Title
Agriculture, Weights and Measures Department recommending the Board consider the following: 1) find in accordance with County Charter Article II, Section 210 (b) (6), that it is appropriate to obtain an outside contractor for the Weed Abatement Program for said Department because the ongoing aggregate of the work is not sufficient to warrant addition of permanent staff and that the timely treatment of all various weed populations within the County requires a very short time frame to be efficacious; and, 2) authorize the Chairman to sign Agreement 039-S1011 with Thomas Amesbury, an individual, dba Forester's Co-Op in an amount not to exceed $90,000 for a term through June 30, 2011 for specialty weed abatement, control and eradication work.
FUNDING: California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Body
BUDGET SUMMARY: |
|
|
Total Estimated Cost |
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$89,987 |
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|
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Funding |
|
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Budgeted |
$69,987 |
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New Funding |
$20,000 |
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Savings |
$ |
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Other |
$ |
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Total Funding Available |
$89,987 |
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Change To Net County Cost |
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$0 |
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:Appropriations of $69,987 are included in FY 09/10 Budget with funding provided by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), with an additional $20,000 applied for in new, additional funding from CDFA.
Background: The Department of Agriculture, Weights & Measures has been proactively involved in intensive invasive weed survey and eradication projects as state monies have become available. This contract encompasses three control projects in El Dorado County and one project in Alpine County. The first project will enable the department to continue eradication efforts of Yellow Starthistle along the Highway 50 corridor with a follow up Phase in new funding applied for FY 09/10 Budget year. This portion of the project is designed to keep Yellow Starthistle from migrating into the environmentally sensitive Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The second project is designed to treat and survey Spotted Knapweed in the Cleveland Fire area with a follow up Phase in new funding for FY 09/10. This project portion is a continuation of our previous efforts to eradicate this invasive weed population before it produces a monoculture consisting of hundreds of acres.
The third project will continue a comprehensive weed management plan for protecting the sensitive Lake Tahoe Basin environment through survey, treatment and mapping for "A" rated Noxious Weeds.
The Alpine weed abatement work consists of two projects; both include follow up treatments for previously identified noxious weed outbreaks in combination with a second phase which is being funded for the project specific to Yellow Starthistle.
The ultimate goal of these projects is to find and eradicate small, pioneer infestations of noxious weeds in El Dorado and Alpine Counties while still economically feasible to do so. The contract company is an expertly trained Natural Resource - Geographic Information Services (GIS) provider. This company provides the specialized skills, state pesticide licensing, workers compensation coverage and equipment necessary to survey, map, and treat noxious weed populations at specific locations in El Dorado and Alpine Counties in an economic and efficient manner while allowing department staff to continue other noxious weed projects that require simultaneous treatment.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1) Board Chairman will sign two originals of Agreement 039-S1011 with Foresters Co-Op.
2) Board Clerk to provide one original to Agriculture Department to distribute document as appropriate.
Contact: Myrna Tow x6647
Concurrences: County Counsel/Risk