To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma
Staff Name and Phone Number: Domenica Giovannini, (707) 565-1784
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Grant Award to Career Technical Education Foundation Sonoma County (CTE)
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize amendment of agreement number 17-18-023’s term to May 1, 2018-December 22, 2022.
end
Executive Summary:
Permit Sonoma seeks the Board’s approval to amend the agreement term of the Environmental Stewardship and Resource Management grant to Career Technical Education Foundation Sonoma County (CTE) to May 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022. CTE will use this grant to connect high school students with public and private careers focusing on environmental stewardship, climate protection and resource management.
Discussion:
On November 8, 2011, your Board authorized an agreement with CPN Wild Horse Geothermal, LLC, for a use permit with conditions of approval that included public benefits in the form of contributions to the County’s programs for environmental stewardship, climate protection, and resource management.
On October 2nd, 2017, Permit Sonoma released a request for Grant Applications for the Environmental Stewardship and Resource Management grant program. This announcement was promoted on County webpages and an email to the County’s Latest News listserv subscribers. Two submissions were received. These were evaluated on the criteria of funding priority, goals & timeline, qualifications, and eligibility.
After careful consideration and evaluation of the applications, Permit Sonoma proposes that Career Technical Education Foundation of Sonoma County (CTE) receive the $100,000.00 grant award.
In the proposed project, CTE, in partnership with Santa Rosa Junior College and the Sonoma County Office of Education, will lead the effort to develop a regional summer academy program targeting high school students to cultivate and promote interest in careers and post-secondary education in energy and water resource management careers. These may include: environmental studies; sustainable farming/ag; water, wastewater, and watershed management; energy; climate protection; and environmental advocacy and stewardship.
Drawing from area high schools and aligned youth provider programs, up to 44 students will be invited to enroll in and attend a 4-week hands-on, experiential learning program that will provide early college credit and include career exploration and awareness in the environmental career fields. In addition to the academic component, students will engage in work based learning experiences with aligned industry partners (public/private) through the county.
The alternative proposer was the University of California Cooperative Extension, Sonoma County. Though this proposal is a worthy proposal, this particular grant opportunity focused on educational opportunities that develop workplace competencies. In particular competencies related to the fields of energy and water resource management and technical career programs with a preference towards hands-on learning, work based educational approaches, and industry focused training. In light of this funding priority, CTE was determined to be more closely aligned than the proposal from UCCE.
Pursuant to Government Code Section 26227, the Board of Supervisors may fund programs deemed by the Board to be necessary to meet the social needs of the population of the county, including but not limited to, the areas of health, law enforcement, public safety, rehabilitation, welfare, education, and legal services, and the needs of physically, mentally and financially handicapped persons and aged persons. Staff is recommending that the Board find that the proposed grant to Career Technical Education Foundation of Sonoma County is necessary to meet the social needs of the community in the areas of health, public safety, welfare and education as it will promote environmental stewardship, climate protection, and resource management.
On March 17, 2020 in response to COVID-19 the County’s Health Officer imposed a Countywide Stay at Home Order which affected the implementation of the approved program. In response to ongoing COVID-19 limitations, the Career Technical Education Foundation is proposing an amended term agreement to be from May 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022 to complete implementation of the hands on portion of the program. This includes an amended scope of work to reflect the term agreement change as outlined in Exhibit A (attached).
Prior Board Actions:
On April 18, 2018 the Board authorized the Permit Sonoma Director to execute a $100,000 grant agreement with Career Technical Education Foundation of Sonoma County to provide career development opportunities for students. Making a finding that it is pursuant to Government Code Section 26227, the agreement will further the social and educational needs of the county related to environmental stewardship, climate protection, and resource management, and is therefore in the public interest to execute the grant agreement in a form approved by County Counsel.
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There is no fiscal impact due to the funds being allocated in 2018.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Not Applicable
Attachments:
Attachment 1: CTE Agreement and Exhibit A
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Executed CTE Agreement dated May 1, 2018