June 1, 2021 Special Joint Meeting of the Town Council and Youth Commission - Study Session

The agenda and reports for the June 1, 2021 Special Joint Meeting of the Town Council and Youth Commission meeting at 5:45 p.m. are available online.  The Council will review and discuss Youth Commission accomplishments and goals.

This meeting is being conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with State of California Executive Order N-29- 20 dated March 17, 2020, regarding the COVID- 19 pandemic. The live stream of the meeting may be viewed on local television and/or online. In accordance with Executive Order N-29- 20, the public may only view the meeting on television and/or online and not in the Council Chamber.

If you are not interested in providing oral comments real-time during the meeting, you can view the live stream of the meeting on television (Comcast Channel 15) and/or online on the Town-branded YouTube page.

If you are interested in providing oral comments real-time during the meeting, you must join the Zoom webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82242000179?pwd=TG9XWWdERzFSTjRFUlcwc0F5MGdNQT09 with password: 235117. To join by phone, dial (636) 651-0008 or (877) 336-1839 (US Toll Free) using Conference Code 969184.

During the meeting:

• When the Mayor announces the item for which you wish to speak, click the “raise hand” feature in Zoom. If you are participating by phone on the Zoom app, press *9 on your telephone keypad to raise your hand. If you are participating by calling in, press #2 on your telephone keypad to raise your hand.
• When called to speak, please limit your comments to three (3) minutes, or such other time as the Mayor may decide, consistent with the time limit for speakers at a Council meeting.

June 1, 2021 Town Council Meeting 

The agenda and reports for the June 1, 2021 Town Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. are available online.  Among the items on the agenda, the Town Council will consider objections to the 2021 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Area non-compliant list of properties requiring abatement, proposed amendments to Agenda Format and Rules Policy, and proposed amendments to the Commission Appointment Policy.

This meeting is being conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with State of California Executive Order N-29- 20 dated March 17, 2020, regarding the COVID- 19 pandemic. The live stream of the meeting may be viewed on local television and/or online. In accordance with Executive Order N-29- 20, the public may only view the meeting on television and/or online and not in the Council Chamber.

If you are not interested in providing oral comments real-time during the meeting, you can view the live stream of the meeting on television (Comcast Channel 15) and/or online on the Town-branded YouTube page.

If you are interested in providing oral comments real-time during the meeting, you must join the Zoom webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82335338308?pwd=TXlPeUFqNzFmQTBxSVpGOFVOYnB4QT09 with password: 522235. To join by phone, dial (636) 651-0008 or (877) 336-1839 (US Toll Free) using Conference Code 969184.

During the meeting:

• When the Mayor announces the item for which you wish to speak, click the “raise hand” feature in Zoom. If you are participating by phone on the Zoom app, press *9 on your telephone keypad to raise your hand. If you are participating by calling in, press #2 on your telephone keypad to raise your hand.
• When called to speak, please limit your comments to three (3) minutes, or such other time as the Mayor may decide, consistent with the time limit for speakers at a Council meeting.

PG&E Gas Line Replacement Work

Daleo Inc., a contractor working under the direction of PG&E, will be upgrading approximately 2,650 ft. of gas main along Main Street in two simultaneous phases.

Santa Clara County Fire Preparedness Classes

The Santa Clara County Fire Department is offering free online disaster preparedness, home safety, and community wildfire classes to the Los Gatos and Monte Sereno communities throughout the first half of 2021.  For details and to register, visit: www.sccfd.eventbrite.com or call (408) 378-4010. The remaining available class is:

Be Ready: Be Prepared!
June 10, 2021
4 - 5:30 p.m.
Learn about Bay Area disaster risks, how to make a plan and prepare for a disaster, disaster supply kit contents, and how stay informed during and after the disaster. Learn about important communication systems and how to communicate with your support network during a disaster.

Water Main Replacement Project

West Valley Construction, under contract with San Jose Water, is working on replacing the water main line on Mariposa Avenue, San Mateo Avenue, Ashler Avenue, Olive Street, and Thurston Street.

Becoming an Inclusive Community

Visit the Town's webpage, Becoming an Inclusive Community to find information about the Town's commitment to inclusivity, equity, justice, and diversity, including related Town Council actions, Council action on Police reforms, an overview of Police Department community policing, and a dedicated email for comments and inquiries regarding these important issues.

If you have concerns, experiences, questions, or ideas regarding how Los Gatos can be more welcoming for all, please let us know by sending an email to Community@losgatosca.gov.

State of California and County of Santa Clara
COVID-19 Guidelines 

On August 28, 2020, Governor Newsom announced the Blueprint for a Safe Economy, which uses a Color Tier System to slow the spread of COVID-19.  The colors (Purple/Widespread, Red/Substantial, Orange/Moderate, and Yellow/Minimal) reflect the number of new COVID-19 cases and how the disease is spreading locally.  They also provide a framework for a safe progression of opening more businesses and activities. Visit the State's COVID-19 website to view the status of activities within each County. 

Santa Clara County's May 18, 2021 Order went into effect on May 19, 2021 when the County entered the State's Yellow Tier. It retires many of the previous Risk Reduction Order requirements and requires employers to determine who in a workplace has been fully vaccinated to comply with current and anticipated County and State rules related to COVID-19 safety in the workplace. 

The new County Order retires the following previous requirements:

• Businesses are no longer required to maximize the number of people who work remotely.
• Businesses and governmental entities are no longer required to submit Social Distancing Protocols to the County Public Health Department.  Instead, they must comply with any State rules applicable to their business, including the Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Prevention Regulations applicable to most businesses.
• There are no local rules related to capacity.  For information on what is allowed in counties in the Yellow Tier, see the State Blueprint for a Safer Economy and the State’s Industry Guidance to Reduce Risk webpage.

• Requires that all businesses and governmental entities determine the vaccination status of their employees (and onsite contractors and volunteers). 
• Requires all individuals, businesses, and governmental entities comply with the Mandatory Directive on Use of Face Coverings.  
• Requires businesses and governmental entities comply with the Health Officer’s Mandatory Directive for Unvaccinated Personnel.  
• Requires businesses and governmental entities to continue to promptly report COVID-19 cases amongst their personnel to the Public Health Department, and that all youth programs (including schools, camps, sports programs, and other youth programs) continue reporting COVID-19 cases, as explained in the Mandatory Directive on Case Reporting by K-12 Schools, Youth Athletic Programs, and Other Youth Programs.  

• 21 day mandatory wait time between moves, and
• meet metrics for the next tier for two straight weeks

Counties are only permitted to advance one tier at a time. If a County’s metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, it will move backwards and be assigned a more restrictive tier. The State will calculate seven-day averages every Tuesday; the averages will be based on data from a full week earlier to provide counties time to report up-to-date information.

Please remember that if there are any discrepancies between State and County guidelines, the stricter Order controls.

Santa Clara County COVID-19 Vaccine Information

For information on Santa Clara County’s plans regarding vaccines, visit their official dedicated webpage at www.sccfreevax.org.

COVID-19 Testing

Testing for COVID-19 is accessible and widely available in Santa Clara County.  Testing is 100% covered by health insurance, safe, confidential, and free.  Testing does not affect immigration status, require a doctor’s note, or require insurance.  

If you are in the following groups, County Public Health highly encourages you to get tested once a month: healthcare workers, first responders, other frontline workers, anyone who is notified that they were exposed to someone who was confirmed to have COVID-19, anyone who is 60 years of age and older, and anyone with chronic medical conditions.  
The County has a handy interactive map that makes it easy to find a testing location nearest to where you live or work. Visit www.sccfreetest.org for details. 

Update to Available Town Services

Police Department: Fully operational. The lobby is open for limited services Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Available services include citation sign-offs, vehicle releases, clearance letters, Police reports, fee payments, parking permits and other parking-related needs.  For more information, visit the Department website. 

Community Development Department: No in-person counter services are currently available.  Inspections that can be completed via video are being scheduled and other on-site inspection services are evaluated on a case by case basis.  Staff resources are available to perform work on permits remotely.  Electronic permit submittal, resubmittal, and issuance is available.  Please visit the Building and Planning webpages for further information on this option. 

Library: The Library is open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at limited capacity. Follow Facebook, Instagram, and the website for a schedule of remote storytimes and other fun activities. Other online services such as e-books and e-magazines are available.  For questions, email library@losgatosca.gov. 

Parks and Public Works Department:  Parks and trails are open. Park restrooms are available and cleaned on a daily basis. Routine maintenance of streets and parks continues at reduced levels. Email any concerns to ppw@losgatosca.gov. 

Economic Vitality Department: Resources for small businesses, employers, and employees are available here and on the Town website. The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce is also a good source of information for businesses and the community. Any questions can be emailed to Monica Renn at mrenn@losgatosca.gov. 

Finance Department: Business license services are available remotely via email at businesslicense@losgatosca.gov. 

Clerk Department: Requests for public records are being processed, but time limits to respond have been suspended.  We appreciate the importance of your request and will do our best to respond within 10 days, but responses may be delayed until such time the order is suspended and Town Hall opens fully for all services.

Lifesaving Information For Emergencies (L.I.F.E.) File

Emergencies can happen when we least expect them to and many of the requests for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) happen within the home. The Town of Los Gatos is partnering with the Santa Clara County Fire Department to promote their new L.I.F.E. file program. The L.I.F.E. File is a simple tool individuals and families may use to assist emergency responders during a medical emergency.   First Responders rely heavily upon the patient, and/or the patient’s family members, to provide information used to help in the treatment and care of the patient. However, there are times when the patient is unable to provide this information and family members may not be present or available to assist First Responders during a medical emergency. The L.I.F.E. File information includes past pertinent medical history, allergies to medications, medications currently prescribed to the patient, advanced medical directives and any additional information. The L.I.F.E. File pouch is a vinyl magnetic pouch that is placed in an easily seen location on the front or side of the refrigerator.

You may pick up L.I.F.E. Files from Town Hall and local fire stations. If you, or anyone you know, would like additional information on the L.I.F.E. File program please contact Jackie Rose, Community Outreach Coordinator at JRose@losgatosca.gov

How can we help you if we can't reach you?  While you have signed up to receive these weekly "What's New" emails, many of your neighbors may have remained in the dark because they did not receive current information from the Town.  In addition to emergency communications, you may sign up for Town notifications regarding infrastructure projects in your neighborhood, Town events, meetings, and other topics of community interest. 

Please encourage your friends and neighbors in Los Gatos to sign up for Town communications through "Notify Me" at: www.losgatosca.gov/notifyme. Type your email address in the box and select "sign in."  From there, you can subscribe to the topics you wish and you are able to unsubscribe at any time.

If you need help, call the Town Manager's Office at (408) 354-6832 during business hours or email engage@losgatosca.gov with subject "Sign Me Up."