§ 122.107. Limited emergency.

It is the intent of this Section to provide authorization to responsible local governmental officials to take necessary action to correct or alleviate limited emergency situations which occur due to natural causes, accident or other unexpected cause and, unlike most natural disasters which affect all or a substantial portion of the entire City, instead affect a more limited area such as a building or work location or a portion or either. This Section shall not include, conflict with or be used in lieu of Chapter 114. In the event a limited emergency occurs, the following procedures shall be followed:

(a)

The Mayor, the President of the Council, the Chief Judge, the Sheriff, the Supervisor of Elections, the Clerk of the Circuit Court, the Property Appraiser, the Tax Collector and the chief administrative official of an independent agency (hereinafter referred to as authorized official ) are each authorized, with respect to the offices, agencies, departments, divisions or other units of local government under his respective jurisdiction, to declare in writing a limited emergency whenever he shall determine that a building, or a work location or portion either, which is the usual office or work location of employees under his jurisdiction has been damaged, destroyed or otherwise rendered unhealthy or unsafe to an extent which prevents or substantially prevents the performance of their duties, whether by reason of fire, water, loss of heating, loss of air conditioning, loss of electrical power or other event or conditions which prevent or substantially prevent the performance of these duties.

(b)

Whenever the official authorized in subsection (a) of this Section shall determine and declare a limited emergency as described therein, he shall cause a notice thereof to be posted as soon as possible on or at the work location, the building or portion of either which is the subject of the limited emergency, which notice shall recite the declaration of limited emergency, the duration thereof and the reason or reasons therefor. The notice shall remain posted throughout the duration of the limited emergency. A copy of the notice shall be delivered as soon as possible to the applicable chief administrative officer or officers of the affected office or offices for their use in documenting the existence of the limited emergency and substantiating the need for any emergency actions. The written notice required hereunder shall not be a required condition precedent to a declaration of limited emergency or the taking of any necessary emergency action. The official authorized under subsection (a) of this Section is authorized to take such emergency action as may be necessary to correct or alleviate the limited emergency conditions as soon as possible and as may be reasonable under the conditions, but only in accordance with any applicable emergency procedures and within the existing financial constraints of the applicable governmental agency, which may include transfer of funds not otherwise authorized by law. Emergency action shall include temporary closing of the building or work location, temporary absence of some or all employees affected, temporary or permanent repair of facilities, rental or purchase of substitute or replacement equipment and short-term rental of alternate working facilities pursuant to Section 108.411.

(c)

In the event an authorized official declares that a limited emergency condition exists, employees under the supervision and control of the authorized official may be ordered by the official to report to alternative work places or may be ordered by the official to go home for the duration of the limited emergency or until otherwise ordered by the official to return to work and an employee so ordered to go home shall not be charged for annual leave or vacation leave for any time off the job or receive any reduction in pay as a result of the order.

(Ord. 84-102-24, § 1; Ord. 86-818-448, § 2)