HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1993 1006 CC REG ITEM 11C,)OPPARK, CALIFC'?N!A
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AGENDA REPORT
city of Moorpark
o: Tk�e �Honol City Council �/
Prom: Jaime Aguilera, Director of Community Development^
Date: September 30, 1993 (CC meeting of 10/06/93)
Subject: CONSIDER THE STATUS REPORT OF THE URBAN STREAMS
RESTORATION GRANT CONTRACTORS
BACKGROUND:
The Environmental Coalition Moorpark Branch (ECMB) approached the
City on January 15, 1993 to jointly sponsor a grant application for
the restoration of part of the Arroyo Simi. Staff approached the
Council on January 20, 1993 (as an added agenda item) and asked if
the Council would agree to assist in the ECMB's efforts to secure
the grant. Time was short and little information was available
then. The Council agreed and directed staff to assist the ECMB in
writing and submitting the grant proposal with the understanding
that the Council did not have to accept the grant if awarded.
The City Council was notified on June 11, 1993 that the grant had
been awarded. At the Council meeting on June 16, 1993 the Council
voted to accept the grant if issues concerning liability insurance,
worker's compensation insurance, and the ECMB's role could be
resolved to the City Manager's satisfaction.
In the staff report of June 16, 1993, staff informed the Council
that the Risk Manager for the City's Insurance Authority was being
consulted to determine how to deal with those people who would be
hired through grant proceeds. Staff discussed with the Council
that there were outstanding questions about how the City's
liability insurance and worker's compensation would be used to
cover those employed through the grant process. At the time staff
did not know who the various contractors would be. Attachment No.
3 to the staff report showed that over $13,616 would be disbursed
to or through the ECMB planners, skilled labor, and volunteers.
Again individuals were not identified at this time.
Dr. Roseann Mikos was the ECMB coordinator, and the person who was
most responsible for writing and coordinating the grant effort.
After the City accepted the grant, she submitted a contract for our
review which named her as the project manager for the ECMB and
outlined her duties and rate of compensation. Staff recommended to
the City Manager that he concur with Dr. Mikos' contract. The
contract is still under review by both parties.
The Honorable City Council
September 30, 1993
Page 2
Since the inception of the project, staff understood that the City
was being used as a pass- through agency for funds (Fiscal Agent)
received from the grant, and that it was the ECMB's role to
implement, coordinate and administer the grant. Indeed, this was
the way the grant was written and funded. The ECMB understood this
role also and has been fulfilling it by coordinating the work
schedule, workers, technical advisory committee, etc. The City on
the other hand has worked with the ECMB in selecting the members of
the technical advisory committee and in processing contracts for
those contractors selected by the ECMB. If these were not the
rules established by the grant and if the grant was solely
sponsored by the City, our staff would be responsible for all these
duties.
After the submittal of Dr. Mikos' contract, she proceeded to comply
with the terms of the proposed contract by recruiting other
contractors. She submitted other contracts for various parties
including the California Conservation Corps (executed), Karles Kint
- Crum Incorporated (herbicide operator), Monica Finn (biologist),
Sharon Harper, Elizabeth Haynes, Margaret Kurnig, Karen Rosenblum,
and Janet Murphy. Staff did review the qualification of the
herbicide applicator ( Karles Kint -Crum) and found the company to
have a vast experience with this type of vegetation control.
Caltrans has hired this contractor several times for this purpose.
The Caltrans biologist highly recommended this contractor. The
names of persons above, besides Dr. Mikos, Monica Finn, Crum
Incorporated, and the California Conservation Corps were submitted
to staff on September 22, 1993.
There have been concerns expressed that the Council was not
properly informed and that the City may not have followed proper
procedures for obtaining services. The record indicates that the
Council was aware that grant funds would be allocated to others,
however, individual names were not known at the time. As to the
retaining of contract services, it is City practice that contracts
for services may be "sole- source" especially if the contract amount
is small. In a letter dated August 21, 1993 the ECMB solicited
members past and present to volunteer all or part of their time to
the grant. The letter also asked that recipients of the letter
contact other non - members for the same purpose (see Attachment A).
This letter suggests that the ECMB acted in good faith in obtaining
personnel to assist in the grant implementation. In retrospect,
the ECMB could have avoided some of the criticism by advertising as
well as notifying their members of the volunteer /employment
opportunity. In fact it may not yet be too late to do so for some
of the contractors and in lieu of the student program (if it isn't
able to be implemented).
The Honorable City Council
September 30, 1993
Page 3
Recommendation:
Direct staff as deemed appropriate.
a: \urbanxes
P. 2
ENVIRONMENTAL COPY
COALITION* MOORPARK BRANCH
Memo 6�A
To: «Fnxme» aLname» y� 1l _pJ CC: All EC Members or former
kAddresslu ;V'�
Vi" 1/,"t members ec(:ity», KState» ccZiP» e StP t 1 k' `1 Div G� ` (Sfi S
From. Janet M. Murphy, President, Environmental Coaiiition -- Moorpark Branch 40 -
Roseann Mikae, Ph.D., EC-MB Project Manager ice, f��7d.P
Dates August 21, 1993
Subject: Urban Streams Restoration Grant for the Arroyo Simi in Moorpark, CA
We arc pleased to announce that the Ew4ronmental Coalition, Moorpark Branch (EC -M13) and the City of
Moorpark have been awarded and have accepted a $64,000 grant from the State of California's Urban St=ms
Restoration Program for the purposes of (a) the completion of a management plan for the Arroyo Simi within
the Moorpark City limits; and (b) restoration of a S-acre parcel of riparian habitat along the Arroyo Simi. The
project will utilize a unique combination of volunteers and professionals.
The: Urban Streams Restoration Program is unique in that, by law, It fttndt ONLY those programs with broad -
based community support and with joint co- sponsorship between a local public agency or authority and a non -
governmental entity or privato citizens group. we were fortunate to have received 301ettene of support from
diSercrtt individuals and groups when we applied for the grant last January. A flew letters of support included
those from the Moorpark Unified School District, Moorpark College, the Girl Scouts, and malty many others.
Large numbers of volunteers will be needed to implement the proposed program between now and May 1994.
In the corning, months, there will be a number of opportunities for you to show your support. Activities for the
volunteers will include (a) attending conummity workshops and training sessions about the project; and (b)
working in the Arroyo Simi to remove non - native or harmful vegetation (October 9, 16, and 23, 1993) or to
plant native vegetation (February through March, 1994),
As an EC member, or former member, we are sure you are interested in learning about and working on this
exciting community action project. You probably have lots of questions like these (and many others).
• What Is really going to happen; and, Rhea? • How will the gram money be spent?
• What's been done @gAt by the EC —MB dt the city? • Why do we still need donations if vm got a grant?
• How can I help? • Which part of the Arroyo are we going to restore?
We really need everyone's help. As oo- sponsors of this pmjoet, Moorpark is counting on the EC for both
leadership and hard work as we all try to do something positive for Moorpark. Already, over a half dozen of
you have chipped in to do such things as: drag kxim; make lists, research who are the landowners and
business proprietors along the Arroyo Simi; look up names, addresses, and phone numbers of those landowners
and businesses, along with those for community groups who might tike to help, call up looking for locations for
future meetings, create and send out press releases, attend meetings with city, county and state stair members,
tour the Arroyo Simi site where the restoration will take place, make phone calls (and more phone ealls...l),
type things into computer databases, do photocopying, print and mail over 150 letters so far, and MOREI
A big THANK YOU goes out to all who have helped so far. But this is just the beginning) And we have to
Wow all the rules for the Want by keeping track of all the 'unkind" oontnbtWons (both labor and materials)
that we get for the project. Roseann has taken on the task of organizing and running the project for us. She
will be responsible for figuring out what to do, mcniiting and training all those who will help. and reporting to
the city and the state. Believe it or not, to do what is planned for the project between npw and May 31, 1994, it
will take the help of hundreds of people for a combined labor effort of thousands of hoursl
POST OFFICE SOX 376 MOORPARK, CA 93020
SEP 27 ' 93 18 12
A+4 A (h 1'M C In 4, /� vorr MM-)
N- s
TO: EC Members ot al. RE: Arroyo Simi Management & Restoration Grant Page 2 of 2
Given this enornwus commitment, it will take not only volunteer but also paid labor to do all the work. The
budget is tight and most of the dollars will go for the restoration materials and for professionals (some licensed
pros, as required bylaw) who will do a good share of the work. In addition to committing a substantial
amount of free labor to the project (a requirement in order to get the grant), both the City of Moorpark and the
EC-MB have small budgets available from which they can pay some people for some (but not all) work.
Any interested EC member who (1) makes a rAstantW commitment of time to the project, aver and above the
average volunteer, AND (2) agroes, in writing, to contribute one or snore hours of free labor for every hour of
paid labor on the project; AND (3) mods any administrative requirements of the City of Moorpark the grant
administrator; Ma be able to qualify for some potential pay for this project. Roseann is still wofldng with the
city of Moorpark to finalize what the administrative rcquirements will be.
In the meantime, all roquests regarding possible paid positions are to go directly to Roseann, who is responsible
for allocadug the ECs budget, as well as recruiting and training all those who will work on the project
(volunteers or otherwise). Not surprisingly, those who make the necessary commitment AND meet the
requirements soonest will Live the best chance to qualify for some pay. No one will get rich on this project but
at least some people can earn a modest amount of pay, until our budget for that runs out.
You should know also that there is liltk or no budget for necessities like photocopying, stationery, printing,
meeting room rental, postage, etc. because the grant was funded at over S20,ODO lea than what was requested.
This means that we will be soliciting for "in- kind" contributions and donations to try to cover the shortfall.
Well provide training to those who plan to go out to get these contributions, so you'll know how.
Yes, it sounds like a tall order —and it is. But we can do itl When we succeed, this combined volunteer /paid
effort can be a model for future cooperative efforts between government and volunteer organizations in Ventura
County and even across the nation on how to work together cost-effectively to impruve our communities.
Our next big need is for peoplo to help us conduct and monitor the first community workshop next week. All
those interested in helping at that workshop or in finding out more about how all of this will work should meet
with tho two of us (Roseann and Janet) on Thursday night, August 26th at 7pm at Roseann's house.
We hope that we can count on you, your 5milics, friends and neighbors to participate in this unique and
valuable project between now laid May 1994. if you are especially interested, please contact either Roseann
Mikos at 529 -4828 or Janet Murphy at 523 -7913. Finally, please we the enclosed flyer ibr more information
about the find community workshop to be held on August 30, 1993. We hope to see you there!
(Enclosure: Project Flyer)
SEP 27 193 1(3:13 PAGE.003
OCT -06 -1993 14:50 FROM VRC CORPORATION TO 5298270 P.02
VRC Corporation --
68 LONG COURT, SUITE 2A THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91360.6084 . (803) 4963549 Fax: 496.7191
6 October 1993
City Council
City of Moorpark
799 Moorpark Avenue
Moorpark, California 93021
Subject: The Arroyo Simi Grant Program flap
Ladies and Gentleman,
I71 be brief and blunt. The extent of the "after the fact' investigation into the propriety of this grant
is counterproductive and sets a dangerous precedent for citizens who donate their time and energies
for the public good. In your deliberations, please consider the following four facts:
First, this grant came about because of hours of unpaid work by members of the Environmental
Coalition (EC) for the benefit of all citizens of Moorpark. It is not improper for people applying
for a grant to write themselves into it; this is done frequently because the grantees are the experts
who need support to get a particular job done — ask any university professor who is awarded
grants about this; they don't donate their time without some pay or other consideration.
Second, there is no impropriety in the grant budget The grant application and supporting budget
were studied and approved by the city staff before it was submitted; all of the plans, management
and financial considerations were open, above board, and reviewed. The State of California
reviewed all of the data and awarded the grant. The City Council approved the grant award -
Nowhere in this process was there any mention or thought of impropriety. Why now?
Third, I was horrified by the insinuation in the newspaper articles that Dr. Mikos or the EC acted
improperly. I have worked with Dr. Mikos for 15 years. She is a highly skilled professional who
is much in demand because of her keen skill and impeccable integrity-
Fourth, Dr. Mikos has donated free time to the community for more than 10 years; she offered to
work on the grant for less than half -pay. How many people here tonight have given -up part of
their (needed) income for the benefit of this community?
I urge you to put this matter to rest quickly. Otherwise, the message is clear: volunteer to work for
the benefit of the citizens of Moorpark at your own risk. Your toil may be rewarded by the insult
of having to spend hours defending your integrity instead of getting on with the job at hand. Who
Nvouid volunteer under such circumstances?
Respectfully submitted,
AAA 4MI."
Donald Vreuls
President and CEO
cc: Jaime Aguilera, Director of Community Development
- - WASHINGTON, DC - -- • --
TOTAL P.02
OCT 6 '93 14:54 +1 805 496 7191 PAGE - FIX?
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68 LONG COURT, SUITE 2A • THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91360 -6084 • (805) 496 -3549 Fax: 496 -7191
6 October 1993
City Council
City of Moorpark
799 Moorpark Avenue
Moorpark, California 93021
Subject: The Arroyo Simi Grant Program flap
Ladies and Gentleman,
I'll be brief and blunt. The extent of the "after the fact" investigation into the propriety of this grant
is counterproductive and sets a dangerous precedent for citizens who donate their time and energies
for the public good. In your deliberations, please consider the following four facts:
First, this grant came about because of hours of unpaid work by members of the Environmental
Coalition (EC) for the benefit of all citizens of Moorpark. It is not improper for people applying
for a grant to write themselves into it, this is done frequently because the grantees are the experts
who need support to get a particular job done -- ask any university professor who is awarded
grants about this; they don't donate their time without some pay or other consideration.
Second, there is no impropriety in the grant budget. The grant application and supporting budget
were studied and approved by the city staff before it was submitted; all of the plans, management
and financial considerations were open, above board, and reviewed. The State of California
reviewed all of the data and awarded the grant. The City Council approved the grant award.
Nowhere in this process was there any mention or thought of impropriety. Why now'?
Third, I was horrified by the insinuation in the newspaper articles that Dr. Mikos or the EC acted
improperly. I have worked with Dr. Mikos for 15 years. She is a highly skilled professional who
is much in demand because of her keen skill and impeccable integrity.
Fourth, Dr. Mikos has donated free time to the community for more than 10 years; she offered to
work on the grant for less than half -pay. How many people here tonight have given -up part of
their (needed) income for the benefit of this community''
I urge you to put this matter to rest quickly. Otherwise, the message is clear: volunteer to work for
the benefit of the citizens of Moorpark at your own risk. Your toil may be rewarded by the insult
of having to spend hours defending your integrity instead of getting on with the job at hand. Who
would volunteer under such circumstances''
Respectfully submitted,
4(�Owa �U �
Donald Vrculs
President and CEO
cc: Jaime Aguilera, Director of Community Development
WASHINGTON. DC