mayor
City of Yakima