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Community Development Services, Environmental Management Department, recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign Funding Agreement 3038 with The Clean Tahoe Program to provide litter abatement services in the Lake Tahoe Basin, with a term covering the period of June 26, 2018 through June 30, 2021, and with compensation commensurate with imposed per parcel fees estimated at $29,000 for Fiscal Year 2018/19 and similar amounts for subsequent years in accordance with the annual resolution adopted by the Board authorizing the collection of waste management fees.
FUNDING: County Service Area No. 10, Zone C Parcel Fees. (No Federal Funds)
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Services, Environmental Management Department (Environmental Management), recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign Funding Agreement 3038 (Agreement) with The Clean Tahoe Program (Clean Tahoe) to provide litter abatement services in the Lake Tahoe Basin, with a term covering the period of June 26, 2018 through June 30, 2021, and with compensation commensurate with imposed per parcel fees estimated at $29,000 for Fiscal Year 2018/19 and similar amounts for subsequent years in accordance with the annual resolution adopted by the Board authorizing the collection of waste management fees.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Clean Tahoe began in 1988, and by 1989, began receiving parcel fees assessed on the County tax rolls in the South Lake Tahoe Basin in exchange for litter pick-up services. Currently, Clean Tahoe receives approximately $29,000 of the total CSA 10, Zone C parcel fees collected. In addition to parcel fees, and as authorized by Board Resolution No. 218-99, Clean Tahoe is also funded by a surcharge of fifteen cents ($0.15) per month on each refuse account serviced by South Tahoe Refuse, Inc. in the unincorporated area of the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Under a separate agreement, the City of South Lake Tahoe also funds and receives litter services from this program. In May, 1992, the City of South Lake Tahoe and the County entered into a Joint Powers Agreement and a City/County Joint Board of Commissioners was appointed to oversee the program. In 1995, Clean Tahoe became a non-profit corporation overseen by a Board of Directors. On June 29, 1999, a formal written agreement documenting the expectations for Clean Tahoe in exchange for revenue provided by the County was executed. Under the agreement with Clean Tahoe, dated June 29, 1999, the County paid $21.00 per hour for 23 hours of service per week.
On August 10, 2011, Environmental Management received an email from Clean Tahoe requesting to negotiate the agreement between the County and Clean Tahoe. At that time, the hourly cost of operations had risen to $38.25 per hour, resulting in a loss of $17.25 per hour for each hour worked in the County. Environmental Management met with Clean Tahoe to discuss this request and reviewed Clean Tahoe’s financial information. On December 19, 2011, Environmental Management received another email from Clean Tahoe detailing an updated hourly cost of $36.06 and a suggestion of reducing the service hours under the new agreement to 12 hours per week from October 1 to March 31 each year, and 22 hours per week from April 1 to September 30 each year. Upon an analysis of the services Clean Tahoe provides to the County, and the updated costs of services, Environmental Management determined it was necessary to further reduce the number of service hours per week in order to stay within the expected revenue collected from the parcel fees in accordance with the annual Resolution.
On June 19, 2012 (Item 3), the Board approved Agreement #245-F1311 with a three year term, commencing July 1, 2012. The agreement allowed for the increased hourly rate of $36.06, and reduced the hours to an average of eight hours of service per week between October 1 and March 31each year and 18 hours of service per week between April 1 and September 30 each year. Because funding for the program is collected through parcel fees on a fiscal year basis, the agreement period coincided with the fiscal year in order to track the amount of funding available.
On June 23, 2015 (Item 36), the Board approved Agreement #520-F1511 with a three year term, commencing June 19, 2015. Minor changes were made to the agreement to clarify portions of the scope of work and update service locations along Highway 50. There was no change to the hourly rate or service hours under the new agreement.
The proposed new Agreement will commence upon Board approval, anticipated to be June 26, 2018. The prior agreement expired June 18, 2018 and the proposed new Agreement is not retroactive. No services will be performed nor payments be made to Clean Tahoe after the expiration of the old agreement and before the new Agreement has been approved by the Board. No changes to the hourly rate or service hours are proposed under this new Agreement.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose to deny the approval of this Agreement. This would result in the inability of the County to fund this essential program in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Further, Environmental Management does not have staffing or other funding sources available to warrant the addition of permanent staff to perform the services under this Agreement.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Risk Management have approved the Agreement.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Costs associated with this Agreement. Funding is obtained through the annual collection of parcel fees; however, the exact dollar amount of the Agreement cannot be determined before the end of each fiscal year and the amount of fees collected can change each year. Provided the services performed under this Agreement are satisfactory, Clean Tahoe is eligible to receive all parcel fees collected by the County.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair's signature on two (2) originals of the Agreement; and
2) Clerk of the Board will forward one (1) fully-executed original Agreement to the Community Development Services, Contracts and Procurement Unit, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Greg Stanton, REHS, Director
Community Development Services, Environmental Management Department