Title:
Title
Agreement: Groundwater Facilitation and Technical Assistance
End
FileID
File ID: 2018-01599
Location
Location: Citywide
Recommendation:
Recommendation
Pass a Motion authorizing the City Manager, or City Manager’s designee, to execute an agreement with John M. Lowrie in an amount not-to-exceed $350,000 from January 2, 2019, through June 30, 2022.
Contact: Tom Gohring, Executive Director, (916) 808-1998; Virginia Smith, Program Specialist, (916) 808-1995, City-County Office of Metropolitan Water Planning (CCOMWP)
Body
Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Agreement
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Water Forum was formed in April 2000 to facilitate discussions regarding water use on the American River as well as groundwater use. The State of California passed the Groundwater Sustainability Management Act (SGMA) in September 2014, which significantly expanded State rules for managing groundwater supplies.
The Water Forum Agreement directs the Water Forum to provide facilitation for creation of local groundwater management plans and local groundwater governance. However, the Water Forum does not have adequate staffing or expertise in this area.
On January 10, 2017, the City-County Office of Metropolitan Water Planning (CCOMWP, also known as the Water Forum) entered into an agreement with the State of California, Department of Conservation to reimburse the state for the services of John Lowrie, who was temporarily assigned to the Water Forum as a groundwater technical consultant under the direction of Tom Gohring, Executive Director, CCOMWP. This agreement expires December 31, 2018.
John Lowrie will be leaving state employment at the end of the year and the Water Form wishes to retain his services to provide technical support and facilitation services to the local groundwater services officials. Mr. Lowrie has spent two years building relationships and trust within this group and it is vital that the work continue seamlessly.
Policy Considerations: In accordance with the City’s Administrative Policy 4102, the Executive Director of CCOMWP has approved the recommendation to contract with John Lowrie on a sole source basis to provide continuity to the groundwater working group and to build on the relationship of trust that has been built up over the past two years.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: The proposed activity is not a project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2) and (b)(4). The activity consists of continuing administrative activities such as personnel-related actions and organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment and is not subject to CEQA, per CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3).
Sustainability: Pursuit of a sustainable groundwater plan is a fundamental element of the Water Forum Agreement, which is supported by the City’s General Plan Goals, specifically Water Resources (E.R. 1.1).
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: The Water Forum has been working with local groundwater officials for two years. Mr. Lowrie has led the discussions and has worked to build trust with these groups who often have competing interests. Bringing a new consultant on board would result in lost time in rebuilding those relationships and learning the complexities of the groundwater working group.
Financial Considerations: The agreement is for a total not-to-exceed amount of $350,000 through June 30, 2022. There are sufficient resources available in the Fiscal Year 2018/19 Water Forum operating budget to fund this agreement through June 30, 2019. Future expenditures will be funded provided sufficient budget is available in subsequent fiscal years.
Fiscal breakdown as follows:
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): John Lowrie is not an LBE.