To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
McLean Foundation Fiscal Agent Memorandum of Understanding in Response to the 2022 December Ferndale Earthquake
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve, and authorize the County Administrative Officer to sign the attached Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the McLean Foundation for fiscal agent services in the amount of $250,000 to aid in the long-term recovery of the City of Rio Dell and surrounding areas from the 2022 December Ferndale Earthquake upon receipt of the required insurance certificate; and
2. Authorize the County Administrative Officer to execute any and all subsequent amendments or agreements with McLean Foundation, after review and approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF)
DISCUSSION:
On Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Humboldt County. Since this earthquake, the county has experienced hundreds of aftershocks, one of which being a 5.4 magnitude on New Year’s Day. A local and state emergency were declared following the first earthquake, and the name of this incident by the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) is the 2022 December Ferndale Earthquake. These earthquakes resulted in over 250 structures “yellow tagged” (requiring repairs), over 90 structures “red tagged” (unsafe to enter), and over 90 households displaced. The County of Humboldt, City of Rio Dell, California Office of Emergency Services, along with nonprofits and faith-based organizations, have begun to engage in leading the long-term recovery process.
A structure that leads long-term recovery processes is one commonly known as a long-term recovery group (LTRG), and typically is a collaboration of local non-governmental organizations/non-profits, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, for-profit entities, and should include advisors from local government and state emergency services agencies, such as CalOES. The mission of the LTRG is to focus on unmet needs of individuals impacted by the disaster, in this case the earthquakes. Unmet needs include: immediate unmet needs such as sheltering, emotional and spiritual care, feeding, clothing, etc. or basic needs for survival; short term-needs include housing, home repairs, childcare; and long term needs focus on returning and starting of what will become a new normal and creating a recovery plan.
Part of an LTRG is an unmet needs committee, which normally includes organizations that can fund unmet needs. As your Board allocated $1 million in Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Funds on Jan. 10, 2023 to the earthquake recovery efforts, the McLean Foundation is able and willing to serve as the fiscal agent for the LATCF funding and participate in the LTRG to end the displacement of residents and financially support programs that will allow for the safe and timely rebuilding and/or repair of residential structure destroyed or significantly damaged (i.e. “red- or yellow-tagged”). Therefore, this agenda item recommends your Board approve and authorize the County Administrative Officer to sign the MOU with the McLean Foundation for fiscal agent services, and give the authority to the County Administrative Officer to sign future amendments or agreements.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Your Board allocated $1 million from the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund on Jan. 10, 2023 to support displaced residents from the earthquake and necessary repairs to red- and yellow-tagged buildings. The MOU before your Board today is in the amount of $250,000.
STAFFING IMPACT:
The recommendation in this agenda item does not increase the need for staff, it in fact, helps create the LTRG which will address the eligible unmet needs of those impacted by the earthquakes.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework priority of creating opportunities for improved safety and health and protecting vulnerable populations.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Examples of agencies may include but are not limited to Habitat for Humanity; Hope Crisis Response Network; Humboldt Area Foundation.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board could choose not to approve, and authorize the County Administrative Officer to sign this agreement; however, this alternative is not recommended since this will not provide the county with a fiscal agent to administer the LATCF funds, and therefore delay the recovery response.
ATTACHMENTS:
McLean Foundation Memorandum of Understanding
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: I-5
Meeting of: Jan. 10, 2023
File No.: 23-10