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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet - Legislative & Public Outreach Committee - 02/11/2021LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEE February 11, 2021 - 2:00 PM 31111 Greenspot Road, Highland, CA 92346 In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and in accordance with Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-25-20 and N-29-20, this meeting is being conducted via teleconference. There will be no public location for attending this meeting in person. Members of the public may listen and provide public comment telephonically. Anyone wishing to join the meeting may do so using the following information: DIAL: 1-209-425-5876 and enter CONFERENCE ID: 936 952 191# You may also join by clicking HERE to join the meeting via Microsoft Teams. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PUBLIC COMMENTS NEW BUSINESS 1.Emergency Notification Update 2.Grant Strategy Update 3.Set the day and time for holding recurring meetings 4.Director's Comments 5.Staff Comments ADJOURN PLEASE NOTE: Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2(a), any request for a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, that is sought in order to participate in the above- agendized public meeting should be directed to the District Clerk at (909) 885-4900 at least 72 hours prior to said meeting. VIA TELECONFERENCE S TAF F R E P ORT Agenda Item #1. Meeting Date: F ebruary 11, 2021 To: LEG I S LAT I VE AND P U BLI C O UT R EAC H C O MMI T T EE F rom: Direc tor of S trategic S ervic es Subject: Emergency Notific ation Update R E C O MME N D AT IO N: T his item if fo r info rmatio nal p urp o s es only. B AC KGR O UN D / AN ALYS IS : Eas t Valley Water District is c o mmitted to prep aring for emergencies . R ec ent efforts includ e up d ating p lans which outline the s teps, ac tio ns, and res p o ns ibilities o f the District in the event o f an emergency. As p art o f this emergenc y alert p ro ces s , the Dis trict has started the applic atio n to utilize F EMA’s Integrated P ublic Alert & Warning S ystem (IPAW S ). T he I PAW S s ys tem is F EMA's national s ystem for lo cal alerting that p rovid es authentic ated emergenc y and life- s aving informatio n to the pub lic. T he s ys tem pus hes mes s ages and info rmation to s martpho nes using Wireles s Emergenc y Alerts and to rad io and televis io n via the Emergenc y Alert S ystem. T his proc es s includ es a formal agreement with F EMA to have acc es s to the I PAW S s ys tem for the distrib utio n o f Eas t Valley Water District emergenc y alerts . T he s ystem is d es igned to notify ind ividuals within a spec ific geograp hic region when there is a s ignificant threat to life and /or p roperty. T ho ugh the s ys tem cannot b e us ed for general Dis tric t outreach or no n-emergenc y communicatio n, it c an p rovid e push notificatio ns to individ uals d uring c ivil emergenc ies or p ro vid e hazard o us material warnings . T he F EMA I PAW S sys tem p ro vides a s tro ng and trus ted communicatio n channel for Eas t Valley Water Dis tric t to alert c o mmunity memb ers in the event of an emergenc y. T he s ystem fully integrates with the Dis tric t’s ap p ro ved E mergency R esp onse P lan and can p rovid e a timely and potentially lifes aving updates to the community we serve. AG E N C Y G O ALS AN D OB J E C T IVE S : G o al and O bjec tives I I I - Deliver P ublic S ervic e with P urpose W hile Emb rac ing C ontinuo us G rowth a) Ad vanc e Emergency P repared ness Effo rts R es p ec tfully s ubmitted : Kelly Mallo y Directo r o f S trategic S ervices F IS C AL IMPAC T T here is no fis cal impac t as s o c iated with this item. S TAF F R E P ORT Agenda Item #2. Meeting Date: F ebruary 11, 2021 Dis c ussion Item To: LEG I S LAT I VE AND P U BLI C O UT R EAC H C O MMI T T EE F rom: Direc tor of S trategic S ervic es Subject: G rant S trategy Update R E C O MME N D AT IO N: T his item is fo r info rmatio nal p urp o s es only. B AC KGR O UN D / AN ALYS IS : T he Dis tric t is an infras truc ture-b as ed o rganizatio n that values s trategic and tho ughtful planning. T hrough a s eries of collab o rative processes, the Dis trict identifies p rojec ts needed both in a sho rt-term and lo ng-term timeframe. With the comp letion of this p ro ces s c omes the id entific ation of fund ing s o urc es inc luding inc lude general fund s , d evelop ment fees , municipal bond s , grants , o r other loans . G rant fund ing c an b e an oppo rtunity to align the Dis tric t's p riorities with thos e o f other agenc ies . T hes e sources can offset the costs of large capital investments and avoid the need to p as s thos e cos ts along to ratepayers. As an o rganizatio n that serves a large dis advantaged pop ulatio n this s o urc e of funding is mo re wid ely availab le. Ho wever, it is imp o rtant to note that with grant fund ing come additional c o nd itions and reporting req uirements that would not be required if the Dis tric t s elf fund ed . G iven the p ro s and cons o f grant fund ing it is important that the Dis tric t have a strategy for guidance. T he Dis tric t originally ado p ted G rant S trategy in 2012, s inc e then the o rganizatio n has undergo ne a d ynamic trans fo rmatio n. S taff has developed an up d ated document fo r Bo ard c onsideratio ns that will fac ilitate an ap p ro ac h to op p o rtunity consideratio n and s elec tion. T his allows for maximum flexibility when funding is made available while avoiding the potential for purs uing fund ing fo r a p ro jec t inc ons is tent with the o rganizatio nal p rio rities . As with o ther elements o f the Dis tric t's p o lic y and operatio nal direc tion, the grant strategy requires a high d egree o f c o o rd ination and communic atio n acros s programs . AG E N C Y G O ALS AN D OB J E C T IVE S : G o al and O bjec tives I I - Maintain a C ommitment to S us tainab ility, Transparenc y, and Ac c o untability c) P urs ue Alternative F unding S ources R es p ec tfully s ubmitted : Kelly Mallo y Directo r o f S trategic S ervices F IS C AL IMPAC T T here is no fis cal impac t as s o c iated with this agend a item. ATTACH M E N TS: Description Type Draft Grant Strategy Cover M e mo GRANT STRATEGY East Valley Water District (EVWD) has been very successful at securing and completing projects with the help of grant funding. Using this experience, the District continues to develop a strategy for the approach and prioritization of funding in a manner that supports the District’s Strategic Plan. Funding opportunities may include methods such as competitive grants, appropriations, formula-based funding and per capita allocations to reduce ratepayer expenses. EAST VALLEY WATER DISTRICT ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES Board of Directors • Review, advise and adopt the Grant Strategy. • Consider approval of Resolutions, delegation of authority, applications, letters of support and other policy level documentation, as necessary. • Consider signing acknowledgements and certifications, as necessary. • Should the consideration of a grant opportunity not be consistent with the adopted Strategic Initiatives, Five-Year Plan or other adopted planning document, the Board of Directors would consider authorizing the application prior to submission. General Manager/CEO & Staff • Update the Grant Strategy, as approved by the Board of Directors. • Monitor grant availability and evaluate the potential benefits to the District. • Coordinate Grant Strategy with the Board of Directors to promote the interests of EVWD to decision makers at all levels of government. • The General Manager/CEO is authorized to submit grant program applications on behalf of the Board of Directors, so long as the grant is consistent with the adopted Strategic Initiatives, Five-Year Plan, and other adopted planning documents. • Participate in meetings with funding agency representatives, legislators, Board of Directors and other public officials, as needed. • Work with Consultants to develop grant applications, maintain application logs and priorities and maintain Grant Strategy, as needed. • Develop and submit grant reporting requirements as required by secured funding sources. • The General Manager/CEO and designated staff may participate in grant discussions on behalf of the District, so long as it is consistent with the Strategic Initiatives and Grant Strategy. Consultant • Monitor, review, and advise staff of funding opportunities that align with the District’s Grant Strategy. • As necessary, work with District staff to draft grant applications in a manner that is both competitive and consistent with the organizational priorities and application requirements. • As necessary, assist with grant management and reporting requirements. • Provide an exceptional level of transparency, ethics, and customer service in representing East Valley Water District’s interest to all funding agency officials, staff, and agencies. • As necessary, participate in workshops, technical discussions, and agency interactions on behalf of the District. Funding Source Considerations The Grant Strategy reflects the priorities adopted by the Board of Directors through the Strategic Initiatives, Five-Year Work Plan, and other planning documents. It is designed to serve as a guide for East Valley Water District’s efforts in pursuit of funding from local, State, and Federal agencies. ORGANIZATIONAL EVALUATION Planning Efforts East Valley Water District puts extensive effort into developing Planning Documents that balance the needs of proactive efforts with day-to-day needs. These documents are developed in a collaborative setting and have been adopted by the Governing Board including, but not limited to: • Strategic Initiatives (Organization Vision, Core Values, Agency Goals and Objectives) • Five-Year Plan • Annual Budget • Capital Improvement Plan • Water/ Wastewater Master Plans • Hazard Mitigation Plan • Legislative Platform • Internal Policies Financial Elements Grant funding can be a resourceful means of financing projects while minimizing the impact on ratepayers. These programs are ideal when the Strategic Priorities of the District align with the funding agency. While there are many funding sources available, few will be consistent with the District’s planning efforts. When considering the submission of a grant application, the District shall assess the following financial considerations: • The District should monitor the cost for active grant funded projects and ensure that they will not interfere with existing funding and that there are adequate resources to ensure the application commitments could be fulfilled. • Recognize that the cost for application preparation averages 10% of the request including staff and consultant expenditures. When pursued, this is an investment in the District that will not be reimbursable by the grant, if successful. • Understand the funding requirements of the grant including maximum request amount, funding match requirement, and reporting/audit requirements. • Utilization of specialized grant consultants can strategically invest resources in the pursuit and monitoring of constantly changing funding opportunities. Program Assessment In addition to financial consideration, each grant or loan opportunity will be focused to support the funding agencies priorities and regulatory obligations. When monitoring calls for application and considering grant opportunities, the District should ensure that programs are consistent with existing strategic planning efforts. The grants, appropriations, formula-based funding, and per capita allocations should assess: • Evaluating programs to determine where the District will be the most competitive. • The funding source’s consistency with the District’s plan and vision as identified in the planning documents. • Upcoming and new legislation incentivizing the District’s participation in the funding program. • Current staff capacity to seek, pursue and manage the particular grant. • Previous experience, if any, with the funding agency. • The planned program timing and the alignment with the District’s effort. Understand that if successful, funding awards typically occur no less than six months after application submittal, and in many cases 12-18 months later. • District’s access to the data requested in the application or in the subsequent reporting requirements. • Cost benefit review to pursuing the funding source, considering commitments, reporting requirements, staff resources, and funding request amount. In general, this amount should be no less than $100,000 to justify necessary funding administration efforts. • Funding source schedule and whether the source is cyclical to assess the cycle the District would be the most competitive. GRANT FUNDING Successful Grant Awards Project Entity Type Earthquake Seismic Valve Study California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) HMGP Water Main Retrofit FEMA/California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) BRIC Generator California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) Comm. Power Resiliency Funding Drought Contingency Plan Bureau of Reclamation WaterSmart Drought Contingency Planning Grant Public Assistance- COVID-19 Cat b FEMA Public Assistance Cat. B- Emerg. Protective measures Public Assistance- COVID-19 Cat b FEMA Public Assistance Cat. B- Emerg. Protective measures Public Assistance- COVID-19 Cat z FEMA Public Assistance Cat. Z- Management Costs Water Main Retrofit California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) HMGP DR-4569 - October Wildfires Water Main Retrofit California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) HMGP DR-4558 - August Wildfires SNRC Landscape Dept. of Natural Resources Urban Greening Grant SNRC Project State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) SRF/Prop 1 SNRC CAEATFA California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) Sales Tax Exclusion SNRC Digester Elements CA Energy Commission 2021 ACEE/EPIC programs Plant 134 GAC State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) SRF Arroyo Verde Consolidation State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) (CA Department of Public Health) Safe Drinking Water Baseline Gardens Consolidation State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) (CA Department of Public Health) Safe Drinking Water AMI Meter - Water/Energy Department of Natural Resources 2014 Water-Energy Grant Program Plant 150 Design State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) (CA Department of Public Health) SRF North Fork Pipeline FEMA Plant 134 Expansion State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) SRF grant Eastwood Farms Consolidation State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)(CA Department of Public Health) Safe Drinking Water Plant 134 Cook Creek bridge FEMA Disaster reimbursement Project Entity Type Earthquake Seismic Valve Study California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) HMGP Water Main Retrofit FEMA/California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) BRIC Generator California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) Community Power Resiliency Funding Drought Contingency Plan Bureau of Reclamation WaterSmart Drought Contingency Planning Grant Public Assistance- COVID-19 cat b FEMA Public Assistance Cat. B- Emerg. Protective measures Public Assistance- COVID-19 cat b FEMA Public Assistance Cat. B- Emerg. Protective measures Public Assistance- COVID-19 cat z FEMA Public Assistance Cat. Z- Management Costs Water Main Retrofit California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) HMGP DR-4569 - October Wildfires Water Main Retrofit California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) HMGP DR-4558 - August Wildfires SNRC Landscape Dept. of Natural Resources Urban Greening Grant Potential Grant Funding As a California Special District that provides water and wastewater services, the District is eligible to submit applications for many grants offered by multiple state and federal agencies. Funding agency initiatives that are consistent with District projects include: disaster mitigation, water quality, alternative energy/waste diversion, and carbon emission reduction. While new funding opportunities are generated following the implementation of legislation, the following are examples of potential funding agencies with goals that align with the District’s priorities: Agency General Project Type Grant/ Loan Potential Projects State of California Office of Emergency Services Planning, Disaster Mitigation, Disaster Recovery Grants Pipeline replacement, reservoir study, emergency cost recovery Department of Natural Resources Carbon emission reduction, park space Grants SNRC public space Energy Commission Alternative energy generation Grants/ Loans SNRC digesters CalRecycle Waste diversion, alternative energy generation Grants SNRC digester State Water Resources Control Board Planning, Capital Construction Grants/ Loans Surface water treatment plant, facility treatment Federal Bureau of Reclamation Water efficiency Grants Conservation planning, capital projects, water conservation rebates Environmental Protection Agency Water infrastructure, water quality Grantd Pipeline replacement, reservoir construction, surface water treatment plant, facility treatment enhancements Federal Emergency Management Agency Planning, Disaster Mitigation, Disaster Recovery Grants Reservoir construction, pipeline replacement, generator installation, emergency cost recovery