HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2020.06.25 - 33349REPORT (MISC. #20190) June 25, 2020
BY: Commissioner David T. Woodward, Chairperson, Pandemic Response and Economic Recovery
Committee
IN RE: #MR #20190 - BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — ESTABLISHMENT OF OAKLAND TOGETHER
EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATION OF CARES ACT
GRANT CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Pandemic Response and Economic Recovery Committee, having reviewed the above -referenced
resolution on June 22, 2020, reports to recommend adoption of the resolution with the following
amendment(s):
Amend the title with the following:
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OAKLAND TOGETHER
EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND WORKING FAMILIES SUPPORT PROGRAM AND
APPROPRIATION OF CARES ACT GRANT CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS
Insert the following language in the 20 WHEREAS statement:
WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant economic impacts to the residents and
working families of Oakland County and the State of Michigan; and
Insert the following after the 51h WHEREAS statement:
WHEREAS assisting child care facilities to reopen safely is essential to helping working families
and workers return to work; and
Delete the 71h WHEREAS statement
_._ -. ..
the �whnr_ :t :_ ::)e c.tVe within the f...._ f.a...__ .'_____'..'r i tq meet the n __...._ needs of these
Insert the following language to the NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED clause:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
establishes the Oakland Together Emergency Financial Assistance and Working Family Support
Program. The purpose of this program is to assist the most vulnerable individuals and families affected by
the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Amend the following in the 1st BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED clause:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland Together Emergency Financial Assistance and Working
Family Support Program shall include a program framework to assist Oakland County residents with, but
not limited to, the following:
f i sepviGe Reeded fnrleymonf in "work from ho settiRgj
Z C d D ta d in the form of food nho s from o food nnntFy 9F cfnre
PANDEMIC RESPONSE AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY COMMITTEE VOTE:
Motion carried on a roll call vote with Taub and Kuhn voting no and Miller absent.
1. Up to $5 million to be utilized by the Economic Development and Community Affairs -
Community Home Improvement Division should the $4,322,290 of Coronavirus response
funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) and the Emergency
Solutions Grant (ESG-CV) provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) be inadequate in meeting the rental and mortgage assistance needs of
Oakland County families.
2. Up to $5 million to be utilized for a grant program to provide support for early childhood
education (ECE) organizations that need assistance to safely re -open their organizations
under new protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control, the State of
Michigan, and the Oakland County Health Division.
3. Up to $5 million to be utilized for microgrants to individuals and families in need of
emergency assistance including but not limited to overdue utility bills (water, sewer,
electricity, and/or gas) to prevent shutoff resulting in unhealthy living conditions and/or to
prevent eviction, or payment of overdue telephone and/or Internet service needed for
employment in a "work from home" setting; child care assistance, funeral expenses, and
food assistance.
4. Up to $2 million to evaluate food insecurity needs within the county and the permanent
structures and cooperative efforts needed based on the pandemic response and in
anticipation of ongoing needs.
Delete the 2nd BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED clause:
GC IT C:IJPTWF=R. RERQI VRD the f9liewing m Rimurn eligibility requirements are established for a grant
Insert the following language to the 31d BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED clause:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners establishes the Oakland Together
Emergency Financial Assistance and Working Family Support Program Oversight Committee. The
Oversight Committee shall consist of:
1) A County Commissioner from the majority party, or theiF desigRee, and an alternate,
2) A County Commissioner from the minority party, or `I,o'ee, and an alternate,
3) An appointee of the Oakland County Executive, or theiF desigRee.
Insert the following as the 41h BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED clause:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners authorizes the Oversight
Committee to make adjustments to the program framework and the allocations of funds to each
program area as needed to best meet community need. Should any adjustments be made, the
Oversight Committee shall notify the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
Amend the 71h BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED clause to state the following:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners hereby allocates $30,000,900
$17,000,000 in funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for the
Oakland Together Emergency Financial Assistance and Working Family Support Program.
Insert the following as the 8th BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED clause
BE IT FURTHER the Oversight Committee shall issue a report to the Board of Commissioners by
September 30, 2020.
Insert the following as the 9th BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED clause:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners reserves an additional $8,000,000
from funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) for supplemental
funding for the Oakland Together Emergency Financial Assistance and Working Family Support
Program. If the Board of Commissioners does not act to appropriate this reserve by October 15,
2020, these funds are released to support other county COVID-19 response and recovery needs.
Amend the 8th BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED to include the following:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FY 2020 budget be amended as follows:
GENERAL FUND 4101001
Revenue
Expenditures
FY 2020
Chairperson, on behalf of the Pandemic Response and Economic Recovery Com ittee, I move the
acceptance of the foregoing report.
Commissioner David T. Woodward, District #19
Chairperson, Pandemic Response and
Economic Recovery Committee
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #20190
BY: Commissioner Marcia Gershenson, District #13
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — ESTABLISHMENT OF OAKLAND TOGETHER EMERGENCY
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATION OF CARES ACT GRANT
CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen
WHEREAS in response to the emergence of a novel coronavirus and the respiratory disease it causes
("COVID-19"), the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic
that constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and
WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant economic impacts to the residents of
Oakland County and the State of Michigan; and
WHEREAS between March 2020 and June 2020 State and Local Governments have issued numerous
Executive Orders and legislative declarations regarding a state of emergency due to the novel coronavirus
(COVID-19); and
WHEREAS Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Executive Orders requiring Michigan residents to "Stay Home,
Stay Safe", stating "to suppress the spread of COVID-19, to prevent the state's health care system from
being overwhelmed, to allow time for the production of critical test kits, ventilators, and personal protective
equipment, to establish the public health infrastructure necessary to contain the spread of infection, and to
avoid needless deaths, it is reasonable and necessary to direct residents to remain at home or in their place
of residence to the maximum extent feasible" are proven to be effective; and
WHEREAS due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland County and the State of Michigan have experienced
job losses at rates unprecedented since the Great Depression, with 20 - 22% of the workforce filing claims;
and
WHEREAS as a direct result of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, many individuals and families
within Oakland County now find themselves without the means necessary to provide basic household
necessities; and
WHEREAS due to major staff reductions and the enactment of a new automated system under the prior
Governor Rick Snyder Administration, the Unemployment Insurance Agency has been overwhelmed to the
point where it is ineffective within the time frames necessary to meet the economic needs of those financially
vulnerable individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS the threat to these most vulnerable individuals and families constitutes a significant threat to
public safety and welfare; and
WHEREAS on March 27, 2020, Congress passed, and the President signed the "Coronavirus Aid, Relief,
and Economic Security Act" (CARES Act); and
WHEREAS the County of Oakland was allocated $219,438,710 under the CARES Act, Coronavirus Relief
Fund (CRF), in part, to provide economic relief and support for expenses related to the COVID-19
pandemic; and
WHEREAS on April 22, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department ("Treasury") issued Guidance for State,
Territorial, Local, and Tribal Governments ("Guidance") that provides recipients of the CARES Act funding,
available under section 601(a) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the CARES Act
(Coronavirus Relief Fund), an interpretation of the limitations on the permissible use of Fund payments;
and
WHEREAS the Guidance states that, "Expenses for food delivery to residents, including, for example,
senior citizens and other vulnerable populations, to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health
precautions' are eligible expenditures; and
WHEREAS the Guidance provided by the Treasury in "Coronavirus Relief Fund, Frequently Asked
Questions" dated May 4, 2020, indicates that a county may expend funds for emergency financial
assistance for individuals and families. The document states, "Such assistance could include, for example,
a program to assist individuals with payment of overdue rent or mortgage payments to avoid
eviction.... Fund payments may be used for subsidy payments to electricity account holders to the extent
that the subsidy payments are deemed by the recipient to be necessary expenditures incurred due to the
COVID-19 public health emergency and meet the other criteria of section 601(d) of the Social Security Act
outlined in the Guidance."; and
WHEREAS in response to the overwhelming human services needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic,
many county governments that have received CARES Act funding have established assistance programs
for residents economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs provide assistance,
based on income qualification with food, rent and mortgage payments and utility costs; and
WHEREAS due to the evidence of significant economic hardship and need in Oakland County stemming
from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent public health emergency, it is appropriate and necessary to
establish a county -wide program to provide financial assistance for residents experiencing economic
hardship.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
establishes the Oakland Together Emergency Financial Assistance Program. The purpose of this program
is to assist the most vulnerable individuals and families affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland Together Emergency Financial Assistance Program shall
include a program framework to assist Oakland County residents with, but not limited to, the following:
1. Payment of overdue rent or mortgage to avoid eviction or foreclosure
2. Payment of overdue utility bills (water, sewer, electricity, and/or gas) to prevent shutoff resulting
in unhealthy living conditions and/or to prevent eviction, or payment of overdue telephone
and/or internet service needed for employment in a "work from home" setting;
3. Food assistance provided in the form of food vouchers from a food pantry or store.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the following minimum eligibility requirements are established for a grant
from the Oakland Together Emergency Financial Assistance Program. Applicants must:
1) Be a resident of Oakland County
2) Be a citizen of the United States
3) Be in compliance with all criteria as required in the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds Grant,
Guidance provided by U.S. Department of Treasury, and policies approved by the Board and
the Program Oversight Committee
4) Applicants must demonstrate that they had income, but it was reduced or eliminated as a direct
result of COVID-19 impacts. Income must be at or below 200% of the 2020 Federal Poverty
Guidelines at the time of application.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners establishes the Oakland Together
Emergency Financial Assistance Program Oversight Committee. The Committee shall consist of:
1) A County Commissioner from the majority party, or their designee,
2) A County Commissioner from the minority party, or their designee,
3) An appointee of the Oakland County Executive, or their designee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Oversight Committee shall be charged with the development and
enactment of policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the program guidelines, selection of a
program administrator, oversight of the program administration and shall act as liaison to the Board of
Commissioners.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oversight Committee, in the conduct of their work, shall consult with
appropriate outside and internal counsel and staff for compliance with federal and state regulations. In
addition, the Committee shall consult with County health, emergency operations, and law enforcement
administrators to ensure grant planning and priority funding are consistent with current COVID-19 response
and recovery strategies.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Purchasing Office shall assist the Oversight Committee in soliciting
proposals for an appropriate third -party contractor to provide services including, but not limited to: screening
and intake, eligibility assessment, payment issuance, data collection and recordkeeping as required for
CARES Act compliance.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners hereby allocates $30,000,000 in funding
from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for the Oakland Together
Emergency Financial Assistance Program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FY 2020 budget be amended as follows:
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
W - q644
Commissioner MaWcla Gershenson
District #13
Resolution #20190
June 4, 2020
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Pandemic Response and Economic Recovery Committee.
There were no objections.
Resolution #20190 June 25, 2020
Moved by Gershenson seconded by Powell the resolution be adopted.
Moved by Gershenson seconded by Powell. the Pandemic Response and Economic Recovery
Committee Report be accepted.
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the report was accepted.
Discussion followed.
Vote on resolution:
AYES: Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack, Gershenson, Gingell, Hoffman, Jackson, Kochenderfer,
Kowall, Kuhn, Luebs, Markham, McGillivray, Middleton, Miller, Nelson, Powell, Quarles,
Spisz. (20)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolution was adopted.
I HEREBYAPPROVE THIS RESOLUTION
CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE
ACTING PURSUANT TO MCL 45.559A (7)
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on June 25, 2020,
with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan this 251h day of June, 2020.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County