City Council:
AN ORDINANCE DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AT
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT / COURT BUILDING
AND AUTHORIZING IMMEDIATE ACTION TO
ADDRESS CRITICAL SAFETY AND
INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS
Whereas, by letter dated November 20, 2024, the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Works has requested legislation authorizing them to declare an emergency at the Police Department / Court Building to the immediate health, safety, and operational risks posed by water damage, structural deficiencies, and compliance violations; and
Whereas, the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Works has formally declared an emergency situation at the City of Mount Vernon Police Department / Court Building, citing significant issues affecting public safety, building integrity, and operational functionality; and
Whereas, the upper portion of the building envelope, including the eaves, dormers, and roof, has sustained prolonged neglect, resulting in ongoing water damage to multiple levels of the structure, thereby impacting police operations and potentially endangering the health of personnel; and
Whereas, water intrusion has reached the communications room, posing a direct threat to critical infrastructure, including Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) switches, 2m/70cm emergency band radio stacks, servers, and operational systems essential for inter- and intra-departmental communications; and
Whereas, the lack of redundancy for communications systems places the City at significant risk of losing critical emergency response capabilities in the event of further water damage; and
Whereas, temporary measures to mitigate water damage are no longer sufficient due to increasingly severe storms with higher volumes of rainfall over shorter periods, necessitating immediate and permanent solutions; and
Whereas, the Environetics Engineering Report, previously authorized by the City Council, outlines necessary repairs and construction work deemed critical and relevant to resolving these issues, with the release of the report imminent; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved That
The City of Mount Vernon, in City Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact:
Section 1. Declaration of Emergency. The City Council authorizes the Department of Public Works to declare an emergency at the Police Department / Court Building due to the immediate health, safety, and operational risks posed by water damage, structural deficiencies, and compliance violations.
Section 2. Authorization to Solicit Contractors. The Mayor is authorized to direct the Department of Public Works to solicit proposals from qualified contractors to perform the necessary repairs and construction work outlined in the Environetics Engineering Report.
Section 3. Immediate Funding Allocation. The City Comptroller is authorized to allocate funds from the appropriate accounts to address the emergency repairs, ensuring no delay in executing the critical construction work.
Section 4. Oversight and Reporting. The Department of Public Works shall oversee the repair and construction process and provide regular updates to the City Council on the progress and any additional funding requirements.
Section 5. Effective Date. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its adoption and approval by the City Council.