Item Number: 8
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: March 19, 2024
Submitted By:
Keith Metzler, City Manager
Subject:
San Bernardino Council of Governments Presentation
Recommendation:
Any action is at the discretion of your Honorable City Council.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item at this time.
Background:
The San Bernardino Council of Governments (“SBCOG” or the “COG”) is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) that comprises a membership of 24 cities/towns and the County of San Bernardino. SBCOG was formed with the purpose of attending to and addressing issues and problems with a regional unified voice as opposed to having individual cities/towns or the County attend to issues of region wide concern on its own. SBCOG was originally formed in 1973 and Victorville has been a member since its origination. It is important to note for consideration of this item, SBCOG is separate and distinct from the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) as SBCTA has been formed and exists specifically to address countywide transportation issues. SBCOG is governed by a Board of Directors where each participating member of the JPA has a seat on the board.
Victorville’s appointed representation to SBCOG is Council Member Debra Jones as its primary member and Mayor Pro Tem Harriman as the City’s alternate.
On January 3, 2024, the SBCOG Board of Directors approved an amendment to its existing JPA and a change to the methodology in which the JPA charges its Member Agencies. For current members of the JPA to continue as members of the JPA, SBCOG has set a deadline of April 30, 2024, for its respective Member Agencies to consider and potentially take action.
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Discussion:
At the January 16, 2024, Regular City Council meeting, City Council Member Jones requested an item to be brought back to the Council which was to include an in-person presentation from a SBCTA representative focused on the San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) and the upcoming Joint Powers Agreement amendment. The presentation was to include information such as the functions and benefits of COG membership, the newly defined objectives, and expected benefits, if any for the City of Victorville. To help facilitate a conversation with the City Council, SBCOG has prepared a presentation that will be presented in person by SBCOG staff. Also included with this staff report is the drafted Amendment #4 to the existing Joint Powers Agreement that governs SBCOG. If the Council is desirous of continuing as a member of the COG, it would be appropriate to consider approving JPA Amendment #4. Otherwise, no action would be required.
In summary, the proposed JPA Amendment changes existing JPA language relating to the assessments it charges its members by removing the defined methodology of how assessments are to be charged and instead includes language that allows the methodology of its member assessments to be established through an approved policy of its governing Board of Directors. The newly adopted policy of the SBCOG Board calculates a membership charge that is based on a Member Agencies population (50%) and the product of a Member Agencies sales tax and property tax as a function of its General Fund (50%), with a goal of increasing the revenue it generates from Members from approximately $470,000 to $1.97 Million. Such an increase would increase Victorville’s contribution from $20,338 annually to $72,317 annually.
Victorville voted No at the January 3, 2024, SBCOG meeting in large part, due to SBCOG not having developed a specific work plan to support the spending of the proposed $1.5 Million revenue increase. Victorville was the lone No vote, with one abstention for the item dealing with the member rate increase.
Staff remains available for any questions or comments you may have.
Attachments: A. San Bernardino County Council of Governments Presentation B. JPA Amendment No. 4