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Honorable Mayor Taylor and Council Members:
One of the most important functions of local government is to preserve and protect the public safety. Given the nearly 50 small EARTHQUAKES lately, the huge amount of WILDFIRES, some of which are close to home, PROTESTORS over national events, the potential for FLOODS, the risk of TERRORISM and so on, allow me to ask, what are you doing in preparation?
I ask this partly out of the fact that the prior CITY MANAGER, Alex McIntyre, had a goal when accepting the job of making Disaster Preparedness one of his priorities. As far as I know, it never happened.
Also, the prior POLICE CHIEF, Dave Bertini, openly spoke before the City Council last year during budget hearings indicating that the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was wholly inadequate and needed to be upgraded. As far as I know, it never happened.
By default, several CITIZEN GROUPS groups seem to be taking up the slack. However, they are under funded and require much more coordination with city government, the fire district and others to be effective.
Thus, is there a FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY? If something happens, who comes to our rescue? Red Cross? Salvation Army? Volunteers?
KINDLY ANSWER THIS EMAIL by reassuring the public that you have things under control, that a new EOC is being budgeted and other areas are being addressed. It's not necessarily "the other guys problem". We're in this together. I know your plate is full. However, when disaster strikes - who is in charge?
One area that may be achievable before the end of the year is updating the antiquainted DISASTER PREPAREDNESS MANUAL. It is old and tired - and outdated. Many city employees tell me that they have no idea where the Manual is located, none the less receiving proper training. Yikes. Is this true?
THANK YOU for all you do for so many throughout the year. I'm grateful for your dedication to helping make the City of Menlo Park one of the best cities in America!
Respectfully,
Jim Lewis
