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Planning and Building Department, Planning Services, Long Range Planning Division, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Amendment I to the Cooperative Agreement with the Bureau of Land Management for the continued provision of Preserve Manager and preserve management activities for the County’s Pine Hill Preserve property, increasing the compensation for Preserve Manager amount by $10,000 for a new annual cost of $35,000, and extending the term of the Agreement by five (5) years for a revised expiration date of September 26, 2028, with no changes to the annual preserve management activities contribution of $15,000; and
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent, or designee, to execute any further documents determined necessary related to the Cooperative Agreement including amendments which do not increase not-to-exceed amount or term of the Agreement, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: Rare Plant Mitigation Fees.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The County Ecological Preserve Ordinance authorizes the collection of fees from new development to fund the acquisition and maintenance of gabbro soils rare plant habitat. For more than twenty-five years, the County has worked cooperatively with State and Federal agencies and other organizations to protect the eight (8) species of gabbro soils rare plants located in western El Dorado County.
On March 25, 2008 (File No. 08-0411, Item No. 32), the Board approved a Cooperative Agreement with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to provide an annual payment of $25,000 over five (5) years) to support the Pine Hill Preserve Manager Position.
On July 21, 2015 (File No. 15-0754, Item No. 20), the Board approved a Cooperative Agreement with BLM for another five (5) years, providing an annual payment of $25,000 to support the Pine Hill Preserve Manager position.
On February 7, 2017 (File No. 17-0068, Item No. 17), the Board approved a Cooperative Agreement with BLM in the amount of $15,000 to fund and support vegetation fuel management activities at the Pine Hill Preserve for the 2017 Fiscal Year.
On June 26, 2018 (File No. 18-0885, Item No. 43), the Board approved another five (5) year Cooperative Agreement with BLM for an annual payment of $40,000, which includes $25,000 annually for the Pine Hill Preserve Manager position and $15,000 for management activities during the 2018 to 2023 Fiscal Years.
This proposed Amendment will extend the term of the agreement by five (5) years and increase the County’s contribution towards the Pine Hill Preserve Manager salary by $10,000 for a total payment of $35,000 while maintaining the same annual contribution of $15,000 for continued management activities.
The Preserve Manager works out of the Mother Lode Field Office in El Dorado Hills to manage the Pine Hill Preserve and coordinate management, monitoring, and research activities between the County, EID, US Fish and Wildlife (USFWS), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), El Dorado County Water Agency (EDCWA), California Native Plant Society (CNPS), American River Conservancy (ARC), and BLM. BLM can only use the $35,000 for the Pine Hill Preserve Manager position and administrative costs. Management activities covered under this amendment include but are not limited to fencing, signage, and trash removal.
The BLM Manager has conducted vegetation and management activities over the past fifteen years, which has proven successful in protecting existing residences from wildland fire while preserving habitat for the rare plants. At the beginning of this agreement in 2008, the annual salary for the Pine Hill Preserve Manager was $65,618.00 at General Schedule (GS) GS-11, Step 5. The County contributed $25,000 towards the Pine Hill Preserve Manager’s salary, which amounts to 38% of the total salary. Currently the Pine Hill Preserve Manager is at GS-12, Step 8 with an annual salary of $112,505.00. Since the beginning of the Cooperative Agreements in 2008 until now, the Manager position has had an increase in salary of 71.5% while the County’s contribution has remained constant. Additionally, the size of the Pine Hill Preserve has increased from 4,042 acres in 2008 to 4,940 acres in 2023 according to the Pine Hill Preserve website. The County’s $10,000 increase towards the Pine Hill Preserve Manager’s salary contribution does not match the 71.5% salary increase that the position has seen over the past 15 years but has been mutually agreed upon between the County and BLM.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose to not approve the proposed amendment. As a result, the Department would need to negotiate a different agreement with BLM, or seek out other resources and/or finding an outside Consultant to properly secure and maintain the Pine Hill Preserve property.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
See Discussion/Background above.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Risk Management have approved the proposed Amendment.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is sufficient funding in the Department's Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget to support the $10,000 increase to the Pine Hill Preserve Manager's salary. Funding for these services beyond FY 2023-24 will be included in subsequent years’ Rare Plant Preserve Endowment Fund budget accordingly.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair's signature on two (2) original copies of Amendment I; and
2) Clerk of the Board will forward one (1) fully executed original Amendment I to the Chief Administrative Office, Procurement and Contracts Division, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance: Evaluate requests and recommendations based on complete assessment of the best available information, with the goal of reaching well informed decisions.
CONTACT
Rob Peters, Deputy Director of Planning
Planning and Building Department