Title
Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board:
1) Receive a presentation from the Public Health Officer to illustrate the readiness of El Dorado County to move into Phase 2 of California's COVID-19 Safety Plan and setting forth the County of El Dorado's local plan to begin Phase 2 by adopting various safety measures to allow businesses and facilities identified in Phase 2 to reopen safely;
2) Authorize the Board Chair to sign a letter on behalf of the Board of Supervisors attesting to the County's readiness to move through Phase 2, based on the Public Health Officer's attestation, affirming the Board of Supervisors' agreement that the businesses and facilities identified can open safely, without unduly endangering the people of El Dorado County or causing an unmanageable surge of cases, as long as the businesses and facilities implement all of the safety measures identified by the Emergency Operations Center's local readiness plan (Reopening Guidelines); and
3) Authorize staff to submit the County's local readiness plan (Reopening Guidelines), the letter of attestation from the Board of Supervisors in support of implementing an accelerated Phase 2 as may be modified by the Board of Supervisors and signed by the Board Chair, and the letter of attestation from the Public Health Officer, to the Governor's Office and the California Department of Public Health.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
All California counties have been operating under a stay-home order from the Governor since March 19, 2020. The Governor has recently announced that counties may begin "opening" by moving through the first phases of a phased opening approach, if they can demonstrate current readiness and to maintain readiness. What is being contemplating currently is moving El Dorado County to Stage 2 of the phased opening plan.
El Dorado County's Public Health Officer shared the County's Phase 2 plan at last week's board meeting (#20-0617), sharing the County's Reopening Guidelines for all businesses and employers.
The action presented now is to consider providing more exact direction to the businesses and other employers that may be given permission to resume operations and activities. Modifications to current guidelines may be necessary within the coming days, based on new or additional information received from the State of California.
In order for El Dorado County to move to Phase 2 of reopening, it is recommended that the Board consider these Guidelines, and authorize the Chair to sign a letter regarding these Guidelines and attesting to the County's readiness, as informed by the State and prepared by the County's Emergency Operations Center. It is also recommended that the County's Public Health Officer issue an "attestation" to the County's readiness, based on the County's approval of and adherence to those Guidelines and the ability of the County to maintain that readiness.
The State's readiness criteria addressed in the El Dorado County attestation are:
• stability of hospitalizations
• personal protective equipment inventory
• health care surge capacity
• testing capacity
• contact tracing capability
• public health guidance in place
The draft attestation letter from the Public Health Officer is attached to this item. It should be noted that as information from the State continues to evolve, the final attestation letter and Reopening Guidance will be posted upon receiving the final guidelines from the Governor's Office.
The draft letter from the Board of Supervisors is also attached to this item, and pursuant to Board discussion and further input, may be modified as deemed necessary for Board approval.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could consider alternatives to the Guidelines or the draft Board letter, as may be raised. The Board could also decline to take action on this date and defer action to a later date.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Public Health, Chief Administrative Office, Sheriff's Office - Emergency Operations
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
None at this time.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety, Health Communities, Economic Development
CONTACT
Don Ashton, Chief Administrative Officer