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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10111983 - 2.11 _ TO: BOARD OF S_ PERVISORS s. V'ROM: M. G. Wingett, County Administrator Contra Costa DATE: September 30, 1983 C my SUBJECT: Establishment of a Youth Conservation Corps SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the establishment of a Youth Conservation Corps in the county be referred to the Private Industry Council Department for thorough review and further report on implementation. BACKGROUND Earlier this year your Board, at the request of Supervisor Powers, asked that information be developed on the establishment of a Youth Conservation Corps in Contra Costa County. This action was taken at a time when funding for the Probation Department' s Juvenile Community Services Program was threatened because of fiscal constraints. As you now know, it was possible finally to include funding for this program in the budget for the 1983-1984 fiscal year. Continuing interest nevertheless has been expressed in exploration of the establishment of a Youth Conservation Corps here in the county. Inquiry has determined that the first youth conservation corps to be estab- lished in the Bay Area was in Marin County early in 1982. Subsequently the establishment of an East Bay Conservation Corps was undertaken centering in the Hayward area, and the Private Industry Council in San Francisco is working on a similar proposal. Key information with respect to the Marin Conservation Corps is as follows: 1. The Marin Conservation Corps is organized as a non-profit corporation with the purpose of providing both youth employment and environmental protection and conservation of public lands. 2. The program is intended as a non-residential, year-round program for youth in the 15-23 years age bracket. 3. The plan was initiated for employment of about 100 youth divided into crews of 8-10 under a trained crew leader. Examples of work projects are trail repair, park maintenance and improvements, re-vegetation, log removal, and storm damage repair. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: x YES SIGNATURE: . X_ RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE x APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) d., .t ACTION OF BOARD ON C O ,er li, CA98i APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X In addition the Board referred this matter to the Internal Operations Committee (Supervisors Fanden and Powers) for overall coordination with other established County Youth Programs. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN 6 ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED October 11, 1983 J.R. OLSSON, COUNTY CLERK AND EX OFFICIO CLERK OF THE BOARD M3e2/7•e3 BY ' ` �(�,� '�'�' �/ DEPUTY -2- 4. The Conservation Corps solicits work projects from public agencies, and the responding agencies make payment for services received. Youth are generally paid the minimum wage for 30-40 hours a week. One day may be set aside for enriching activities such as training and instruction in environmental concerns. While participating public agencies pay for services, they do so at a reduced rate because program financing is also obtained from other sources. 5. Financing of the Marin program has been based on foundation grants (a 12-month grant for $500, 000 was received from the Buck Trust of the San Francisco Foundation) , from grants and in-kind contributions from the private sector, from in-kind contributions from public agencies. (Funding is also sought from federal and state grants. ) The Marin Conservation Corps has considerable potential for work projects taking into account the large amount of state and federal park lands in Marin County as well as the potential needs of local public agencies. The East Bay Conservation Corps is patterned after the Marin proposal and began operations this year in the Hayward area. Participating agencies initially included the East Bay Regional Park District, Hayward Area Recreational District, Hayward Unified School District , Hayward Airport, and the Alameda County Flood Control District. The project was begun with an initial planning grant from a private firm and sponsorship by the Hayward YMCA. It proposes to operate in the territorial jurisdiction of the East Bay Regional Park District which of course includes Contra Costa County. An inquiry has been received about the availability of county work projects which the East Bay Conservation Corps might perform. Both the Marin and East Bay Conservation Corps are being operated by non- profit corporations; this facilitates public/private sector cooperation as well as funding from private sources. Issues to be considered relating to establishment of a Youth Conservation Corps in Contra Costa County are as follows: 1. Should such an agency be established in Contra Costa County taking into account the East Bay organization? 2. If a separate agency is considered desirable, should it be organized as a non-profit corporation? 3. Do local public agencies have funding available at this time to support needed work projects? Initial information is that the cost to local agencies is in the range of $3-$7 an hour per worker depending on the subsidization from non-governmental sources. 4. Are sufficient public lands and/or other public works projects of an acceptable nature available in the county to make such a program feasible? 5. Would establishment of such a program have any adverse impact on the already functioning Juvenile Community Services Program of the Probation Department? It is recommended that these issues, and others such as program financing, be considered by the Private Industry Council Department, and a further report made to your Board. Orig: County Administrator cc: Private Industry Council Department Probation Officer Public Works Director Personnel Director Mr. Alan Weisberg ) via CAO Mr. Richard Hammond ) Sheriff-Coroner