Title
Affirming the extension of Declaration of Local Emergency issued September 8, 2020 by Mayor Melvin Carter III.
Body
WHEREAS, Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019, commonly known as COVID-19, a respiratory disease-that can result in serious illness or death, is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is a new strain of coronavirus that had not been previously identified in humans and can easily spread from person to person; and
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2020, Mayor Carter declared under the authority given in Minnesota Statutes § 12.29, that a local emergency exists within Saint Paul, effective March 15, 2020, with all the powers and responsibilities attending thereto as provided by Chapter 12, Minnesota Statute, and Saint Paul Legislative Code, Chapter 13; and
WHEREAS, on March 17, 2020, the Saint Paul City Council, in Res 20-550 approved that declaration and extended the emergency for ninety days, until June 15, 2020; and
WHEREAS, on June 8, 2020, Mayor Carter declared under the authority given in Minnesota Statutes §12.29, that the local emergency continued to exist within Saint Paul, effective June 8, 2020, with all the powers and responsibilities attending thereto as provided by Chapter 12, Minnesota Statute, and Saint Paul Legislative Code, Chapter 13; and
WHEREAS, on June 10, 2020, the Saint Paul City Council, in Res 20-874 approved that declaration and extended the emergency for ninety days, until September 8, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to present an unprecedented and rapidly evolving challenge to our City. As of September 1, 2020, there have been 9,243 reported cases of COVID-19 in Ramsey County, and 298 deaths; and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, Governor Walz issued Executive Order 20-01 and declared a peacetime emergency under Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 12.31, subdivision 2. On March 16, 2020, the Executive Council approved an extension of the peacetime emergency. After notifying the Legislature, on April 13, 2020, May 13, 2020, June 12, 2020, July 13, 2020, and August 12, 2020 Governor Walz issued additional Executive Orders extending the peacetime emergency which now expires on September 11, 2020; and
WHEREAS, during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency, Mayor Carter has exercised executive authority through more than ten Executive Orders to provide relief and further prepare our City for the COVID-19 Pandemic; and
WHEREAS, these Executive Orders remain in effect only as long as the emergency continues; and
WHEREAS, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Minnesota Department of Public Health continue to recommend social distancing, source-control and cleaning measures, detailed plans for businesses, and that any individual with confirmed COVID-19 should remain under home isolation precautions until the risk of secondary transmission to others is thought to be low; and
WHEREAS, during this pandemic, it is possible that individuals who are not diagnosed with COVID-19 will be placed in quarantine to control or prevent further spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the necessary resources to respond to and recover from this pandemic will exceed those resources available within the City, and additional resources will be needed from Ramsey County, and state and federal sources;
WHEREAS, on September 8, 2020, Mayor Melvin Carter III again declared a local state of emergency pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 12.29; and
WHEREAS, Minn. Stat. § 12.29 and St. Paul Administrative Code § 13.06 provide that a local state of emergency not be continued for a period in excess of three days except by, or with, the consent of City Council; and
WHEREAS, Council finds it necessary to continue the state of emergency; and
WHEREAS, in the judgement of the Council immediate consideration of the emergency declaration is required; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that Council hereby continues the local state of emergency for a period of 90 days.