To: Board of Supervisors; Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Susan Haydon 707-547-1937
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
North Coast Resource Partnership - Memorandum of Mutual Understandings
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors and the General Manager of Sonoma Water to sign the updated Memorandum of Mutual Understandings for the North Coast Resource Partnership.
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Executive Summary:
The purpose of the North Coast Resource Partnership Memorandum of Mutual Understandings (MoMU) is to establish a set of mutual understandings between North Coast Tribes, counties agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local governments, and other partners and stakeholders with respect to collaboration on planning and project implementation to enhance the quality of life in North Coast communities and enhance the stewardship of natural landscapes. This collaborative coalition is known as the North Coast Resource Partnership (Partnership). This MoMU documents the long-term understandings, principles, goals, and processes of the Partnership. The Partnership requires partners that request or receive funding or support from the Partnership to sign onto this MoMU to confirm their understanding of and commitment to the principles, goals and processes outlined in the MoMU (attached). The MoMU has been updated and requires renewed commitment by all partnership entities. The County of Sonoma and Sonoma Water through delegated authority to the General Manager have continually signed all versions of the MoMU since its inception in 2004. This action represents a continued commitment to work cooperatively in the region to advance our resiliency goals and partnerships.
Discussion:
Since its inception in 2004, the Partnership (formerly known as North Coast Integrated Regional Water Management Plan) has secured state funding of more than $130 million for water, energy, wildfire, ecosystems restoration and watershed health projects in the North Coast region including approximately $13.6 million for 39 projects in Sonoma County. This funding has leveraged well over $200 million in funding match. With the Partnership’s commitment to achieving multiple objectives through local action and its successful history in regional cooperation and fund management, the Partnership is well positioned to continue to attract and utilize new federal, state, local and private funding sources as they become available.
The Partnership’s process is guided by a Memorandum of Mutual Understandings (MoMU), a cooperative agreement intended to establish the mutual understandings of North Coast stakeholders with respect to their join efforts toward implementing a plan for resilience for the North Coast region and implementing a variety of projects. North Coast Resource Partnership Resilience Plan <https://northcoastresourcepartnership.org/resilience-plan/> The existing MoMU currently includes more than 80 signatories.
Sonoma County appoints 2 voting members to serve on the Leadership Council. Currently, Supervisors Gore and Gorin serve on the Leadership Council with Supervisor Gore serving as a Co-Chairperson. In advisory roles, the General Manager of Sonoma Water serves on the Executive Committee and Sonoma Water staff, Dale Roberts, currently chairs the Technical Peer Review Committee. All meetings are subject to and carried out in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act. All business is conducted in accordance with all applicable conflict of interest laws, regulations and standards. Execution of the MoMU and participation in the Partnership are voluntary, non-exclusive and in no way limit or impair any participating entity from continuing its own activities, obligations or legal or regulatory functions, including or securing project funding from any source. Nothing in the MoMU is intended to create a legal partnership or give the Partnership or its Leadership Council any decision-making authority over any participating entity or any matter within the jurisdiction of any signatory entity.
See Attachment 1 (Background and Organization of the North Coast Resource Partnership)
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports Sonoma County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective:
Pillar: Climate Action & Resiliency
Goal 5: Maximize opportunities for mitigation of climate change and adaptation through land conservation work and land use policies
Objective 1: By 2025, update the County General Plan and other county/special district planning documents to incorporate policy language and identify areas within the County that have the potential to maximize carbon sequestration and provide opportunities
The Partnership continues to successfully maximize opportunities for climate change adaptation through its strong partnerships in the region and by attracting funding focused on climate resilience, economic vitality, ecosystem function, conservation of natural resources, protection of water supply and water quality, and regional equity and capacity building.
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
This item directly supports Sonoma Water’s Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following goal, strategy, and action item.
Goal: 3. Environmental Stewardship - Protect and sustain our watersheds to maintain water resources, ecosystems, and communities.
Strategy: 3.4 Provide regional leadership in salmonid species recovery and improving watershed health through partnerships on technical and policy-related initiatives.
Action Item: 3.2.1 Support collaborative efforts to improve habitat and pursue restoration opportunities that provide integrated regional benefit.
Continuing to agree to the Partnership’s MoMU, further strengthens our critical partnerships in the region with other Counties, Tribes, and non-governmental entities. The North Coast Resource Partnership has provided significant benefits in terms of Sonoma Water’s ability to leverage our economic resources to plan for the health of our watersheds as well as to implement a variety of climate resiliency projects.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
10/04/2024: Approved First Amended and Restated Agreement for Consulting Services for the North Coast Resource Partnership with West Coast Watershed Inc; cost $1,035,000 and no change to term end date of June 30, 2026.
05/11/2021: Approved agreement with West Coast Watershed, Inc. for Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute an agreement with West Coast Watershed, Inc. for North Coast Resource Partnership planning services and development of grant applications; cost 810,000, and term June 30, 2026.
04/14/2020: Approved Concurrent Resolution Adopting the 2020 Update to the North Coast Regional Partnership Plan Phase IV.
12/14/2010: Approved concurrent resolution authorizing Sonoma County Water Agency and County of Sonoma to sign the revised Memorandum of Mutual Understandings for the North Coast Integrated Regional Water Management Program
10/05/2004: Approve concurrent resolution authorizing the County of Sonoma and Sonoma County Water Agency to sign the Memorandum of Mutual Understandings for the North Coast Integrated Regional Water Management Plan
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
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Attachments:
Attachment 1: Background and Organization of the North Coast Resource Partnership
Attachment 2: North Coast Resource Partnership - Updated Memorandum of Mutual Understandings, 2022
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None