CITY OF SAN MATEO
RESOLUTION NO. ____ (2025)
APPROVING AN ALTERNATIVE PURCHASING PROCEDURE FOR AN AGREEMENT WITH FRESH APPROACH IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $225,000 FOR THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY COMPOSTING PROGRAM WHEREAS, Senate Bill (SB) 1383 is a short-term climate pollutants reduction act requiring, in part, the City to procure annually an amount of recovered organics waste products (compost) in proportion to the amount of organics generated by the residents of the City; and WHEREAS, the City’s annual target is 8,244 tons of recovered organics waste product; and WHEREAS, Assembly Bill (AB) 2346 allows the City to meet a portion of its recovered organics waste product procurement target through investments made to community composting programs; and WHEREAS, Fresh Approach, a non-profit, currently operates a community compost collection program at the College of San Mateo’s Farmers’ Market and processes compostables at the Phoenix Garden in San Mateo pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding with the County of San Mateo; and WHEREAS, Fresh Approach conducts education and outreach regarding composting, soil health, and nutrition to the residents of the City at the Farmers’ Market at the College of San Mateo and the Phoenix Garden furthering the understanding of the impact on reducing greenhouse gasses available through the proper sorting and diversion of organics from landfill which is, in part, the purpose of SB 1383; and WHEREAS, San Mateo Municipal Code Section 3.60.030 generally requires competitive bidding for contracts of $100,000 or more; and
WHEREAS, San Mateo Municipal Code Section 3.60.070 (h)(3) authorizes the City Council to approve an alternative purchasing procedure when it is in the best interests of the City; and WHEREAS, Fresh Approach is in the best position to expand the services the City is seeking and provide more, expanded opportunities to the residents of San Mateo; and WHEREAS, based on these circumstances, staff recommends approval of the agreement with Fresh Approach because it is in the best interest of the City for the reasons set forth in this resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY RESOLVES that
1. This Council action is not a project subject to CEQA; as it can be seen that it has no potential to result in either a direct, physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 (a)).
2. It is in the best interest of the City to approve an alternative purchasing method in accordance with Municipal Code Section 3.60.070 (h)(3) for the following reasons:
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2 a. Fresh Approach, a non-profit organization, currently operates a community compost collection program at the College of San Mateo’s Farmers’ Market and processes compostables at the Phoenix Garden in San Mateo.
b. Fresh Approach already conducts education and outreach regarding composting, soil health, and nutrition to the residents of the City at the Farmers’ Market at the College of San Mateo and the Phoenix Garden.
c. Fresh Approach is in the best position to expand the services the City is seeking and provide additional related opportunities to the residents of San Mateo.
3. The agreements with Fresh Approach for the creation of a community composting program in amount not to exceed $225,000 is approved.
4. The City Manager is authorized to execute the agreement in substantially the form submitted and to extend the agreements, on behalf of the City.