Title
Authorize the County Assistant Administrative Officer or his designee to enter into a non-standard agreement with the Civicwell for the CivicSpark Fellowship to bring on one CivicSpark fellow to assist in the implementation of the Municipal Climate Action Plan and in stakeholder engagement and outreach for the County Climate Action plan at a cost of $29,000 funded through the Sustainability Program Budget with a term ending on December 31, 2023.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors
a) Authorize the County Assistant Administrative Officer or his designee to enter into a non-standard agreement with the Civicwell for the CivicSpark Fellowship to bring on one CivicSpark fellow to assist in the implementation of the Municipal Climate Action Plan and in stakeholder engagement and outreach for the County Climate Action plan at a cost of $29,000 funded through the Sustainability Program Budget with a term ending on December 31, 2023.
SUMMARY:
On October 27, 2020, the Board of Supervisors updated the County General Plan Policy OS.10.11 which directed staff to complete a Climate Action Plan. Last year the County brought on a CivicSpark fellow to assist in stakeholder engagement for the Climate Action Plan and has been able to primarily conduct stakeholder engagement in-house as opposed to through external consultants which has resulted in lower overall costs of completing the plan as well as better relationships with our concerned stakeholders. Staff is proposing to bring on another fellow this year to continue stakeholder engagement and other climate action activities.
DISCUSSION:
The Civic Well website states: “CivicSpark is a Governor’s Initiative AmeriCorps program dedicated to building capacity for local public agencies to address community resilience issues such as climate change, water resource management, housing, and mobility. CivicSpark is a program of Civic Well in partnership with the State of California through the Office of Planning and Research, and California Volunteers.”
CivicSpark fellows are graduate level professionals that specialize in various areas of Climate Action and Adaptation. The County’s fellow will assist in implementing the Municipal Climate Action Plan as well as engaging with stakeholders in the remaining development of the Climate Action Plan, especially with regards to our Equity Panel. In particular, the fellow will engage stakeholders in the Climate Action Plan by promoting and organizing events, sending invitations and reminders to stakeholders, identifying and communicating with stakeholders, and taking notes at stakeholder engagement meetings. Because the plan engages more than 250 stakeholders and multiple sector specific groups, a fellow is necessary to track engagement and follow up.
This fellow will also aid in managing the fleet electrification plan and in facilitating departments’ implementation of incentives to switch to electric vehicles and installing, charging stations.
The agreement is nonstandard but contains typical insurance and liability provisions and has been reviewed by County counsel. This agreement also contains provisions for quarterly payment which allows the County to keep the expenses for the fellow within the current fiscal year even though the fellow will complete their term in August of next fiscal year.
Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors authorize the Assistant County Administrative Officer or his designee to enter into an agreement with the Local Government Commission for a Civic Spark fellow in at a cost of approximately $29,000 to the County.
FINANCING:
The cost to the County for a fellow is $29,000 and will be funded through the Sustainability Program Budget. There is no additional appropriation being requested for this agreement.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The Climate Action Plan is required by the County General Plan and will provide strategies to support the County’s environmental, social, and economic well-being through comprehensive planning and stakeholder engagement.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
__Economic Development
_X_ Administration
_X_Health & Human Services
_X_ Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Ashley Paulsworth, Sustainability Program Manager, x 5344
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer, Ext. 5145
Attachments:
Staff Report
CivicSpark Agreement FY 22/23