City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND DATE: JANUARY 16, 2024
CITY COUNCIL
FROM: HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT to REMOVE ILLEGALLY DUMPED MATERIALS FROM DISTRICT PROPERTY ISSUE:
Approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Riverside and the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to remove illegally dumped materials from District property.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Riverside and the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to remove illegally dumped materials from District property; With five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenue and appropriate expenditures of $250,000 in the General Fund in accounts to be designated by the Finance Department.
Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Memorandum of Understanding, including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (District) owns several parcels of land located throughout the City of Riverside. The District is responsible for maintaining facilities and Rights of Way to ensure the integrity of the natural state and to reduce the risk of soil and water contamination. Through its statutory authority, the District must undertake efforts to address illegal dumping on District-owned property that may result in the discharge of pollutants to flood control facilities.
At various times, significant amounts of trash, debris, biological materials, abandoned personal property and other similar materials accumulate on District property within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Riverside.
DISCUSSION:
The Housing and Human Services Department Outreach Services Division is responsible for managing the Public Safety Engagement Team (PSET). The team provides outreach services for individuals experiencing homelessness and removes debris and materials that are in the public Right of Way. During the calendar year of 2023, PSET removed over 681 tons of debris from encampments located in the public Right of Way.
To effectively meet maintenance goals of the Riverside County Flood Control Water Conservation District and to quickly respond to debris removal on District property located in the City of Riverside, a Memorandum of Understanding allowing the City to remove illegally dumped materials has been developed. The pass-through agreement will allow PSET team members and vendors an opportunity to remove debris and provide outreach services to areas identified by the District. The Housing and Human Services Outreach Services Division will bill the District quarterly for all costs associated with the removal and disposal of items. Total compensation associated with the Memorandum of Understanding is a not to exceed amount of $250,000.
The PSET team holds contract agreements with four vendors to remove debris and materials from the public Right of Way and can accommodate service requests as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority 2 – Community Well-Being and Goal 2.5 – Foster relationships between community members, partner organizations, and public safety professionals to define, prioritize, and address community safety and social service needs.
This item aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The proposed MOU will build community trust by allowing efficient and effective resolution to illegal dumping in the public Right of Way.
Equity – Through the use of the MOU, resources will be available to all District parcels located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Riverside.
Fiscal Responsibility – The MOU states an intention to collaborate with all costs for services billed to the District.
Innovation – The MOU represents an innovative partnership to advance the response toward illegal dumping and social services needs in the Riverside community.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Through collaborative efforts, the District and the City unify efforts to address illegal dumping providing a more robust response to regional resilience.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total potential fiscal impact of the action is $250,000, fully reimbursable by the District; costs will be billed and payable by the District as incurred. Upon Council approval, an increase in revenue will be recorded and an equal amount in expenditures will be appropriated in the General Fund in accounts to be designated by the Finance Department at a later date.
Prepared by: Megan Stoye, Principal Management Analyst Approved by: Michelle Davis, Housing and Human Services Director Certified as to
Availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Mike Futrell, City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachment:
MOU - Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District District Map
Presentation
Riverside County Flood Control MOU ● Page 2