Minutes - Council - 04/14/2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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the Stay at Home Order timeframe. Mayor LeTourneau stated that he would prefer to follow the direction of Fire Chief Kohner and extend this indefinitely to increase efficiency. A roll call vote was performed by the City Administrator: Mayor LeTourneau nay Councilmember Riley aye Councilmember Menth nay Councilmember Heinrich aye Councilmember Kuzma nay Councilmember Specht aye Councilmember Musgrove nay Motion failed. Motion by Councilmember Musgrove, seconded by Councilmember Kuzma, to Adopt Resolution #20-076 Extending the Declaration of Emergency for the City of Ramsey, Minnesota, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as follows: 1.Under the authority given by Minnesota Statutes, Section 12.29, declares that the local emergency previously ratified on March 19, 2020 within the City of Ramsey, effective until April 14, 2020, be extended indefinitely pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 12.29, Subd. 1. 2.Directs the City Manager and Emergency Management Director to continue to coordinate such actions and request such local, state and/or federal assistance as needed to protect the lives and public and private property in the City of Ramsey and the recovery of the City from impacts of this situation to the extent practicable and allowed by law, ordinance and resolution. 3.Orders that this declaration be given prompt and general publicity and that it be filed promptly by the City Clerk. Further discussion: Councilmember Kuzma asked if the motion would include a link to the State’s declaration of peacetime emergency. Fire Chief Kohner explained the process for requesting reimbursement from the State and Federal government. He explained that the State does not look out for each municipality and cities may require reimbursement after the State’s declared amount of time. He explained that the City can choose to close its declaration of emergency at any time. He explained that if the City closes its declaration and wanted to be reimbursed, it would be very difficult to obtain that reimbursed funding and therefore he would want to ensure that the declaration remains open for as long as the City may need. Councilmember Riley stated that his objection to extending this indefinitely is that the emergency is not indefinite and therefore was unsure why the declaration would be made indefinite. Mayor LeTourneau stated that the reality is that the City does not know when the COVID-19 situation will end, and the purpose of this extension is to ensure that the City has access to the reimbursement funds that could be available. Fire Chief Kohner stated that if the opposition is to the word indefinite, that verbiage could be changed. Councilmember Riley confirmed that he would rather have that alternate language. Councilmember Heinrich asked when Anoka County’s declaration is set to end and asked who would have the authority to end City Council / April 14, 2020 Page 10 of 15