Title
Consider recommendations from the Legislative Committee to:
a. Adopt the 2021-2022 Legislative Program;
b. Adopt policies governing legislative activities;
c. Adopt the 2021 Strategic Grant Services Program;
d. Adopt policies governing Strategic Grant Services Program activities;
e. Receive an annual report from Ballard Spahr LLP, the County’s federal legislative advocate;
f. Receive an annual report from Nossaman LLP, the County’s state legislative advocate; and
g. Receive an annual report from Nossaman LLP, the County’s grant consultant.
Report
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors consider recommendations from the Legislative Committee to:
a. Adopt the 2021-2022 Legislative Program;
b. Adopt policies governing legislative activities;
c. Adopt the 2021 Strategic Grant Services Program;
d. Adopt policies governing Strategic Grant Services Program activities;
e. Receive an annual report from Ballard Spahr LLP, the County’s federal legislative advocate;
f. Receive an annual report from Nossaman LLP, the County’s state legislative advocate; and
g. Receive an annual report from Nossaman LLP, the County’s grant consultant.
SUMMARY
The Legislative Committee met on January 11, 2021 and recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt the 2021-2022 Legislative Program and policies governing legislative activities; 2021 Strategic Grant Services Program and policies governing program activities; and receive annual reports from the County’s state and federal legislative advocates and grant consultant.
DISCUSSION
The County Administrative Office - Intergovernmental & Legislative Affairs (IGLA) Division is charged with the development and execution of the County’s Legislative Program and Strategic Grant Services Program. Each year, IGLA staff works with the Board, County departments, and the County’s state and federal legislative and funding advocates, under the direction of the Legislative Committee to craft the programs. The programs are designed to support the Board’s Strategic Initiatives, reflect the Board’s interests and priorities, and work together to advocate for funding through state and federal programs which translate into local grant funding opportunities.
2021-2022 Legislative Program: The 2021-2022 Legislative Program is a two-year program which aligns with the two-year cycles of the state and federal legislatures. The program will be updated in January 2022 for the second half of the legislative session under the direction of the Legislative Committee and approval by the Board.
Monterey County maintains a long-standing and successful Legislative Program, ensuring that the interests of the County are well represented in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. The program provides the County a voice in funding and policy decision-making in the state and national capitals and ensures that County leaders are fully apprised of evolving state and federal initiatives impacting the County and its residents. Once adopted, the Legislative Program provides authority to advocate in support or defense of issues, enabling actions to be taken quickly to protect or defend the County’s interests in Sacramento and Washington D.C.
The Legislative Program addresses a multitude of County priorities related to economic development, administration, health and human services, infrastructure and public safety. County policy concerns are most often centered on resources to carry out state and local service responsibilities, the authority to carry out those responsibilities in local communities, and partnerships with the state and federal governments. Major priorities in the program include: COVID-19 response and recovery; County fiscal stability; affordable housing; homelessness; closing the digital divide; healthcare reform; and resiliency in dealing with disasters.
An entirely new section has been added to the Legislative Program related to the County’s COVID-19 pandemic disparate impacts legislative advocacy strategies. Since the pandemic began the County has engaged in numerous advocacy efforts to ensure that the state and federal administrations, agencies, and our legislators are aware of the unique challenges and needs facing our community. Given the pandemic’s disparate toll on communities of color, in particular low-income communities, advocacy related to pandemic response and the subsequent economic recovery of the entire County is expected to dominate the County legislative agenda in 2021 and beyond.
At the January 11, 2021 meeting of the Legislative Committee there was only one section of the proposed Legislative Program that the Committee did not come to agreement upon. The issue was whether or not to include the Pure Water Monterey (PWM) project in the list of potential projects to preserve and enhance water supply (EXHIBIT A - Page 48). As there was not agreement, the project was not included in the program.
EXHIBIT A - DRAFT 2021-2022 Legislative Program, EXHIBIT H - REDLINE VERSION
Policies Governing Legislative Activities: The Board has previously adopted policies pertaining to the legislative activities of the Board, department heads, staff, the County’s state and federal legislative advocates, and County advisory boards and commissions. The Legislative Committee reviewed the policies and made two substantive changes: 1) Expanded item “I. f. Representation on State and Federal County Advocacy Organizations” to include the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC); and 2) Expanded item “II. g. “Correspondence & Lobbying” to include “Correspondence will be sent under the signature of the Chair of the Board. Urgent correspondence will be authorized and signed by the County Administrative Officer.” The Committee recommends the Board adopt the revised policies. - EXHIBIT B.
Legislative Program Webpage: The County Administrative Office is updating their webpages. The Legislative Program pages will be the first to go live. A link to the program webpage will be directly accessible from the main CAO webpage making it easier to locate. Additionally, from the County’s home page if you type “legislative” into the search function, the first item that appears will be a link to the Legislative Program page. The Legislative Program page provides information on the Board’s Legislative Program, Legislative Committee, and contacts for the program. It also provides links to:
• Legislative Program
• Legislative Committee Agendas
• Legislative Advocacy Letters: NEW - link to County legislative advocacy letters
• Policies Governing Legislative Activities
• Legislative Resources: website listing for the County’s federal and state elected officials, legislative research sites, and County legislative associations
• Subscribe to Legislative Committee Meeting Notices: NEW feature
2021 Strategic Grant Services Program: The Strategic Grants Service Program assists in funding efforts on the County’s highest priority project needs and projects which require a high-level of collaboration. Working with County departments, the program coordinates, facilitates and provides strategic expertise from the identification of grant funding opportunities through application submittal. Priority projects must align with the Board’s Strategic Initiatives and Legislative Program goals and meet all grant requirements to submit a strong and competitive application.
The 2021 Strategic Grant Services Program has a limited workload capacity which is directed by the Board of Supervisors through annual adoption of the program. Following adoption, the Board’s Legislative Committee provides routine program guidance and direction. IGLA staff administers the program, which receives expert advice from the County’s grant consultant at Nossaman LLP.
Work Plan: A result of collaboration with County departments, the work plan identifies priority projects and funding sources to guide efforts over a 12-month period. The work plan is designed to be flexible to adjust to the County’s changing priorities and leaves 20% of program capacity unallocated to take advantage of new or unanticipated funding opportunities.
Grant Needs Inventory: A comprehensive inventory of County projects which require a source of grant funding developed in consultation with the Board and department heads. This all-inclusive listing guides the research of IGLA staff and the County’s grant consultants.
California Grants Portal: Information on the California Grants Portal has been added to the 2021 program document to aid County departments in their grant research efforts. The California State Library launched this new tool in 2020, which makes it easy to search through state grant opportunities from dozens of state departments and agencies through their website at grants.ca.gov <http://grants.ca.gov/>.
EXHIBIT C - DRAFT 2021 Strategic Grant Services Program
Policies Governing Strategic Grant Services Program Activities: The Board has previously adopted policies pertaining to Strategic Grant Services Program activities. The policies outline the roles of the Board, IGLA staff, the County’s grant consultants, and County departments in the execution of the program. The Legislative Committee reviewed the policies and made two substantive changes: 1) defining that the County department applying for funding is ultimately responsible for the application; and 2) defining the responsibility of the department related to grant award announcements. The Committee recommends the Board adopt the revised policies. - EXHIBIT D
Annual Reports: The annual reports provided by the County’s federal and state legislative advocates and grant consultant highlight activities undertaken on behalf of the County during 2020, and their oral presentations will focus on anticipated major issues or projects for 2021. Reports will be provided by:
• Brent R. Heberlee, Ballard Spahr LLP - Federal Legislative Advocate - EXHIBIT E
• Ashley Walker, Nossaman LLP - State Legislative Advocate - EXHIBIT F
• Ashley Walker, Nossaman LLP - Grant Consultant - EXHIBIT G
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
The County Administrative Office - Intergovernmental & Legislative Affairs Division prepared this report. Significant contributions to the development of the programs were made by the Legislative Committee, County department heads/staff, and the County’s state and federal legislative advocates and grant consultant.
FINANCING
The Legislative Program and Strategic Grant Services Programs are funded by the County Administrative Office (Department 1050) - Intergovernmental & Legislative Affairs Division (Unit 8054). Approval of the recommendations contained in this report will not result in additional General Fund contributions.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
The Legislative Program and Strategic Grants Services Program work to advance all categories of the Board’s Strategic Initiatives.
R Economic Development
R Administration
R Health & Human Services
R Infrastructure
R Public Safety
Prepared by: Annette D’Adamo, Management Analyst III
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer
Date: January 14, 2021
Attachments:
• EXHIBIT A - 2021-22 Legislative Program
• EXHIBIT B - Policies Governing Legislative Activities
• EXHIBIT C - 2021 Strategic Grant Services Program
• EXHIBIT D - Policies Strategic Grant Services Program
• EXHIBIT E - 2020 Annual Report (Federal Legislative Advocacy)
• EXHIBIT F - 2020 Annual Report (State Legislative Advocacy)
• EXHIBIT G - 2020 Annual Report (Strategic Grant Services Program)
• EXHIBIT H - 2021-22 Legislative Program - REDLINE VERSION