Continuity of City Operations and Services
How the City has used CARES funding to maintain critical operations and services
Introduction
The City employs just under 4,500 people. Without this dedicated staff, the City would not be able to provide services or support to our community. The health and safety of our employees and our community are our first priority and the key to ensuring continuity of operations and services. City leadership analyzed and planned what was needed to continue business at the highest level possible.
The Mayor and Council adopted seven priorities related to the Continuity of City Operations and Services:
- Payroll Expense Reimbursement
- Telework/E-Government Solutions
- PPE/Cleaning/Sanitizing
- Public Facility Retrofit
- Parks and Recreation Phase-in Program
- Additional Rescue Units - Fire
- COT Employee Testing and Contact Tracing
The goal of these priorities was to ensure the health and safety of our community and our employees while continuing essential operations and services.
Continuity of City Operations and Services Allocations
Payroll Expense Reimbursement
In anticipation of the increased need for police and fire presence and response related to COVID-19, the CARES Act allows for reimbursement of payroll expenses beyond what was adopted in the budget before March 2020.
The Mayor and Council allocated $24.7 million toward this priority. These dollars provide relieve to the City's budget when considering the necessary overtime for our first responders related to COIVD-19.
Additional Rescue Units - Fire
Along with the expected need for overtime coverage for our first responders, the City prepared for the possible need of additional rescue units to aid our community.
The Mayor and Council allocated $1.2 million toward this priority.
Telework/E-Government Solutions
The City took immediate steps to implement e-government solutions and increase cyber security to allow for the continuation of services. These first steps drastically decreased the need for the community to be physically present to conduct business with the City. Simultaneously, the City implemented an emergency teleworking policy to facilitate any employee who could reasonably complete their work from home to do so.
PPE/Cleaning/Sanitizing
Providing our employees and our community the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as facemasks, is critical to slowing the spread of the virus and ensuring the health and safety of our community. In addition, those employees still working in the office or in the field have also been supplied the appropriate supplies for cleaning and sanitizing work and common areas to maintain a safe working environment.
Public Facility Retrofit
For those essential employees who need to report to on-site work each day, the spaces needed to be retrofit to provide a safe working environment. The retrofit included physical alterations for social distancing and interaction with the public, changes to ingress and egress paths, signage, thermometers, and sanitation stations.
COT Employee Testing and Contract Tracing
With just under 4,500 employees, many of whom interact with the public daily and return home to their families, the potential impact of spreading the virus is high risk. Testing and tracing were critical to mitigate that risk, slow the spread of the virus, and protect our employees and our community.
Parks and Recreation Phase-in Program
It became clear early in the shutdown that outdoor recreation was going to play a important role in mental and emotional health. The Mayor and Council allocated funds for the phased reopening of parks facilities and to maintain cleaning and to retrofit the facilities to make them safe for our community.
