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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-2022-009 Ratifying and confirming the Mayor's Proclamation of Emergency and Order regarding a state of emergency in the City of Yakima due to severe winter weatherRESOLUTION NO. R-2022-009 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 severe winter weather WHEREAS, the City of Yakima has been and continues to be impacted by the effects of severe winter weather, including two significant snow storms within three days, followed by periods of freezing rain, freezing fog, and nightly re -freezing of snow and ice melt since January 3, 2022; and WHEREAS, the continued presence of compact snow and ice on many neighborhood roads, the continued efforts to haul snow and ice from some locations, and the threat of flooding from further snow and ice melt is putting significant pressure on City of Yakima personnel, equipment, resources and infrastructure; and WHEREAS, the City Public Works Department has expended a significant amount of excess time and resources in responding to the dangerous road conditions created by the severe weather conditions; and WHEREAS, the Yakima Fire Department and Yakima Police Department experienced an increase in their emergency call volumes; WHEREAS, the severe weather necessitated and continues to necessitate emergency action to preserve public health and property and protect life; and WHEREAS, the severe weather resulted in the City's use of employee services, equipment and financial resources to attempt to reduce impacts of the weather conditions; and WHEREAS, Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 6.06 authorizes the proclamation of a civil emergency as is necessary to meet the various problems which have or may occur due to severe weather conditions; and BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA: 1. The City Council ratifies and confirms the Mayoral Proclamation of Civil Emergency and Order issued on January 18, 2022. 2. The City Manager is authorized to request any state or federal assistance that may be available to meet the demands of the emergency, and is further authorized to take actions consistent with and necessary to effectuate the Mayoral Proclamation of Civil Emergency and Order issued on January 18, 2022. 3. The Mayoral Proclamation of Civil Emergency and Order shall be in effect until the Council's next regular business meeting on February 1, 2022. ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 18th day of January, 2022. Janice Deccio, Mayor ATTEST: 1}(Ca4 Sonya Claar Tee, City Clerk MAYORAL PROCLAMATION OF CIVIL EMERGENCY AND ORDER Proclamation No. 2022-01 City of Yakima, Washington January 18, 2022 WHEREAS, the City of Yakima has been and continues to be impacted by the effects of severe winter weather, including two significant snow storms within three days, followed by periods of freezing rain, freezing fog, and nightly re -freezing of snow and ice melt since January 3, 2022; and WHEREAS, the continued presence of compact snow and ice on many neighborhood roads, the continued efforts to haul snow and ice from some locations, and the threat of flooding from further snow and ice melt is putting significant pressure on City of Yakima personnel, equipment, resources and infrastructure; and WHEREAS, the City Public Works Department has expended a significant amount of excess time and resources in responding to the dangerous road conditions created by the severe weather conditions; and WHEREAS, the Yakima Fire Department and Yakima Police Department experienced an increase in their emergency call volumes; WHEREAS, the severe weather necessitated emergency action to preserve public health and property and protect life; and WHEREAS, the severe weather resulted in the City's use of employee services, equipment and financial resources to attempt to reduce impacts of the weather conditions; and WHEREAS, Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 6.06 authorizes the proclamation of a civil emergency as is necessary to meet the various problems which have or may occur due to severe weather conditions; and WHEREAS, all City offices and employees of the City of Yakima are directed to continue to exercise the utmost diligence in the discharge of duties required of them for the duration of the emergency relating to the severe winter weather, and in execution of this emergency declaration; and WHEREAS, the Mayor finds it to be in the best interest of the City of Yakima to proclaim a state of emergency for the City, now, therefore, 1. Determination of Emergency. A state of emergency currently exists and has existed since January 3, 2022 in the City of Yakima as a result of the effects of severe winter weather, including two significant snow storms within three days, followed by periods of freezing rain, freezing fog, and nightly re -freezing of snow and ice melt since January 3, 2022. 2. As a result of this state of emergency, I authorize the City of Yakima to exercise all actions necessary during the state of emergency to protect the safety and well-being of the residents of the City, including the procurement of necessary supplies and equipment, and the use of City resources as may be appropriate. 3. Violation --Penalty. Pursuant to YMC 6.06.050 on "Violation —Penalty," "it is unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to obey any 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 Chapter 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. 4. 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 YMC 6.06.030 and subject to approval of the City Council within seventy-two hours of their issuance. 5. Circulation. A copy of this Proclamation and Order shall be sent to the Governor of the State of Washington and to the County Commissioners of Yakima County. 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. 6. Presentation, Ratification, Termination. This Proclamation and Order shall at the earliest practicable time pursuant to YMC 6.06.030 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 health, safety and welfare and/or public peace, or until February 1, 2022, when the City Council shall either modify, renew or allow this Proclamation and Order to expire; whichever occurs first. DATED this 18th day of January, 2022. Janice Deccio, Mayor The City of Yakima