HomeMy WebLinkAbout032040 DEC - 03/13/2020 Declaration of a Local State of Disaster Due to a Public Health Emergency by
the Mayor of the City of Corpus Christi
WHEREAS, in March 2020, a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus was detected in
Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The virus has been named "SARS-CoV-2" and the disease
it causes has been named "coronavirus disease 2019" ("COVID-19"). Symptoms of COVID-19
include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Outcomes have ranged from mild to severe illness,
and in some cases death; and
WHEREAS, on January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization Director General declared the
outbreak of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and advised
countries to prepare for the containment, including active surveillance, early detection, isolation
and case management, contact tracing , and prevention of onward spread of the disease; and
WHEREAS, on or about January 31, 2020, the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary
declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the nation's healthcare community
in responding to COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the identification of "community spread" cases of COVID-19 in the United States
could potentially signal that transmission of the virus may no longer be limited to travel to outbreak
areas or contact with travelers who have visited outbreak areas; and
WHEREAS, according to the Center for Disease Control ("CDC"), it is likely that at some point,
widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States will occur; and
WHEREAS, the CDC warns that widespread transmission of COVID-19 would translate into large
numbers of people needing medical care at the same time; schools, childcare centers,
workplaces, and other places for mass gatherings may experience more absenteeism; public
health and healthcare systems may become overloaded with elevated rates of hospitalizations
and deaths; other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services,
and transportation industry may also be affected; and health care providers and hospitals may be
overwhelmed; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 testing capacity is inadequate to obtain levels of community infections,
and there is an ongoing risk and likelihood of significant numbers of COVID-19-positive patients
being identified in the City of Corpus Christi; and
WHEREAS, the City of Corpus Christi's Local Health Authority is taking steps to ensure the spread
of COVID-19 is contained, the community is kept safe, and the exposure risk is minimized; and
WHEREAS, the City, including its Local Health Authority, Health Department, Department of
Emergency Management, and other City partners, have been working successfully and diligently
to implement CDC guidelines, but now require additional tools and resources to protect the public
health given the current state of the epidemic and the need for a sustained response; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to the public health of the residents of the City of Corpus Christi and
surrounding areas that those persons under investigation, persons under management , and
quarantined persons remain within the confines of their homes or in safe, secure facilities during
the quarantine period following their exposure to the virus; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Texas Disaster Act of 1975, as amended, Texas Government Code
Annotated, Chapter 418, (the "Texas Disaster Act"), the Mayor is designated as the Emergency
Management Director of the City of Corpus Christi, and may exercise the powers granted to the
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Governor on an appropriate local scale; and
WHEREAS, a declaration of local disaster due to this public health emergency includes the ability
to reduce the possibility of exposure to disease, control the risk, promote health, compel persons
to undergo additional health measures that prevent or control the spread of disease, including
isolation, surveillance, quarantine, or placement of persons under public health observation,
including the provision of temporary housing or emergency shelters for persons misplaced or
evacuated and request assistance from the Governor of state resources; and
WHEREAS, by this Declaration of Local State of Disaster due to this public health emergency, I
declare all rules and regulations that may inhibit or prevent prompt response to this threat
suspended for the duration of the incident; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority granted to the Mayor under the Texas Disaster Act, I
authorize the use of all available resources of state government and political subdivisions to assist
in the City's response to this situation; and
WHEREAS, the City of Corpus Christi, and the people and communities of the City have suffered
or face imminent threat to the public health and the potential for loss of life and property resulting
from a disaster: the introduction, transmission, or spread (or imminent threat of the same) of
COVID-19 in the City of Corpus Christi; and
WHEREAS, on this day, the Governor of Texas certified and declared that COVID- 19 poses an
imminent threat of disaster and, under the authority vested Texas Gov't Code§418.014, declared
a state of disaster for all counties in Texas, and suspended any regulatory statute prescribing the
procedures for conduct of state business or any order or rule of a state agency that would in any
way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with this disaster; and
WHEREAS, I, the Mayor of the City of Corpus Christi have determined that emergency measures
must be taken to either prepare for or respond to a disaster due to this public health emergency
in order respond quickly, prevent and alleviate the suffering of people exposed to and those
infected with the virus, as well as those that could potentially be infected or impacted by COVID-
19, and to prevent or minimize the loss of life; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor of the City of Corpus Christi is empowered to take the actions described
in this proclamation pursuant to the Texas Disaster Act;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CORPUS
CHRISTI, TEXAS:
Section 1. Declaration of Local State of Disaster. A local state of disaster due to this public
health emergency is hereby declared by the Mayor for the City of Corpus Christi and, to the
maximum extent permitted by law, the surrounding areas, pursuant to 418.108(a) of the Texas
Disaster Act.
Section 2. Duration of Local State of Disaster. Pursuant to §418.108(b) of the Texas Disaster
Act, the local state of disaster due to this public health emergency issued in this proclamation
shall continue until revoked but in no event will it exceed a period longer than seven days of the
date hereof, unless continued or renewed by the consent of the City Council of the City of Corpus
Christi.
Section 3. Publicity and Filing. Pursuant to §418.108(c) of the Texas Disaster Act, this
declaration of a local state of disaster due to this public health emergency shall be given prompt
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and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the City Secretary.
Section 4. Activation of the City Emergency Management Plan. Pursuant to §418.108(d) of
the Texas Disaster Act, this declaration of a local state of disaster due to this public health
emergency activates the City of Corpus Christi's Emergency Management Plan.
Section 6. Protective Control Measures and Facilities. Pursuant to §122.006 of the Health and
Safety Code, the City is authorized to adopt rules to protect the health of persons in the City of
Corpus Christi, including quarantine rules to protect the residents against communicable disease
and provide for the establishment of quarantine stations, emergency hospitals and other hospitals.
Section 7. Audience and presenter social distancing and public testimony and public
hearing input at public meetings of the City Council and City Boards and Commissions. To
reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission, public meetings will be held in a manner intended
to separate, to the maximum practical extent, audience and presenters from personal contact with
members of the community, City staff, City Council and City Boards and Commissions. Public
testimony and public hearing input for public comment and on all items on the agenda at public
meetings of the City Council and City Boards and Commissions shall be provided in written format
and presented to the City Secretary and/or designee prior to the start of each meeting(s) of the
City Council and/or City Boards and/or Commission. This testimony and/or public input shall be in
accordance with the City Secretary's instructions, which shall be posted on the City Secretary's
door and on the City website and allow for electronic submission. The written public testimony
shall be provided to members of City Council or the applicable City board or commission prior to
voting on measures for that meeting. That written testimony shall be limited in accordance with
the City Secretary requirements and shall be placed into the record of each meeting. This written
testimony shall serve as the required public testimony pursuant to Texas Gov't Code 551.007 and
shall constitute a public hearing for purposes of any public hearing requirement under law.
Section 8. Effective Date. This proclamation shall take effect immediately upon its issuance by
the Mayor of the City of Corpus Christi.
ORDERED this the 13th day of March, 2020.
' 1^A`
J•e MCombv
ayor
AST: APPROVED:
7Z/l., X "V__;• ___
Rebecca Huerta Miles K. Risley
City Secretary City Attorney
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