BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Government Code § 84308 Applies: Yes ☒ No ☐
(If “YES” Complete Attachment A - Gov. Code § 84308)
SUBJECT:
Title
Approve Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. A4536R, with Grassroots Ecology for the Santa Clara Valley Water District, Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program, FY 2020 Safe, Clean Water Project B3 Grant, Extending the Term of the Agreement for One Year and Modifying the Scope and Budget.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. A4536R with Grassroots Ecology for the Santa Clara Valley Water District, Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program, FY 2020 Safe, Clean Water Project B3 Grant, Extending the Term of the Agreement for One Year and modifying the scope and budget.
Body
SUMMARY:
On February 11, 2020, Santa Clara Valley Water (Valley Water) Board of Directors (Board) approved a grant award to Grassroots Ecology (Grantee) in the amount not-to-exceed $89,331.60 to support the Community-Based Stewardship of Green Stormwater Infrastructure Project (Project) to carry out pollution prevention, education, and outreach. The grant was awarded under the 2012 Safe, Clean Water Program and Natural Flood Protection Program and the Agreement was fully executed as of September 29, 2021, and had an expiration date of March 1, 2024 (Attachment 1).
To date, $55,157.13 of the grant amount has been disbursed to the Grantee. Grant funds have been utilized to replant 14 bioretention areas with native plants, host 18 community replanting events, and implement 12 hands-on training sessions.
The Project was originally scheduled to be completed by March 1, 2024. However, the Grantee has requested a one-year extension of the original Agreement term to March 1, 2025, to continue maintenance activities and plant establishment of bioretention areas in completed Project locations, and community engagement with volunteers.
The Grantee also requested approval of modifications to the Project budget line items to provide for a reallocation amongst Tasks due to receiving unanticipated matching funds from the City of Palo Alto and the County of Santa Clara after the Agreement with Valley Water commenced.
Amendment No. 1
Valley Water received the Grantee’s letter dated November 21, 2023, requesting an extension of the Agreement term for one year from its current expiration date of March 1, 2024, to March 1, 2025 (Attachment 2). Extending the Agreement term will provide time for the Grantee to continue maintaining healthy plant establishment of completed bioretention areas. Amendment No. 1 provides for a retroactive effective date of January 1, 2024, in order to align the Grantee’s performance of the tasks consistent with the budget allocations as explained in this Memorandum.
Amendment 1 does not increase or decrease the overall grant amount. However, Amendment No. 1 includes no-cost revised Project budget line items to reallocate unused funds to support neighborhood stewardship, Project research, and pay for additional administrative costs during the extended term. The Grantee received unanticipated matching funds, which paid for completing the remainder of work described in Task 2: Conservation Corps Paid GSI Maintenance Training. As a result, reallocating the remaining Task 2 budgeted grant funds between the remaining Project tasks will maximize the unused funds.
The remaining grant funds in Task 2 will be reallocated to the following other tasks for the following reasons:
1. Task 1: Green Stormwater Infrastructure Stewardship Program. Support will be extended to the neighborhood stewardship program and maintenance of the Project;
2. Task 3: Program Evaluation. Funds will be spent on additional research, outreach, and community presentations; and
3. Task 4: Administration and Reporting. Funds will pay for Project administration expenses incurred during the extended Agreement term.
Table 1 provides a summary of the recommended Project Budget revisions and reallocations as stated in Amendment No. 1, Revised Appendix C, Project Budget:
Table 1:
Project Budget
District-Funding Only (Revised)
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY IMPACT:
There are no Environmental Justice and Equity Impacts associated with this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No financial impact. Amendment No. 1 is a no-cost time extension and does not increase the grant award amount.
CEQA:
The Project purpose is to educate and mobilize community members to help maintain and monitor green stormwater infrastructure. They will steward and replant 14 existing stormwater bioswales with native pollinator friendly vegetation. Workshops will be held over three years and participants will adopt and learn to maintain green stormwater infrastructure. The Project will not result in adverse impacts to the environment. Only minor beneficial physical disturbance would occur from removing plants from existing bioretention areas and planting local native plants. The Project qualifies for an exemption pursuant to CEQA Guideline §15333 Categorical Exemption for Small Habitat Restoration Projects & Existing Facilities.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Gov. Code § 84308
Attachment 1: Original Agreement A4536R
Attachment 2: Amendment No. 1
Attachment 3: Grassroots Ecology Letter
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:
Manager
Rachael Gibson, (408) 630-2884