RESOLUTION NO. (N.C.S.)
A RESOLUTION OF THE SALINAS CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH ROWE POLICY & MEDIA INC TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING AND COMPLETE A CANNABIS SOCIAL EQUITY ASSESSMENT FOR THE CITY OF SALINAS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $84,350 WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter 16B and the California Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA), the City of Salinas developed regulations relating to the acceptance and processing of permits for commercial cannabis businesses (which were approved by the City Council on May 17, 2016) and began accepting applications for medical commercial cannabis businesses in June 2016; and WHEREAS, in 2018, the State of California passed SB 1294, known as the California Cannabis Equity Act. The purpose of the Act was to ensure that people who were most harmed by past cannabis criminalization and poverty have assistance to enter the legal cannabis industry; and WHEREAS, a primary objective of the Cannabis Social Equity Assessment is to provide policy recommendations to guide the creation of a local cannabis equity program alongside recommendations on community investment of cannabis revenue on the neighborhood most harmed by the “War on Drugs”; and WHEREAS, staff prepared a Request for Proposals seeking a consultant team to secure funding from grants in order to complete a comprehensive Cannabis Equity Assessment (Study) for the cannabis industry in the City of Salinas and received six proposals by the April 21, 2023 deadline; and WHEREAS, based on staffs’ review of the written proposals and a panel interview Rower Policy and Media Inc. (RPM) scored the highest, meeting all the requirements of the RFP scope of work and demonstrated grant writing and community engagement experience; and WHEREAS, this action is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15061 (b) (3) as there is no possibility that the action may have a significant effect on the environment. Any subsequent discretionary projects resulting from this action will be assessed for CEQA applicability.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Salinas City Council authorizes the City Manager or designee to enter into an Agreement for Professional Services (Agreement) with RPM for an amount not to exceed eighty-four thousand three hundred and fifty dollars ($84,350) to apply for grant funding and to prepare the Cannabis Social Equity Assessment for the City of Salinas; and to apply for and enter into agreements for grants relating to the preparation of a Cannabis Equity Assessment.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 22st day of August 2023, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
APPROVED:
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Kimbley Craig, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Patricia M. Barajas, City Clerk