PURPOSE

To request city Council approval of a proposed resolution that authorizes the City Manager to accept the Area C Joint Powers Agreement (JPA).  The JPA allows the City of Burbank to enter into a JPA with Los Angeles County and other Area C cities. The purpose of the JPA is to promote the coordination of disaster management, planning and preparedness efforts with all Area C cities by cooperative planning, training, and related activities under the direction of a Disaster Management Area C Board (�Governing Board�).

Background

1. .The State of California has adopted the Standardized Emergency Management System (�SEMS�) pursuant to Title 19, Division 2 of the State�s Code of Regulations, requiring all local governments within the county geographic area to be organized into a single Operational Area.

2. In accordance with SEMS, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles established the Los Angeles County Operational Area (�Operational Area�) on July 5, 1995.

3. In order to promote greater efficiencies in disaster management, planning, training, and preparedness, the Operational Area is further broken down into Disaster Management Areas (DMA�s).  These areas were previously known as �Civil Defense Areas�.

4. All the cities located within a DMA have mutual interest and objectives to accomplish, with reference to disaster management, planning, training, and preparedness within the DMA.

5. The Federal Government provides funds from the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) through the Operational Area to the DMA�s, for the purposes of coordinating emergency management activities within a DMA. 

6. There is approximately $350,000 available to the Area C DMA that will be withdrawn by the Operational Area, if two or more cities within the area do not sign a JPA with Los Angeles County for the purposes of coordinating disaster management. The annual EMPG grant for Area C is approximately $45,000.

7. Presently, the Burbank Fire Department�s Disaster Preparedness Coordinator participates in Area C disaster preparedness meetings and functions without financial support from EMPG money.  Access to these funds is only available to the cities in the area that sign a JPA and can be used for training, planning, disaster exercises, and other areas of disaster preparedness.       

8. The JPA provides for a Disaster Area C Board (�Governing Board�) that shall consist of one representative from each party who signs the agreement.  This Board will have decision-making power at the Los Angeles County Disaster Preparedness meetings and over the EMPG funds for Area C.

DISCUSSION

A representative from the City of Burbank (usually the Disaster Services Coordinator) already participates and meets regularly with other Area C Emergency Service Coordinators at Disaster Management Area C meetings to discuss issues related to disaster preparedness. There has been no compensation for attending these meetings or budgetary support from Area C to conduct any substantial programs within the area. This association has been going on for at least fifteen years and has worked well, given the lack of funding. Thus, the concept of collaboratively working with other cities in the area of Disaster Management is well established.

For the past few years, the Disaster Area Management Area (DMAC) coordinator has been a County employee.  While they have always been dedicated professionals, we should not assume that they are always representing the best interests of individual cities as that is not their job. In forming a JPA, the cities of Area C will determine a new coordinator who will be from one of the Area C cities. This form of more direct representation will be beneficial in many areas, including the area of State and Federal grants, in which we have been competing with the County for finite funds.

Analysis

Until recently, there has been minimal incentive to establish a JPA. However, with the reallocation of federal EMPG funds, a monetary incentive is now present. Once a JPA is executed, the City of Burbank, as well as the other JPA signers, can receive compensation for the time of City staff spent attending these meetings. Lacking a JPA though, the money that would have been allocated to Area C cities has been held in �suspense� by L.A. County. That money has been accruing in an Area C designated account and now totals approximately $350,000. 

Until two or more cities in Area C sign this JPA with the County, we risk being misrepresented, or not being represented at all, in critical decision-making discussions with the County. Furthermore, we risk losing access to the EMPG money. During this time of heightened awareness for disaster preparedness and available grant funding, it is advantageous for the City of Burbank to sign this JPA.

FISCAL IMPACT

By signing the JPA and becoming a voting member of the Area C Disaster Management Area Board, the City of Burbank will have access to a portion of the EMPG funds, with no match requirement.  Currently, the accrued money totals approximately $350,000. The anticipated annual EMPG will be approximately $45,000. As these funds originate from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) there is no guarantee that future funding will continue, but there is a long track record of over twenty years of funding under this program.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Staff recommends City Council adoption of a proposed resolution entitled:

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK APPROVING THE AREA C JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT

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