To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency and Board of Supervisors, County of Sonoma
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency and County of Sonoma Human Services Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: Chase Takajo / 521-1872; cell 292-0854 - Amanda Gayda office 565-5548; cell 322-1417
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Stream Maintenance Services
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager and County’s Human Services Department Director to execute an agreement for stream maintenance services through June 30, 2024; amount not to exceed $900,000.
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Executive Summary:
Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) performs stream and creek maintenance on an annual basis to reduce the threat of flooding. Several priority flood control projects are scheduled, and Sonoma Water staff may not have adequate resources available to perform planned priority and maintenance projects.
Under the proposed agreement, Sonoma Water will reimburse County of Sonoma Human Services Department (HSD) for a portion of its contract costs with Conservation Corps North Bay to provide stream maintenance services for Sonoma Water as part of the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps (SCYEC) program.
HSD will match Sonoma Water funds with federal Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding for 50 percent of year-round crew costs. In addition to committing funds to support half of the year-round crew costs, HSD will work with the contracted youth service provider to enroll eligible youth into other funding sources to potentially reduce the cost of the year-round and summer crews to Sonoma Water.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
Sonoma Water maintains approximately 75 miles of engineered flood control channels and has hydraulic easements on approximately 150 miles of modified or natural channels. Required maintenance activities on engineered channels include sediment removal, bank stabilization, and vegetation management. Required maintenance activities on modified and natural channel easements include vegetation and debris removal that obstruct flow.
Sonoma Water’s Stream Maintenance Program Manual, best management practices, and long-term programmatic permits require that maintenance activities are conducted in a manner that promotes the establishment of a healthy, native riparian corridor. Stream maintenance best management practices also require that crews conducting vegetation removal have a biologist or arborist on site for guidance and direction. Due to its seasonal and regulatory constraints, stream maintenance work is concentrated into a relatively short period of time.
Sonoma Water does not have the staff to perform the amount of work needed and therefore needs to supplement its crews on a short-term basis. Sonoma Water desires to enter into the proposed agreement for stream maintenance services for the channels where Sonoma Water has maintenance authority. These services include vegetation thinning, tree pruning and removal; installation of erosion control; tree planting and maintenance; and debris removal. Without the additional crews, Sonoma Water would not be able to implement some required flood channel maintenance activities.
In 2009, HSD and Sonoma Water partnered to lead the development and implementation of the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps (SCYEC). The two agencies have worked collaboratively since to provide meaningful opportunities to engage and employ young people while benefiting the community, including the development of vocational County internships through the SCYEC Career Pathways Program.
SCYEC provides youth and young adults with paid work experience, environmental education, and the opportunity to explore careers and develop work-readiness skills. Youth contribute to their community while completing environmental and conservation-related projects. HSD values and supports the opportunities SCYEC provides to young people, especially HSD’s My Pathway Program (Program) which helps young people who have experienced challenges or barriers gain and retain permanent employment, and prioritizes opportunity youth (those not-in school and not working), foster and former foster youth, and youth receiving CalWORKS benefits. Sonoma Water’s year-round crew opens the door for these young people to participate in valuable, extended employment opportunities and exposure to a range of careers with the county, along with potential pathways to those positions. This aligns with County’s goal of building a more diverse and inclusive workforce, meets the needs of the Program’s older youth who are looking for more than a summer job, and emphasizes the career pathway focus of the Program’s primary funding source, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the proposed agreement, HSD will provide crews under its existing contract with Conservation Corp North Bay for Sonoma Water stream maintenance projects. Sonoma Water will reimburse HSD for a portion of the cost of these services.
HSD will match Sonoma Water funds with WIOA funding for 50 percent of year-round crew costs, up to $ 192,000 annually. Sonoma Water may use additional crew members and pay full cost for additional hours to HSD.
The cost of services paid by Sonoma Water to HSD will not exceed $900,000. This agreement covers services rendered from July 1, 2021, to June 30 2024.
Prior Board Actions:
06/08/2021: Approved an agreement between HSD and Conservation Corps North Bay for creek maintenance and other services, to commence June 10, 2021.
09/11/2018: Approved a cooperative funding agreement between Sonoma Water and HSD for Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps and Career Pathway Program. Cost $1,275,000; term July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2021.
09/12/2017: Approved first amendment to Youth Education & Employment Services contract with the Conservation Corps North Bay, increasing amount by$479,880 for a new contract amount not to exceed $633,036, in order to implement the pilot Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps Career Pathway Program. No changes to term (July 2017- June 30, 2018).
06/13/2017: Approved contracts with Conservation Corps North Bay, Petaluma People Services Center, Social Advocates for Youth, the Center for Social and Environmental Services, and West County Community Services to provide Youth Education & Employment Services program services to at- risk youth and youth adults.
05/17/2016: Approved agreement with Conservation Corps North Bay to provide creek maintenance services for $450,000; agreement terminates on June 30, 2019.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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|
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Total Sources |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $300,000 is available from FY 2021/2022 appropriations for the Flood Control Zone Funds which are funded by property taxes; 1A Laguna Mark West Fund $225,000, 2A Petaluma Fund $60,000, and 3A Valley of the Moon Fund $15,000.
FY 2022/2023 and FY 2023/2024 appropriations will be budgeted in those fiscal years.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
None
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None