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Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign a Budget Transfer increasing the use of fund balance and operating transfers out by $25,000 in the River Trust Fund and increasing operating transfers in and professional services by $25,000 in the River operating budget to fund a consultant to meet with Bureau of Land Management and California Department of Parks and Recreation regarding the County's management of whitewater recreation on the South Fork of the American River, per the Board's direction of February 23, 2016. (4/5 vote required)
FUNDING: River Trust Fund.
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
The Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division recommends that the Board approve and authorize the budget transfer of $25,000.00 from the River Trust Fund for the purpose of contracting with a consultant to meet with the BLM and State Parks regarding the potential feasibility and duplication of efforts in the management of whitewater recreation on the South Fork of the American River.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On February 23, 2016, the Board directed staff to meet with the BLM and State Parks to discuss the feasibility and duplication of efforts in the management of whitewater recreation on the South Fork and return to the Board with a report on the discussions and recommendations from those meetings. Staff is requesting to use $25,000 from the River Trust Fund to contract with a consultant who, as directed by Parks Division Manager, would meet with the two agencies and County staff to discuss the duplication of river management activities by the County, BLM and State Parks. The Consultant would provide recommendations for removing any duplication of efforts, reducing fees and providing a more efficient and beneficial management of whitewater recreation on the South Fork. The recommendations from these discussions could provide input that may determine additional changes to the update of the County River Management Plan (RMP), as presented to the Board on February 23, 2016.
Staff will return to the Board with a report on these meetings along with alternatives on the RMP.
ALTERNATIVES
County staff can meet and discuss without the use of the consultant who wrote the plan and the Redline Version. Staff feels the presence of the consultant would be beneficial to the RMP update and the CEQA requirements once an alternative is selected.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Sheriffs Office, Community Development Agency-Planning Division and Environmental Management would continue to conduct non-RMP operations.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Parks is a Division of the Chief Administrative Office, and the CAO concurs with the recommended action.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The River Trust Fund balance would be reduced by $25,000. The River Trust fund currently has $190,353 of available fund balance.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
CONTACT
Vickie Sanders 621-7538