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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 073-20 To: Members of Dublin City Council From: Dana L. McDaniel, City Manager Date: December 1, 2020 Initiated By: Matthew L. Stiffler, Director of Finance Jerry O’Brien, Chief Accountant Re: Resolution No. 73-20 – Affirming support that funds distributed to the City and deposited into the Coronavirus Relief Fund (Fund 265) have been expended by the City only for costs permitted under the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Summary Dublin City Council adopted Resolution 42-20 at their July 27, 2020 meeting. That resolution affirmed that the City would spend funds received under H.B. 481 consistent with the requirements of the CARES Act. Resolution No. 73-20 affirms Council’s support for the utilization of these funds in the manner prescribed in Exhibit A. Recommendation Staff is requesting approval of Resolution No. 73-20 at the December 7, 2020 Council meeting. Office of the City Manager 5555 Perimeter Drive • Dublin, OH 43017-1090 Phone: 614-410-4400 • Fax: 614-410-4490 Memo Exhibit A EXPENDITURES INCURRED BY THE CITY TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC Description Category Amount PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES Employeess on standby during shutdown Budgeted Personnel & Services Diverted 1,075,912.80$ Recreation Center Support Staff - dedicated cleaning duties due to COVID and temperature checks of patrons Budgeted Personnel & Services Diverted 203,420.57$ Directors' Salaries - participated in EOC meetings to address COVID issues Budgeted Personnel & Services Diverted 127,638.95$ IT service tickets and projects - staff prepared City workforce for telework and online meetings Budgeted Personnel & Services Diverted 107,197.55$ Cityworks workorders - employees performing various duties such as installing distancing barriers, signage, etc Budgeted Personnel & Services Diverted 12,131.61$ Police - managed popup testing site for community Budgeted Personnel & Services Diverted 1,836.98$ Police Leadership - EOC meetings, policies and activities to address COVID Payroll for Public Safety Emp 197,897.16$ Staff salaries - administration of COVID funds Administrative Costs 7,398.85$ Employees were paid FFCRA Leave Public Health 24,688.11$ Employees were paid COVID related FMLA Public Health 14,033.07$ COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS Visit Dublin Economic Restart Program Economic Support 143,407.71$ Estimated for Nov and Dec 16,592.29$ Community non-profit organizations Estimated expenditures 60,000.00$ Community Outreach program Economic Support 2,524.80$ SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Meals provided through senior outreach efforts to combat isolation during pandemic Food 1,824.00$ Masks and gloves PPE 26,510.58$ Disinfectants, sanitizers, professional cleaning and disinfecting services, and other supplies to promote cleanliness and distancing Public Health - includes estimated for HVAC equipment 439,115.15$ Disinfectants, sanitizers, sneezeguards, and other supplies to promote cleanliness and distancing HVAC equipment to disinfect and filter the environment in City facilities Laptops and other equipment to permit teleworking and online meetings Telework 100,417.31$ Installation of videoconferencing equipment - Council Chambers Zoom services for online meetings Pop up testing for community Testing 5,229.28$ TOTAL EXPENDITURES 2,567,776.77$ NOTE - Expenditures are summarized by the following categories as required by the guidance issued by the US Treasury Dept. and the Ohio Budget and Management for reporting purposes. EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY A) Administrative 7,398.85$ B)Budgeted Personnel & Services Diverted 1,528,138.46$ C)COVID-19 Testing & Contact Tracing 5,229.28$ L)Payroll for Public Safety Emp 197,897.16$ G)Food Programs 1,824.00$ M)PPE 26,510.58$ N)Public Health 477,836.33$ I)Telework 100,417.31$ D)Economic Support 222,524.80$ 2,567,776.77$ CFR REVENUE RECEIVED NOTE - Some of the expenditures have estimated amounts since final invoices have not been received and approved yet.Franklin County 2,141,693.50$ Therefore, some of the final amounts may differ from the amounts presented here. However, it is not expected that Union County 311,788.82$ any differences would be significant and would be differences by category only since all funds are expected to be expended.Delaware County 114,294.45$ 2,567,776.77$ -$ Resolution 73-20 Exhibit A Descriptions of Expenditures: EMPLOYEES ON STANDBY As part of the response to the COVID emergency, certain employees were put on standby status per direction of the City Manager. This means the employees were in on-call status but were expected to stay at home until called. The purpose of this action was to have employees remain socially distanced so that not all employees would be exposed at once in the event of a major outbreak of infection within the City workforce. The intent was to keep employees safe and to have a backup contingent of employees ready to report to work when needed. This was to help ensure there was an adequate workforce available to maintain operations during the public health emergency. This was in accordance with the City Manager’s emergency plan to reduce the risk of an interruption of services to the citizenry of Dublin. Since these employees in standby status were not performing their regular job duties, their duties were substantially modified in response to the public health emergency. A legal opinion was requested and received from the City Attorney indicating that the City was complying with the guidance provided by the US Treasury Department on the use of funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund for the payment of salaries of public safety personnel. RECREATION CENTER SUPPORT STAFF These employees were dedicated to cleaning the Recreation Center facilities to help protect against the spread of COVID-19. Staff members were also responsible for administering temperature checks to all patrons and employees entering the facilities. The duties performed by these employees were in direct response to the pandemic and were substantially modified from their regular duties. DIRECTORS’ SALARIES EOC MEETINGS Starting at the beginning of the pandemic, the City leadership team began meeting every day to discuss the crisis, to plan and put into action the City’s response to the pandemic, and to make decisions about how to keep the City operating during the crisis as well as keep employees and citizens safe during the crisis. For the first two months, the meetings took place every day. As protocols were developed and implemented, the meetings were reduced to 2 meetings per week and then to 1. These meetings were conducted for an hour per day plus any preparation time for anyone who was presenting or gathering information for the group. This time was charged to the Coronavirus Relief Fund at the rate of 1 hour per manager for each meeting that they attended. These meetings were conducted in direct response to the pandemic and the work performed was substantially modified from their regular duties. IT STAFF AND SERVICE TICKETS Based on the City Manager’s Declaration of Emergency and the Coronavirus Disease 2020 Workplace Policy, certain groups of employees were directed to telework from home due to the pandemic. Management and staff in the IT department have worked to provide telework capabilities to City staff who worked from home and to provide solutions to problems and issues related to teleworking. Capabilities have been developed to provide online meetings between Resolution 73-20 Exhibit A staff, between staff and outside parties and public meetings such as Council meetings. These duties to provide teleworking capabilities were performed in direct response to the pandemic and were substantially different from their regular duties. The City had no intent to undertake a teleworking program or online public meetings program before the pandemic. CITYWORKS WORK ORDERS Certain departments in the City schedule their work through the Cityworks work order system. Any work performed by employees that was in response to the pandemic was coded at COVID related work. This included such activities as installing barriers to provided social distancing, installing touchless devices, installing thermometer kiosks, and installing signage providing directions to employees and the public regarding COVID requirements. POLICE LEADERSHIP TEAM With respect to public safety, the United States Treasury provided in the attached guidance that as a matter of administrative convenience, a government may presume payroll expenditures for public safety employees are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency, unless the chief executive determines that specific circumstances indicate otherwise. This determination has not been indicated. Therefore, the City can presume public safety employees are substantially dedicated to the public health emergency. The employees on the attached list are presumed to be substantially dedicated to mitigation efforts addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. The justification for the substantially different work is derived from the activities employees performed, including but not limited to:  Designing policies and procedures to address the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure public safety  Preparing for regular Emergency Operations Command meetings  Participating in daily Emergency Operations Command meetings as part of the overall City leadership response to address and monitor the pandemic emergency  Providing security for COVID testing within the Dublin community  Communicating to officer’s policies and proper procedures to help ensure the safety of officers and the public  Developing policies and procedures to allow police officers, as well as City of Dublin employees, to receive COVID19 rapid antibody testing  Sourcing personal protective equipment for the department A legal opinion was requested and received from the City Attorney indicating that the City was complying with the guidance provided by the US Treasury Department on the use of funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund for the payment of salaries of public safety personnel. STAFF SALARIES CHARGED TO ADMINISTRATION Guidance from the US Treasury Department states, “recipients may, if they meet the conditions specified in the guidance for tracking time consistently across a department, use payments from Resolution 73-20 Exhibit A the Fund to cover the portion of payroll and benefits of employees corresponding to time spent on administrative work necessary due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. (In other words, such costs would be eligible direct costs of the recipient). This includes, but is not limited to, costs related to disbursing payment form the Fund and managing new grant programs established using payment from the Fund. The charges from the CRF expended for administrative purposes are for staff salaries related to administering the funds received by the City through the CARES Act. Staff in Finance spent time and effort to research the requirements of the funding, compiling the information on the City’s expenditures due to the pandemic, examining supporting documentation for expenditures to monitor for compliance with US Treasury, Ohio Budget and Management, and State Auditor guidance on the funding, and other activities to provide proper accountability for the receipt and expenditure of the funds. EMPLOYEES ON FFCRA AND FMLA LEAVE Guidance from the US Treasury provides that, “Expenses of providing paid sick and paid family and medical leave to public employees to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions” are eligible for reimbursement from the Coronavirus Relief Fund. SUPPLIES AND SERVICES DUE TO COVID These were supplies and services purchased as a direct response to the public health emergency. This included personal protection equipment such as gloves and masks for City employees. The City purchased additional disinfectants and sanitizers, as well as professional cleaning services, to ensure proper sanitation of City facilities. Materials were purchased to provide social distancing such as plexi-glass barriers and touchless devices. The purpose of these purchases was to act in accordance with federal, state, and local guidelines issued by health officials to maintain social distancing and a sanitary environment to protect against the spreading of COVID-19 infections. Computer laptops and other equipment were purchased to allow City employees to telework. Equipment was purchased to allow Council meetings to be conducted online . Guidance from the US Treasury provides that “Expenses to improve telework capabilities for public employees to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions” are eligible for reimbursement from the Coronavirus Relief Fund. TESTING The City offered pop-up testing to the public on August 15. The testing was performed in partnership with PrimaryOne Health, the Dublin City Schools, and Franklin County Public Health. Guidance from the US Treasury provides that, “Costs of providing COVID-19 testing, including serological testing” are eligible for reimbursement from the Coronavirus Relief Fund. VISIT DUBLIN ECOMOMIC RESTART PROGRAM The City Manager signed a contract with Visit Dublin to provide funds to the organization to develop and execute an economic restart program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City’s intent was to support and promote a “restart” to hospitality activities in Dublin to attract Resolution 73-20 Exhibit A tourism, preserve employment opportunities and maintain the local economy. The City and Visit Dublin desire to assist the local economy in rebounding from the impacts of the pandemic. The guidance for spending money from the CRF allow for programs to market tourism. Staff recommends, due the nature of the program and the relationship of the City and Visit Dublin, that Visit Dublin be awarded a grant to allow the expenditures to be reimbursed from the CRF. COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Dublin, Dublin City Schools, members of the faith community and nonprofit communities joined together to discuss a coordinated effort to monitor outreach and service delivery to vulnerable populations in Dublin. The result was a group called “Dublin Cares,” which met regularly from June to September. The objective was to gather information, needs, mutual assistance requests and funding needs for those in direct service areas due to the hardships of COVID-19. The costs expended by the City for this project were the salaries of the City personnel involved with this project. This was for attendance at meetings and preparation time for the meetings and performance of tasks to further the goals of the group. COMMUNITY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Staff has identified non-profit organizations serving the needs of Dublin City residents that have had increased expenditures in 2020 due to the pandemic. These organizations provide the types of services that are eligible to be paid using money from the Coronavirus Relief Fund. They provide food and other assistance such as utility and rent payments for families with a loss of income as a result of the pandemic. These organizations are the Dublin Food Pantry, the Dublin Welcome Warehouse, and Dublin Bridges. Staff is still reviewing information from the organizations to determine eligible expenditures the City can reimburse them for so there is not a definite amount established for each entity yet. However, staff recommends that Council authorize $60,000 to be divided among the organizations based on the determination of eligible expenditures by staff. Once determinations as to the exact amount that can be reimbursed to each organization, the amounts will be finalized in a grant award to the entity.