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2011-09-07 MinutesBOARD OF SUPERVISORS MINUTES September 7, 2011 Supervisors in Attendance: Mr. Arthur S. Warren, Chairman Ms. Dorothy A. Jaeckle, Vice Chrm Mr. James M. Holland Ms. Marleen K. Durfee Mr. Daniel A. Gecker Mr. James J. L. Stegmaier County Administrator 11-527 Staff in Attendance: Ms. Emily Ashley, Emergency Management Coordinator Dr. Sheryl Bailey, Dep. County Administrator, Management Services Mr. Richard Billingsley Deputy License Inspector Ms. Janice Blakley, Clerk to the Board Ms. Patsy Brown, Dir., Accounting Mr. Kevin Bruny, Chief Learning Officer Ms. Debbie Burcham, Exec. Dir., Community Services Board Mr. Allan Carmody, Dir., Budget and Management Mr. Mike Chernau, Senior Asst. County Attorney Mr. Barry Condrey, Chief Information Officer Ms: Mary Ann Curtin, Dir., Intergovtl. Relations Mr. Jonathan Davis, Dir., Real Estate Assessments Mr. William Dupler, Dep. County Administrator, Community Development Colonel Thierry Dupuis, Police Department Mr. Robert Eanes, Asst. to the County Administrator Mr. Michael Golden, Dir., Parks and Recreation Mr. Lawrence C. Haake, III, Registrar Mr. Garrett Hart, Asst. Dir., Economic Development Mr. Joe Horbal, Commissioner of Revenue Mr. Thomas E. Jacobson, Dir., Revitalization Dr. Parham Jaberi, Dir. Health Department Mr. Donald Kappel, Dir., Public Affairs Mr. Rob Key, Director, General Services Mr. Louis Lassiter, Asst. County Administrator Mr. Mike Mabe, Director, Libraries 09/07/11 Mr. R. John McCracken, Dir., Transportation Mr. Richard M. McElfish, Dir., Env. Engineering Sheriff Dennis Proffitt, Sheriff's Department Ms. Karen F. Russell, Risk Manager Chief Edward L. Senter, Fire Department Ms. Marsha Sharpe, Dir., Social Services Ms. Sarah Snead, Dep. County Administrator, Human Services Mr. Kirk Turner, Dir., Planning Mr. Scott Zaremba, Dir., Human Resource Programs Mr. Warren called the special meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. All five Board members signed a "Notice of the Meeting" waiving any further notice. Mr. Warren informed the audience that county staff was present for the briefing today to provide information regarding the storm and available to answer any questions. He further stated several Board members had the opportunity to stop by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and witness a very professional operation on the part of staff. He commended Ms. Emily Ashley, newly appointed Emergency Management Coordinator, for her outstanding leadership during this emergency phase. He specifically thanked all emergency personal, first responders, and volunteers for making sure citizens have been as comfortable as possible; businesses who provided hot meals; and non-profit organizations who stepped up to help during this emergency. 1. BRIEFING ON THE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS RELATING TO HURRICANE IRENE Chief Edward Senter, Ms. Emily Ashley and Mr. Rich Billingsley briefed the Board on the response and recovery efforts relating to Hurricane Irene. Chief Senter stated the purpose of the report is to provide the Board with an initial briefing of the county's preparation, response and recovery efforts as a result of Hurricane Irene. He further stated the data, facts and figures being provided should be considered estimates; and an after action report will be provided at a later date. He reviewed the storm track which made landfall on August 27th He stated the overall damage was less severe than Hurricane Isabel, although there were some areas with extensive damage. He further stated the greatest area impacted was Central Virginia. Ms. Ashley provided an update on the activities of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). She reviewed the preparation process which included monitoring the forecast; completed checklists; county briefings; public communication; J J J 11-528 09/07/11 state and federal emergency declarations; and a declaration of local emergency. She stated, since the EOC opened on Saturday, the call volume went up three times the normal amount. She reviewed public communications efforts that were made including Chesterfield public schools parent email alerts; county website updates; activation of the EOC call center; frequent news releases; media interviews; and county AM station updates. She stated Chesterfield/Colonial Heights Social Services opened shelters at Colonial Heights Middle School and Cosby High School. She further stated meals were provided to citizens at LaPrade Library and Bermuda Baptist Church. Mr. Billingsley provided an update on the recovery phase of the storm. He stated there was one storm related death; 232 homes damaged with an initial damage estimate of $1.7 million in public costs and $3.8 million in private property costs. He further stated over 100,000 (70%) of customers lost power in the county. He stated water quality was never affected by Hurricane Irene; some production and distribution facilities operated under generator power for extended periods; and there was a temporary tap established at Philips Fire Station for those on wells without electricity. In regards to the transportation system, he stated 799 roads were blocked by the storm and emergency clearing was enforced by the county. He noted VDOT was responsible for road and right of way clearing. In regards to debris, he stated the county extended hours of operation to convenience centers until September 11th. He further stated additional debris drop-off sites established included Rockwood Park, Dodd Park at Point of Rocks and Old Clover Hill High, School. He noted residential debris disposal fees are waived at this time. In response to Mr. Warren's question, Mr. Billingsley stated 30,000 loads were off-loaded at all of the convenience centers. Ms. Ashley provided a briefing regarding efforts of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and FEMA. She reviewed the reporting process in regards to initial damage assessment and preliminary damage assessment. She stated individual assistance from FEMA is for destroyed and uninsured losses related to the disaster. In regards to coordination efforts, she stated volunteer organizations played a huge part in the recovery process. Chief Senter reviewed the next steps to be taken by the Board, which included consent of local emergency declaration; designation of primary and secondary agents; and suspension of building permit/debris fees. He expressed appreciation to all county employees who interacted as a team in managing this emergency and providing services to the citizens, to the volunteers, and to the Board of Supervisors for their support. Mr. Warren stated a lot of material was covered in a very professional way. He stressed the importance of specific items that action was taken on before today because it was an emergency meeting. In response to Mr. Holland's question regarding insurance coverage, Ms. Ashley stated the initial damage assessment accurately portrays the homes that were severely destroyed. 11-529 09/07/11 In response to Ms. Durfee's question in regards to shelters, Ms. Ashley stated through internal assessments, Cosby High School was a more favorable choice because of capabilities of generated power. She further stated there was a greater need to accommodate residents with medical needs. Chief Senter stated the decision to open shelters is based on certain criteria. He further stated some citizens who could not be placed at an alternate shelter were housed in local hotels. He noted adequate resources are needed to maintain a shelter. In response to Mr. Holland's question regarding medical needs coverage, Chief Senter stated assessments were made based on the calls received through the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) . In response to Ms. Jaeckle's question regarding phone land lines, Chief Senter stated there are many issues in terms of land line telephone service and fiber optic systems. He further stated many challenges surface in regards to communication to the public when a power outage occurs. Ms. Jaeckle stated communication is hard to sustain without electricity. Ms. Iris Holliday, a representative from Dominion Virginia Power, briefed the Board on the power outage issue. She noted 11,000 calls were made to make citizens aware that they needed to be prepared for possible extended outages, especially for customers with medical needs. She stated the storm affected 1.2 million customers; 570,000 within the central region. She further stated some main priorities in restoring power remain public safety, coordinating with local emergency management to respond to emergency calls and to restore critical services. She further stated the classification of the damage was catastrophic throughout the county. She stated the 30 mph winds buffeted the county for 16 hours. In regards to the aftermath, she further stated there were 27 transmission lines out; 35,000 work locations; and 7,000 workers assigned, including mutual aid, to restore power throughout the system. She stated the customer call center received 1.4 million calls. Mr. Holland expressed concerns with estimated restoration times that were given to citizens. Ms. Holliday stated the goal of the estimated restoration times was to provide information to customers and the result did not yield the purpose. She further stated the system is being analyzed to provide more accurate information to customers in the future. Discussion ensued regarding mutual aid efforts. Ms. Holliday reviewed the priority order for restoration of the electric transmission and distribution system. She stated hospitals and other medical facilities, water treatment plants and public safety facilities are all part of the initial restoration phase. J J J 11-530 09/07/11 Ms. Jaeckle expressed appreciation to all Dominion Virginia Power workers and mutual aid crews for their hard work. She stated she conversed with a crew working to restore power in her neighborhood and found them to be very polite despite the conditions. Ms. Holliday commended the county's emergency management team and stated public safety was definitely in the forefront. In response to Mr. Holland's concerns regarding downed lines, Ms. Holliday stated no safety issues were reported in regards to live lines down. Mr. Holland stated he looks forward to a follow-up assessment and ways to provide better service to citizens in the future. Ms. Holliday stated a number of customers expressed concerns in regards to being the last to have power restored in their area. She further stated the order of restoration is not a discriminatory policy; it is a system procedure for the most efficient way to reinstate power. Ms. Durfee stated she found the crews she encountered to be very polite and attentive in regards to answering questions she had. In response to Ms. Durfee's questions, Ms. Holliday stated a complete analysis of the customer messaging service is being completed for customers to get the most accurate restoration information. In regards to over-head and underground electric lines, she stated a customer with an underground line is not immune to a power outage, because there is overhead service from the substation. She stated underground lines are an extensive expense on behalf of the company. In response to Mr. Holland's question regarding possible credits to customers, Ms. Holliday stated the meter is not turning on the days the power is off. Mr. Warren and Ms. Durfee asked Ms. Holliday to address customer concerns in specific neighborhoods in regards to distribution of power. Mr. Warren expressed appreciation to Ms. Holliday for her attention to the concerns and issues that have arisen as a result of the aftermath of the storm. 2. ADOPTION OF AN EMERGENCY RESOLUTION DECLARING THE EXISTENCE OF AN EMERGENCY IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AS A RESULT OF HURRICANE IRENE On motion of Mr. Gecker, seconded by Ms. Durfee, the Board adopted the following emergency resolution declaring the existence of an emergency in Chesterfield County as a result of Hurricane Irene: WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Chesterfield County does herby find that due to the impact of severe weather damage, including the effects of Hurricane Irene, Chesterfield County has faced condition of extreme peril which necessitated the County Administrator, Director of Emergency Management, to declare a local emergency at 3:00 pm 11-531 09/07/11 on August 26, 2011, in order to provide preparedness, response, recovery and other activities to protect life and property; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority granted by Section 44-146.21 (a) of the Code of Virginia, I, James J. L. Stegmaier, County Administrator/Director of Emergency Management for Chesterfield County, declared the existence of a local disaster at 3:00 pm on the 26th day of August 2011. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors this 7th day of September 2011, 1) that the act of the County Administrator, as the Director of Emergency Management, in declaring a local disaster is hereby consented to and confirmed, as are all actions set forth above pursuant to that declaration; 2) that all actions, powers, functions and duties of the Director of Emergency Management and the emergency management organization have been and shall be those prescribed by State law and the ordinances, resolutions, and approved plans of the County of Chesterfield so as to mitigate the effects of said disaster; and 3) that once all emergency actions pursuant to the declaration of a local disaster have been taken, as determined by the Director of Emergency Management, the declared emergency shall be ended without further action of this Board of Supervisors. Ayes: Warren, Jaeckle, Holland, Durfee and Gecker. Nays: None. 3. DESIGNATION OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AGENTS FOR COUNTY'S APPLICATION FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE On motion of Ms. Durfee, seconded by Mr. Gecker, the Board designated Mr. James J.L. Stegmaier, County Administrator, as the applicant's primary agent and Dr. Sheryl D. Bailey, Deputy County Administrator for Management Services, as the applicant's secondary agent for Chesterfield County. And, further, the Board adopted the following resolution: BE IT RESOLVED BY the Board of Supervisors of Chesterfield County, Virginia that James J.L. Stegmaier, County Administrator, and Dr. Sheryl Bailey, Deputy Administrator of Management Services, are hereby authorized to execute for and in behalf of Chesterfield County, Virginia, a public entity established under the laws of the State of Virginia, this application; and to file it in the appropriate State office for the purpose of obtaining certain Federal financial assistance under the Disaster Relief Act (Public Law 288, 93rd Congress) or otherwise available from the President's Disaster Relief Fund THAT Chesterfield County, a public entity established under the laws of the State of Virginia, hereby authorizes its agents to provide to the State and to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for all matters pertaining to such Federal disaster assistance the assurances and agreements filed with the papers of this Board. Ayes: Warren, Jaeckle, Holland, Durfee and Gecker. Nays: None. J J J 11-532 09/07/11 4. SUSPENSION OF BUILDING PERMIT FEES FOR PERMITS DIRECTLY RELATED TO DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE IRENE AND SUSPENSION OF DEBRIS DISPOSAL FEES FOR DEBRIS AND WASTE GENERATED BY HURRICANE IRENE On motion of Mr. Holland, seconded by Ms. Jaeckle, the Board suspended building permit fees until December 31, 2011, for any building permits that are issued to repair damage caused by Hurricane Irene, and authorized the County Administrator to extend that date as needed; and suspended fees at county facilities for disposal of storm-generated debris and waste until September 11, 2011, and storm-generated vegetative debris and waste until October 31, 2011. Ayes: Warren, Jaeckle, Holland, Durfee and Gecker. Nays: None. 5. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S COMMENTS ON ISSUES RELATING TO HURRICANE IRENE Mr. Stegmaier stated the true spirit of the Chesterfield community was clearly evident during Hurricane Irene and the recovery efforts that followed and continues on today as the residents, businesses, non-profits and employees work together. He recognized several county employees, public safety departments and organizations that helped. He also recognized the county employees who stayed committed to their duty, leaving their homes and families during the storm and making sure the needs of the county residents were met. In response to Mr. Gecker's question regarding free debris clean-up, Mr. Stegmaier stated drop off centers will continue to be open at no charge; VDOT is obligated to clean up debris in the right of way; and volunteer workers will assist those who cannot dispose of the debris themselves. Mr. Holland stressed the importance of assisting citizens who are unable to remove debris generated by the storm. He expressed appreciation to the volunteers for their dedication to those in need. He announced he attended a community meeting regarding storm preparation held by the Meadowbrook Civic Association. He commended the president of the association, Mr. Chris Terrell, for his contributions. He also applauded county and library staff for their hard work and dedication during the recent crisis. In response to Ms. Jaeckle's concerns regarding damage to vacant homes in the county, Mr. Dupler stated concerns can be addressed through the Property Maintenance Division. Ms. Durfee encouraged citizens to contact the county with questions and/or concerns relating to debris removal. She expressed appreciation to those volunteers who made every effort to keep the Chesterfield County Fair up and running. She also commended emergency personal for their hard work and commitment during the response and recovery phase of the storm. Mr. Warren provided information to those interested in volunteering for the Citizen Emergency Response Team, which assists those in need as a result of the storm and other 11-533 09/07/11 emergencies. He also asked staff to remain present after the meeting to answer questions and address concerns of those citizens in the audience. 6. ADJOURNMENT On motion of Ms. Durfee, seconded by Mr. Holland, the Board adjourned at 4:12 p.m. until September 21, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. Ayes: Warren, Jaeckle, Holland, Durfee and Gecker. Nays: None. mes tegm er County Administrator Arthur S. Warren Chairman J J J 11-534 09/07/11