CCW Packet

CITY OF DOVER, DELAWARE COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 6:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers, 15 Loockerman Plaza, Dover, Delaware AGENDA Public comments are welcomed on any item and will be permitted at the appropriate time. When possible, please notify the City Clerk (302-736-7008 or email at cityclerk@dover.de.us) should you wish to be recognized. VIRTUAL MEETING NOTICE This meeting will be held in City Hall Council Chambers with electronic access via WebEx. Public participation information is as follows: Dial: 1-650-479-3208 Link: https://rb.gy/rhi401 Event number: 2530 702 6732 Event password: DOVER (if needed) If you are new to WebEx, get the app now at https://www.webex.com/ to be ready when the meeting starts. CALL COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING TO ORDER SAFETY ADVISORY AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 1. Discussion - City of Dover Emergency Operations Plan (Kay Sass, Public Affairs and Emergency Management Coordinator) (Staff Recommendation: Approval to send the City of Dover Emergency Operations Plan to the State of Delaware for acceptance of the 2024 Updated EOP) ADJOURNMENT OF THE SAFETY ADVISORY AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING 1

COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING - July 23, 2024 PAGE 2 UTILITY COMMITTEE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 1. Discussion - Possible Moratorium on Any Program Requiring Backflow Preventers (Council President David L. Anderson) (Staff Recommendation: Forward Resolution No. 2024-12 to City Council with a recommendation of approval) ADJOURNMENT OF THE UTILITY COMMITTEE MEETING LEGISLATIVE, FINANCE, AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 1. Discussion - Update on State Pension (Naomi Poole, Human Resources Director) (Committee Action Not Required) 2. Discussion - Mayoral Compensation (Committee Action Not Required) ADJOURNMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE, FINANCE, AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING ADJOURNMENT OF THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE THE AGENDA ITEMS AS LISTED MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED IN SEQUENCE. PURSUANT TO 29 DEL. C. §10004(e)(2), THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE TO INCLUDE THE ADDITION OR THE DELETION OF ITEMS, INCLUDING EXECUTIVE SESSIONS, WHICH ARISE AT THE TIME OF THE MEETING 2

Item 1. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN UPDATE KAY SASS – PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR 3

Item 1. Received a grant through the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP Funding) in the amount of $40,000 to partner with Vision Planning and Consulting to rewrite and update our Emergency Operations Plan. 4 2

Item 1. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN (EOP) A fluid document that we work through, and we utilize during instances that warrant it. An Emergency Operations Plan is a key component that establishes overall authority, roles and functions performed during instances. It aids in making sure all aspects are covered, and someone is accountable for each part, detailing what the organization will do during a disaster. 5 3

Item 1. It is a primary responsibility of the City of Dover to: prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from hazards or disasters occurring within the City’s jurisdiction. City officials must be prepared to respond quickly, appropriately, and effectively, especially in the onset of a disaster, where it could be up to 72 hours before the county, state, or federal government can provide supplemental assistance. Therefore, it is necessary that the City be able to execute operational plans effectively, mobilize available resources quickly, and call upon response personnel trained to carry out assigned emergency responsibilities. 6 4

Item 1. The EOP is made up of 3 parts The BASIC PLAN provides the overall concept of operations, the FUNCTIONAL ANNEXES (Essential Support Functions – ESF’s) address the response generated needs likely to be encountered in most disasters, and the HAZARD- SPECIFIC ANNEXES fine tune the methodologies of the functional annexes to address the agent (department, staffing, resources etc.) generated needs of a particular hazard. 7 5

Item 1. BASE PLAN (Part 1 of 3) The primary missions of the City of Dover in regard to emergency operations are as follows: • To save lives of people affected/impacted by the incident – this is the top priority of City Leadership, the Emergency Manager, and first responders, and takes precedence over all other considerations. • To prevent or mitigate disasters, to the greatest extent possible. • To reduce the vulnerability of City residents, resources, and property to any disaster. • To establish plans for protecting the citizens of the City of Dover. • To respond effectively to actual disaster occurrences, whether natural, technological, or human-caused. • To maintain continuity of government before, during, and following a disaster or other emergency conditions. • To provide for the basic human needs during and after a disaster or emergency – e.g., food, water, shelter, and security. • To restore critical services including power, sanitation, public health, transportation, and other critical services as quickly and safely as possible. • To assist with the restoration and recovery from such hazard, disaster, or event. 8 6

Item 1. Emergency plans work best when the departments/agencies responsible for “non-emergency” duties carry out the same, or similar duties, during an emergency. That is, if a job is done well by a given department/agency every day, it is best done by that same department in an emergency. Crises should be met at the lowest and most immediate level of government possible. Emergency plans call for a local response, supplemented only, if necessary, by a higher jurisdiction. Voluntary response and involvement of the private sector (businesses, non-profits, volunteers, and industry) should be sought and encouraged. Key partnerships are important to all phases of emergency management for disasters. 9 7

Item 1. City Org Chart 10 8

ESSENTIAL SUPPORT FUNCTIONS (Part 2 of 3) Item 1. 15 ESF’s Essential Support Functions 1. Transportation Annex 2. Communications Annex 3. Public Works and Engineering Annex 4. Fire Fighting Annex 5. Information and Planning Annex 6. Mass Care/Evacuation Annex (temporary housing) 7. Logistics and Resource Support (includes management of donations and volunteers) 8. Health and Medical Annex 9. Search and Rescue 10. Hazmat Annex 11. Food, Animal Care and Natural Resources 12. Energy and Utilities 13. Public Safety and Law Enforcement 14. Military Partnerships 15. Damage Assessment and Debris Removal 11

HAZARD SPECIFIC ANNEXES (HSA’S) (Part 3 of 3) Item 1. 8 HSA’s (Hazard Specific Annexes) Flood Hurricane Winter Storm Drought/Extreme Heat Thunderstorm Infectious Diseases HazMat Wildfires 12 10

Item 1. PARTICIPATION ▪ We had outstanding participation and input from: City Manager’s and Mayor’s Office City Clerk’s Office Dover Fire Department DPW Engineering and GIS Electric Department Fire Marshal’s Office Public Works Streets Police Department Water and Wastewater Planning Facilities Code Enforcement Fleet Procurement Sanitation Finance Human Resources Parks and Recreation Information Technology 13 11

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PROCESS Item 1. Emails to Departments with tight timeframes to get input back Reviewed each others' submissions via email – such as Primary to Supporting and reverse, Supporting to Primary Held a 4-hour working group meeting in person for all departments to have a voice in the final documents so they are invested and understand their roles. Representation from 100% of the departments for full collaboration and coordination of our efforts. Completed EOP Base, ESF’s and HSA’s that are easy to see who is part of which one. When an incident occurs, we don’t need to pull out the entire book, just grab the annexes and those referenced as Supporting to the Primary from ESF’s and work from a solid document. 15 13

Item 1. • It is required to have a plan in place in order to apply for reimbursements from National Declarations. If you do not have one you are not even eligible to apply. • Example: We were eligible to apply for 75% reimbursement in 2020 (which later changed to 100% reimbursement) making us eligible for over $1 million dollars in reimbursement of expenses. (Percentages vary due to available funds earmarked in the declaration) • By doing it in 3 parts it allows for easier updates by department – keeping us updated, keeps us eligible. • Copy available in my office if any Council would like to view it. 16 14

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Item 1. THANK YOU Kay Sass Public Affairs and Emergency Management Coordinator City of Dover 18 16

Item 1. City of Dover MAYOR AND COUNCIL PROPOSED COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2024-12 A RESOLUTION PLACING A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON ANY PROGRAM REQUIRING BACKFLOW PREVENTERS WHEREAS, in January 2021, the Delaware Department of Public Health adopted regulations encouraging the implementation of backflow preventers, but the requirements were not mandatory, except for those declared to have high-risk of backflow; and WHEREAS, in June 2024, the majority of the Delaware House of Representatives voted to amend the City of Dover Charter to repeal the City of Dover Department of Water & Wastewater requirements for backflow preventers, sending a message to the City of Dover to review the requirements; and WHEREAS, the Kent County Association of Realtors has presented cases of small businesses with no real risk of backflow being asked to retrofit at the cost of thousands of dollars with no benefit to the environment; and WHEREAS, these requirements will have a contradictory impact on the City of Dover’s adopted goals of reclaiming empty storefronts and the building for economic expansion; and WHEREAS, there will be ongoing costs to the City of Dover for inspections that will seriously impact the city budget in the long run; and WHEREAS, there has not been a proper review of the new requirements by the City of Dover City Council. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The City Council does hereby enact a moratorium for one year on any program requiring backflow preventers within the City of Dover, Delaware, excepting those deemed moderate or high risk by state regulations explicitly requiring backflow regulators, subject to the following stipulations and conditions: 1. This moratorium shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the City Council of the City of Dover, Delaware; and 2. All current and future enforcement, notifications, and requirements in process regarding backflow preventers are suspended for one year, and any penalties shall neither be assessed in any pending cases except for those deemed high risk P. O. Box 475 Dover, DE 19903 Community Excellence Through Quality Service 19

Item 1. PROPOSED COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2024-12 PAGE 2 according to state and local regulations or auxiliary water systems; and 3. Before any program can be implemented after this moratorium, it must be presented to the Utility Committee and passed by the City Council of the City of Dover; and 4. The City of Dover requests staff to work with members of the General Assembly to permanently address the regulations that led to the City of Dover’s regulations. ADOPTED: * _______________________________ ______________________________ ROBIN R. CHRISTIANSEN DAVID L. ANDERSON MAYOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT Actions History 07/23/2024 – Introduction – Council Committee of the Whole/Utility Committee 20