EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: July 5, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
BY: Michelle Marie Daher, Management Analyst
Humza Javed, City Engineer
SUBJECT: Agreement with Bay Area Community Resources for Climate Action Plan Update and Implementation Fellow
Recommendation
Direct City Manager to enter into Agreement with Bay Area Community Resources for a Climate Action Plan Update and Implementation Fellow
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 1: Enhance Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Priority No. 3: Increase Organizational Effectiveness and Efficiency Priority No. 6: Create a Healthy and Safe Community
Background
On March 1, 2022, City Council reviewed a public engagement schedule for the development of a 2030 Climate Action Plan (2030
CAP).<http://eastpaloalto.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=1489& MediaPosition=&ID=2123&CssClass=> The following actions have been taken:
· On March 3, 2022, Climate Resilient Communities reviewed the Draft EPA CAP 2030 in its entirety and provided comments.
· On March 16, 2022 the Public Works and Transportation Committee reviewed the Draft EPA CAP 2030 and provided comments.
· On April 25, 2022, the Planning Commission reviewed the Draft EPA CAP 2030 and provided comments.
Staff also provided presentations to a number of community groups, including neighborhood groups and Youth United for Community Action (YUCA) and received oral comments.
Staff anticipated returning to the City Council for a draft final review of the Climate Action Plan in May 2022. Staff has a revised timeline and will return to the Planning Commission in September 2022 for CEQA review, and likely return to the City Council prior to the end of 2022 with a Final 2030 CAP for review.
The Bay Area Community Resources (BACR) reached out to Staff to determine whether a Fellow will be needed for planning and implementation of the Climate Action Plan. BACR collaborates with public and nonprofit organizations across the state of California to recruit, train, and place Climate Corps AmericCorps Fellows at public and non-profit organizations, where they will support greenhouse gas reduction programs or other sustainability projects such as implementing programs that save energy, water or waste; educating students in classrooms or online; developing greenhouse Gas Inventories, Climate Action Plans, and other capacity-building documents; and outreach to raise community engagement.
Fellows will ideally devote an average minimum of 24 hours per week to directly working on emissions, water, waste, or energy reduction projects. The term of service starts the first week of September and ends no later than August 31, 2023. The job posting <jobs.climatecorps.org/listings/details/DE74F/climate-action-plan> for the Climate Action Plan Implementation Fellow has been prepared and is available for viewing and applications, should the City Council support this action.
Analysis
Support through the AmeriCorp Fellowship program, managed locally through BACR required the City prepare a job description and posting prior to the end of June 2022 to ensure that interested candidates have ample opportunity to apply prior to the August deadline. Interviews and hiring will take place in August 2022. The fellowship will begin the first week of September 2022.
This Fellowship removes barriers to success by requiring a high school diploma/GED as a basic requirement, along with being a US citizen or legal permanent resident, as well as requiring the applicant lives in California. Fellowship opportunities enable community members to engage in meaningful Climate Action work for a limited duration and receive a Segal Education Award up to $6,495 in return for their service, while receiving a monthly stipend of $2,626 and additional pay of $10,000 as an end of the program award. A $28,000 match is required from the host Agency to support implementation of the program.
Exposure to climate action planning and implementation will ensure the fellow will be engaged in public outreach, education, research, and developing an understanding of the many cobenefits the community will enjoy through emissions reductions and other goals to be fully outlined through the 2030 CAP.
The Fellow will be exposed to public engagement efforts beyond the Climate Action Plan, including Coastal Cleanup Day, other community cleanup events, MLK Day Tree Planting, Earth Day, National Rivers Cleanup Day, and Bike to Work Day, and possibly National Night Out, among other public events. This exposure will also enable the Fellow to be exposed to non-profit partnerships, other governmental agencies, and other regional Climate Action Plan collaboratives the City engages in.
By hiring this ClimateCorp Fellow, the City will temporarily enhance Climate Action capacity while the Fellow and Public Works team seeks funding opportunities to further capacity building, while preparing an implementation plan for the 2030 CAP upon adoption.
Fiscal Impact
A budget of $27,000, funded through the City’s General Fund, is included in the adopted 2022/2023 annual Public Works Budget. An additional appropriation of $1,000 from the general fund is required to support this program.
Public Notice
The public was provided notice by making the agenda and report available on the City’s website and on a bulletin board located at City Hall: 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto.
Environmental
The action being considered does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378 (b)(5), in that it is a government administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
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Attachments
1. Attachment 1 BACR Fellow Climate Action Plan_Resolution
2. BACR Fellow Climate Action Plan_Exhibit A MOU