HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOARD STANDING COMMITTEES - 03282016 - Internal Ops Cte Min
INTERNAL OPERATIONS
COMMITTEE
March 28, 2016
11:00 A.M.
651 Pine Street, Room 101, Martinez
Supervisor John Gioia, Chair
Supervisor Candace Andersen, Vice Chair
Agenda
Items:
Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference
of the Committee
1.Introductions
2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this
agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).
3. RECEIVE and APPROVE the Record of Action for the February 29, 2016 IOC meeting.
(Julie DiMaggio Enea, IOC Staff)
4. ACCEPT 2014/15 annual report from the Public Works Director on the Internal Services
Fund for the County's Vehicle Fleet and identify low-mileage vehicles. (Carlos
Velasquez, Fleet Services Manager)
5. RECEIVE status report and CONSIDER approving recommendations of the Office of
Communications and Media Director on administration of the County's Social Media
Policy. (Betsy Burkhart, Communications & Media Director)
6. CONSIDER report and recommendations on the Animal Benefit Fund and PROVIDE
direction to staff regarding next steps. (Beth Ward, Animal Services Director)
7. CONSIDER accepting status report and recommendations from the County
Administrator on outstanding issues and information requests stemming from Phase 1 of
the Board Advisory Body Triennial Review. (Theresa Speiker, Chief Asst. County
Administrator)
8.The next meeting is currently scheduled for April 25, 2016.
9.Adjourn
1
The Internal Operations Committee will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with
disabilities planning to attend Internal Operations Committee meetings. Contact the staff person
listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting.
Any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and
distributed by the County to a majority of members of the Internal Operations Committee less than
96 hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at 651 Pine Street, 10th floor,
during normal business hours. Staff reports related to items on the agenda are also accessible on
line at www.co.contra-costa.ca.us.
Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day
prior to the published meeting time.
For Additional Information Contact:
Julie DiMaggio Enea, Committee Staff
Phone (925) 335-1077, Fax (925) 646-1353
julie.enea@cao.cccounty.us
2
INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE 3.
Meeting Date:03/28/2016
Subject:RECORD OF ACTION FOR THE FEBRUARY 29, 2016 IOC MEETING
Submitted For: David Twa, County Administrator
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: N/A
Referral Name: RECORD OF ACTION
Presenter: Julie DiMaggio Enea, IOC
Staff
Contact: Julie DiMaggio Enea (925)
335-1077
Referral History:
County Ordinance requires that each County body keep a record of its meetings. Though the
record need not be verbatim, it must accurately reflect the agenda and the decisions made in the
meeting.
Referral Update:
Attached is the Record of Action for the February 29, 2016 IOC meeting.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
RECEIVE and APPROVE the Record of Action for the February 29, 2016 IOC meeting.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
None.
Attachments
DRAFT Record of Action for 2-29-16 IOC Meeting
3
INTERNAL OPERATIONS
COMMITTEE
RECORD OF ACTION FOR
February 29, 2016
Supervisor John Gioia, Chair
Supervisor Candace Andersen, Vice Chair
Present: John Gioia, Chair
Candace Andersen, Vice Chair
Staff Present:Julie DiMaggio Enea, Staff
Attendees:Ralph Hoffman; Joanne Bohren, Chief Auditor; Sandra Bewley; Agnes Vinluan, Environmental
Health; Lynn Mac Michael; Jason Crapo, Deputy DCD Director; Tanya Drlik, Health Services
Department; Joe Doser, Environmental Health; Dawn Weisz, MCE; Iris Obregon; John Kopchik,
DCD Director; Alexandra Mc Gee; Alexander DeGiorgio; Cara Bautista-Rao; Nati Flores; Larry
Brunink; Kelly Davidson; Tom Kelly; Casya del Veergaard; Carol Weed; Kook Huber; Peter
Ericson; Brodie Hilp; Helen Sokol; Tom Guarino; Jan Warren; Audrrey Albrecht; Pello Walker;
Arvind Goel; Marilyn Underwood, Environmental Health; Linda Wilcox, Deputy County
Counsel; Mike Casten, Undersheriff; David Brockbank, DCD; Deidra Dingman, Solid Waste
Manager; Cliff Glickman; Gayle Israel, District II Supervisor's Office; Jill Ray, District II
Supervisor's Office; Michael Kent, Health Services Department; Elizabeth Verigin, Asst.
Auditor-Controller; Bob Campbell, Auditor-Controller; Richard Freeman; Ann Punch; Charley
Davidson; Bill Pinkham; David McCord
1.Introductions
Chair Gioia called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. and County staff introduced
themselves at the request of Chair Gioia.
2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this
agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).
Ralph Hoffman asked the Committee to do everything possible to reverse the human
causes of global warming.
3.INTERVIEW the following candidates for At Large #1, At Large #2 and Public Member
Alternate seats on the Integrated Pest Management Advisory Committee and
DETERMINE recommended appointments for Board of Supervisors consideration:
Larry Brunink, Concord
Susan Captain, Moraga
Kelly Davidson, Clayton
James Donnelly, Danville
Nati Flores*, Antioch
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Wayne Lanier, PhD, Walnut Creek
Justin B. Sinclaire, Clayton
The Committee interviewed all seven candidates in a group setting and decided to
recommend the appointment to the Integrated Pest Management Advisory Committee
of Susan Captain to the At Large #1 to a term ending on 12/31/19; and James
Donnelly to the At Large #3, and Wayne Lanier, PhD, to the Public Member Alternate
seats to terms ending on 12/31/18.
The Committee also directed staff to provide a current roster showing city of residence
and background/affiliation for all future advisory body nominations.
AYE: Chair John Gioia, Vice Chair Candace Andersen
Passed
4.APPROVE Hazardous Materials Commission nominations to appoint the following
individuals to the Commission to terms ending on December 31, 2019:
Action Nominee Seat Nominated By
Reappoint Frank
Gordon
General Public Commission
Reappoint Tim
Bancroft
General Public
Alternate
Commission
Reassign Usha
Vedagiri
Environmental
Organizations #2
Commission
Reappoint Jim Payne Labor #2 Central Labor
Council
Reappoint Tracy
Scott
Labor #2 Alternate Central Labor
Council
The Committee approved the staff recommendation to REAPPOINT to the Hazardous
Materials Commission Frank Gordon to the General Public seat, Tim Bancroft to the
General Public Alternate seat, Jim Payne to the Labor #2 seat, and Tracy Scott to the
Labor #2 Alternate seat to terms ending December 31, 2019; REASSIGN Usha
Vedagiri to the Environmental Organization #2 seat; and DECLARE vacant the
Environmental Organizations #3 Alternate seat held by Usha Vedagiri due to her
reassignment to a regular seat and DIRECT the Clerk of the Board to post the
vacancy.
AYE: Chair John Gioia, Vice Chair Candace Andersen
Passed
5.APPROVE the proposed plan and schedules for the recruitment to fill one Board of
Supervisors seat on each the Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association
Board of Trustees, the County Planning Commission and Contra Costa County Fire
Protection District Fire Advisory Commissions that will become vacant on June 30, 2016,
and three seats on the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District Board of Directors
that will become vacant on November 30, 2016.
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5
The Committee approved the recommended recruitment plan and schedule and
directed staff to send copies of the recruitment materials to the five District
Supervisors' offices.
AYE: Chair John Gioia, Vice Chair Candace Andersen
Passed
6.ACCEPT report on the status of the development of a waste hauler ordinance and provide
policy direction to staff.
↵Chair Gioia thanked staff for the depth and organization of the report. Marilyn
Underwood summarized the history of the referral and her objectives for the new
ordinance. She explained how prior Committee discussions extended to issues beyond
her original proposal for a waste hauler ordinance. She explained that Environmental
Health and Conservation and Development staff, working closely with County
Counsel, collaborated to develop an ordinance that is legal, workable, and
enforceable. She explained that the staff report identifies some of the additional and
related issues that surfaced during the development of the ordinance, and includes
recommendations about how to address those related issues. She also clarified that the
proposed ordinance will regulate waste generated in the county unincorporated (UI)
area, and that the way to address waste generated within cities would be to request
cities and/or solid waste authorities to adopt ordinances that mirror this ordinance.
Joe Doser outlined the key elements of the ordinance and explained some of the steps
staff would take to implement the ordinance.
Supervisor Gioia agreed with the proposed exemptions to the ordinance, and asked
staff to identify those areas where policy direction is needed. Supervisor Andersen
wanted some assurance that the ordinance would not impact any similar ordinances
adopted by other local agencies, and also noted her preference that the performance
bond requirement not be so onerous as to exclude businesses who wish to conduct
legitimate hauling activities.
Deidra Dingman explained that the County does not have control over all of the UI
areas; some of the UI areas are regulated by solid waste authorities. She identified
that 47% of the UI population is not regulated by the County. She explained that,
under the proposed ordinance, the County would issue permits in areas that the
County doesn't directly franchise, but only after an outreach and referral process,
giving those franchising agencies a 30-day period within which to alert the County
that issuance of a permit would violate their franchise agreements. She presented a
graphic of the process to be used by DCD staff to determine if there are County
franchise exclusivity rights for hauling activities proposed in a permit application. She
explained that the criteria to be reviewed will include the service area and if it involves
more than one franchise, the type of waste proposed to be hauled, if the waste is
routinely generated, the type of customer that generated the waste, and whether or not
the hauling is tied directly to another on-property service that generates the waste to
be hauled.
Cliff Glickman, representing Garaventa Enterprises, expressed appreciation to County
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Cliff Glickman, representing Garaventa Enterprises, expressed appreciation to County
staff for the report/recommendations and commented that while he still has some
disagreements with staff related to expanding franchise exclusivity, he is in favor of
seeing the proposed ordinance advance to the Board of Supervisors along with
commencement of the 5-year noticing required for the County to allow expanded
franchise exclusivity.
Ms. Dingman presented the staff recommendations and sought direction from the
Committee. The Committee made the following decisions:
Directed staff to schedule the 5-Year Rule noticing for Board of Supervisors'
consideration, to maximize County’s future decision-making flexibility.
Directed staff to provide haulers with proposed model amendments to the
County's four franchise agreements to facilitate consistent permitting under the
proposed ordinance (clarification for Industrial Waste and Exceptions section).
To introduce the proposed ordinance to the Board of Supervisors and have it
take effect upon approval of a $20,000 performance bond requirement (to be set
by resolution) and minor County Franchise amendments that are needed to
clarify the Industrial Waste and Exceptions sections.
To ask the Franchise haulers to seek franchise cities’ police departments'
willingness to enforce PRC sections 41950, 41951 & 41955 pertaining to the
theft of recyclables.
7.Given the interest of Contra Costa cities in participating with the County to further
investigate potential implementation of Community Choice Energy, staff recommends the
Board direct DCD to continue with the steps required to undertake a technical study of
CCE in Contra Costa County.
The immediate next step in this process would be for the County to obtain electrical load
data from PG&E on behalf of the County and the 16 cities that have authorized the
County to do so. This will provide the County with detailed information regarding
electrical usage within the covered jurisdictions, and will constitute the raw data
necessary to conduct a technical study of potential CCE implementation within the
County.
Staff recommends that the Board direct DCD to work in partnership with interested cities
to jointly fund a technical study of CCE in Contra Costa County that would evaluate three
options: a program including only interested jurisdictions within Contra Costa County; a
program that is a partnership with Alameda County and interested jurisdictions in the
two-county region; and joining the existing CCE program originated in Marin County
known as Marin Clean Energy.
Such a technical study would be conducted by a qualified consultant selected through a
competitive process. The technical study would evaluate electrical load data to determine
the amount of electricity a CCE program would need to procure in order to serve
electricity consumers in the participating communities, and would estimate the billing
rates that a CCE program would need to charge electricity customers in order to pay for
program operations.
The study would analyze how rates might vary under scenarios in which the CCE
DRAFT
7
program offered customers different levels of electricity originating from renewable
sources (for example, rates associate with 50% renewable or 100% renewable options).
Electricity rates for these scenarios would be compared to products offered by the
incumbent utility, PG&E (Attachment C). The technical study would also include a risk
analysis of factors that could potentially interfere with successful operation of a CCE
program within the County, such as risks associated with price volatility in energy
markets and risks stemming from legal or regulatory changes. CCE technical studies
performed in other Bay Area counties have included additional components, including
analysis of the impact a CCE program might have on local renewable power generation
and local job creation.
As stated in Table 1 above, roughly half of the cities in Contra Costa County have
indicated some degree of willingness to contribute financially towards the cost of a
technical study. Staff recommends that the Board direct DCD to work with cities to
finalize payment arrangement and initiate the technical study. Staff recommends that the
County and each participating city pay for a portion of the cost of the technical study
similar to its proportion of the total population covered under the study.
Staff proposes that DCD work with the cities to finalize the scope of the technical study,
develop and issue a Request for Proposals (RFP), and select a consultant to perform the
technical study. The County would then enter into a contract with the selected consultant.
The results of the technical study would be reported to the cities and the Board of
Supervisors, and staff would seek further direction.
Project Schedule and Budget
Completing a technical study of Community Choice Energy would represent the first
major phase of activity related to potential implementation of CCE within Contra Costa
County. Following a technical study, additional steps would be required to launch a CCE
program, should the Board decide to proceed with implementation.
An estimated schedule and budget for fully implementing CCE within the County is
attached to this report (Attachment D). The time and expense associated with
implementing CCE within the County depends heavily on the outcome of the technical
study and the resulting direction selected by the Board and participating cities.
The CCE option likely to require the greatest commitment of time and resources would be
the option to form a new JPA comprised of the County and cities within Contra Costa
County. Following the technical study, such an option would involve two additional
phases of activity: JPA Formation and Program Launch. The activities associated with
these additional project phases and the estimated time and expense to complete these
activities are described in greater detail in Attachment D. Staff estimates the total time
needed to implement the Contra Costa JPA option and begin providing electricity to
customers would be in the range of two to three years and would cost approximately $2
million.
Recommendation(s)
Staff recommends the IOC and Board of Supervisors direct DCD and other County staff
to take the following actions:
DRAFT
8
Take all actions necessary to obtain electrical load data from PG&E on behalf of the
County and all cities in Contra Costa County that have authorized the County to do
so.
1.
Work with interested cities in Contra Costa County to conduct a technical study of
options for potentially implementing CCE within Contra Costa County, anticipating
the County’s share of cost is estimated to be in the range of $25,000 to $50,000.
2.
Authorize DCD to amend the consulting services contract with LEAN Energy to
increase the payment by $75,000 to a new payment limit of $100,000 for consulting
services through completion of the technical study.
3.
Jason Crapo introduced consultant Shawn Marshall. Ms. Marshall provided an
overview of CCE and explained that the interface is virtually transparent to the energy
consumer but the consumer benefits from lower GGE and usually lower costs. Most
programs are administered by a JPA and are authorized by a local government
ordinance. The local utility would provide the infrastructure and consolidated billing.
Special consumer programs such as low-income or senior advantage programs would
remain uninterrupted under CCE. CCE and the local utility exit fee would appear as a
new line on the consumer's utility bill. The CPUC certifies the CCE plan and oversees
the relationship between the CCEs and local utilities.
Ms. Marshall presented the remaining slides in the attached Powerpoint presentation.
Supervisor Gioia noted that Richmond, San Pablo and El Cerrito are members of
MCE. Dawn Weisz added that Pinole, Oakley, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, and Moraga
have signed letters of interest in joining MCE. Ms. Marshall emphasized that the three
operating CCE programs in California are successful and completely rate payer
supported with no taxpayer subsidy. She noted that CCEs are responsive to local
Climate Action Plans.
Ms. Marshall noted that as CCE becomes more prevalent, local utility exit fees will
tend to increase but that over time, is not anticipated to have a significant impact.
Supervisor Andersen asked about the long-term clean energy market, as an
increasing number of jurisdictions are implementing CCE and rapidly increasing
demand for clean energy. She asked if the price for clean energy is expected to remain
stable or increase as consumer demand increases. Jason Crapo indicated that a
technical study would include market projections, and asked Dawn Weisz to comment
on MCE's experience. Ms. Weisz explained that when MCE has shopped for energy, it
has typically received proposals for more than ten times the amount needed, indicating
the supply of clean energy is currently high and continues to increase as new sources
become available. But she cautioned that can change in the future. She, therefore,
recommended diversity in the energy supplier portfolio and also among the contract
periods for which energy is purchased (a mix of short, medium, and long-term
supplier contracts).
Supervisor Gioia asked Ms. Weisz to explain how the need to comply with the State's
DRAFT
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Supervisor Gioia asked Ms. Weisz to explain how the need to comply with the State's
policy of 50% renewable energy by 2030 will play out in CCE market. Ms. Weisz said
that the impact of the State's policy is unknown but that the market is currently
unconstrained, with new energy developers looking for buyers. She speculated that in
10 years, perhaps, we may begin to see some market saturation in terms of locations
for new power generation. She added that we might see pricing changes or shifts; for
example, solar is currently low cost but if the solar market becomes constrained,
consumers may turn to other renewable sources such as biomass, hydroelectric, wind,
etc. Supervisor Andersen pointed out that many of the solar incentive programs are
expiring, which will likely place upward pressure on the solar option. Alex DiGiorgio
commented that the expiration of solar tax credits would likely not affect large solar
energy suppliers but may price smaller providers out of the market.
Supervisor Gioia commented that home battery storage technology is improving and
will likely be another option available to consumers, allowing them to store the excess
solar energy they capture rather than return it to the grid.
Ms. Marshall concluded her presentation and Jason Crapo presented the remainder of
the staff report, describing the Board of Supervisors prior direction to staff, and staff's
outreach to Contra Costa cities. He reported that all 16 Contra Costa cities that are
not members of MCE have authorized the County to obtain their electrical load data
from PG&E, but that the cities varied in their willingness to share in the cost of a
technical study. Mr. Crapo said that if the Board decided to proceed with a technical
study, he would likely recommend that the cost be allocated to cities based on their
proportionate share of total population, and that cities that contributed funding would
be given a role in defining the technical study.
Mr. Crapo proceeded to review the staff recommendations including the next steps
involved with each recommendation and estimated costs. He clarified that the
County's consultant Lean Energy would not be conducting the technical study.
Supervisor Gioia asked about the timing for a technical study and how it relates to
MCE's current inclusion period. Ms. Weisz explained MCE's inclusion period policies
and stated that MCE was currently only entertaining membership of agencies within
the four counties currently served (Marin, Napa, Solano and Contra Costa). The
purpose of the inclusion periods is to batch new members together for savings on
technical studies and new energy procurement. To be included during the current
inclusion period, the County would need to adopt an ordinance by March 31, 2016.
Ms. Weisz clarified that MCE has a policy to not enroll new consumers until such
time that the MCE rates are either equal to or less than the local utility company rates.
She said that the analysis following each inclusion period typically takes 4-6 weeks,
after which time MCE would begin conducting outreach in those communities for at
least 3 months.
Supervisor Andersen asked what the added value would be to forming a Contra Costa
CCE Program over joining MCE, and would MCE have the capacity to absorb the
County UI and remaining Contra Costa cities. Mr. Crapo described the advantages of
either joining MCE or forming a Contra Costa CCE, i.e., joining MCE would be
faster, less expensive, and less work; forming our own CCE would provide more
control over energy policies and power generation projects.
DRAFT
10
control over energy policies and power generation projects.
The Committee asked about the MCE governance structure and the role of elected
officials on the governing board. More specifically, Supervisor Andersen asked if the
board makes decisions about investments and procurement in addition to the budget,
or are investment and procurement decisions delegated to staff? Ms. Weisz explained
that the board makes decisions on procurement/power supply, power generation
projects (she mentioned the Chevron solar project in Richmond), rate-setting, and
branding. MCE is currently considering changing its name to "My Clean Energy-Bay
Area". She said that the board meetings can be hosted in different places.
Ms. Weisz explained the board configuration: one seat per city and one seat per
county. The voting rights are partially weighted based on an agency's proportionate
share of electrical load. Supervisor Gioia observed that if Contra Costa UI and the
remaining Contra Costa cities joined MCE, they would likely have the highest load.
Ms. Weisz said that this would not deter MCE because MCE is mission driven.
Supervisor Andersen expressed concern over forming a Contra Costa JPA when it
could be more efficient to join MCE. Mr. Crapo said it comes down to how much
control the Board of Supervisors wishes to exercise over the various CCE policy
decisions. Supervisor Gioia was of the opinion that the County could develop local
energy projects under either scenario.
Supervisor Andersen said she wasn't convinced that we could do CCE better than
MCE or that it would be worth spending so much money to form a Contra Costa CCE
as long as we had an equal seat at the MCE table. Supervisor Gioia preferred the fast
implementation offered by the MCE option and also thought that the County could
achieve local project siting as a member of MCE. He also preferred to have all of the
county in one program rather than split between two programs, especially if we are
doing common community programs.
Staff asked Ms. Weisz to clarify whether or not cities or the County could join MCE
after March 31 but at their own cost. Ms. Weisz said that it would be reasonable for
the County to expect that MCE would open another inclusion period to accommodate
Contra Costa County because the County's large load size would make it economical
to do so.
Ms. Marshall observed that the various CCE options are a good dilemma to have. She
thought it was worth studying further based on feedback offered by the cities. Mr.
Crapo stressed that this is a big decision that would determine the default energy
provider for hundreds of thousands of consumers and that, once that decision is made,
it would be very costly and difficult to unwind the County's choice. Mr. Crapo
emphasized the value of a technical study to determine the technical data (e.g.,
economic value, energy sources) needed to inform the Board's decision and also to
increase community outreach on CCE. Ms. Marshall clarified that a technical study
will not project rates or provide a rate comparison between MCE and a County CCE,
but it will predict the economic value of the program.
Public Comment was offered by the following individuals:
Iris Obregon, Oakley; Peter Ericson, Orinda; Richard Freeman, Kensington; Ann
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Iris Obregon, Oakley; Peter Ericson, Orinda; Richard Freeman, Kensington; Ann
Punch, Rodeo; Charley Davidson, Hercules; Helen Sokol, Walnut Creek; Jan
Warren, Walnut Creek; Carol Weed, Walnut Creek; Bill Pinkham, Richmond; Pello
Walker; Casya de Neergaard, Kensington; Brodie Hilp, Danville; David McCord; and
Arvind Goel, San Ramon/Danville.
AYE: Chair John Gioia, Vice Chair Candace Andersen
Passed
8.ACCEPT report on the Auditor-Controller's audit activities for 2015 and APPROVE the
proposed schedule of financial audits for 2016.
Supervisor Gioia accepted the Auditor-Controller's report of audit activities for 2015
and approved the audit plan for 2016. He also asked for copies or links to the County's
Procurement Card Policies and Manual and to MAC training materials.
AYE: Chair John Gioia
Other: Vice Chair Candace Andersen (ABSENT)
Passed
9.APPROVE the proposed 2016 Committee meeting schedule and work plan, or provide
direction to staff regarding any changes thereto.
Supervisor Gioia approved the recruitment plan and schedule as recommended by
staff and requested that the press releases be shared with the Supervisors' offices.
AYE: Chair John Gioia
Other: Vice Chair Candace Andersen (ABSENT)
Passed
10.The next meeting is currently scheduled for March 28, 2016.
11.Adjourn
Chair Gioia adjourned the meeting at 2:30 p.m.
For Additional Information Contact:
Julie DiMaggio Enea, Committee Staff
Phone (925) 335-1077, Fax (925) 646-1353
julie.enea@cao.cccounty.us
DRAFT
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INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE 4.
Meeting Date:03/28/2016
Subject:RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DISPOSITION OF LOW MILEAGE FLEET
VEHICLES
Submitted For: Julia R. Bueren, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Department:Public Works
Referral No.: IOC 16/3
Referral Name: Review of Annual Master Vehicle Replacement List and Disposition of
Low-Use Vehicles
Presenter: Joe Yee, Deputy Public Works Director Contact: Carlos Velasquez 925....
Referral History:
Each year, the Public Works Department Fleet Services Manager analyzes the fleet and annual
vehicle usage and makes recommendations to the IOC on the budget year vehicle replacements
and on the intra-County reassignment of underutilized vehicles, in accordance with County
policy. In FY 2008/09, the Board approved the establishment of an Internal Services Fund (ISF)
for the County Fleet, to be administered by Public Works (formerly by the General Services
Department). The Board requested the IOC to review annually the Public Works department
report on the fleet and on low-mileage vehicles.
Last year, the IOC requested the Auditor's Office to test the Fleet Program's compliance with
County clean air policies. The Chief Auditor, in July 2015, reported that as of February 28, 2015,
18% of the fleet were clean air vehicles, 36.2% were not clean air vehicles but were exempted by
the policy or by the Fleet Manager, and 45.8% were not exempt and not in compliance with the
clean air vehicle policy. The Fleet Manager emphasized his commitment to downsizing the fleet
and right-sizing County vehicles. The Committee asked the Fleet Manager to update the 2008
County Clean Air Vehicle Policy to also to reflect current technology such as electric and
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and current funding incentives, and to segregate large construction
vehicles from regular trucks and sedans in future reports to make the statistical reporting more
meaningful. That policy was updated, approved by the Board of Supervisors on November 17,
2015, and disseminated to County departments as County Administrative Bulletin 508.5
(attached hereto).
Referral Update:
Attached for the Committee's review is the 2014/15 annual report on the ISF and low-mileage
vehicles, as prepared by the Public Works Department.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
13
ACCEPT 2014/15 annual report from the Public Works Director on the Internal Services Fund for
the County's Vehicle Fleet and identify low-mileage vehicles.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
Reassigning underutilized vehicles would increase cost efficiency but the fiscal impact was not
estimated.
Attachments
Public Works 2014/15 Fleet Report
County Policy on Vehicle Acquisition and Replacement/Clean Air
New Vehicle Request Form
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Page 1 of 5
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Office of the County Administrator
ADMINISTRATIVE BULLETIN
Number: 508.5
Date: November 17, 2015
Section: Property and Equipment
SUBJECT: County Vehicle and Equipment Acquisition and Replacement Policy, and
Clean Air Vehicle Policy and Goals
This bulletin sets forth County policy and guidelines for department requests for
acquisition and replacement of County vehicles and equipment.
I. APPLICABILITY. This bulletin is applicable to addition and replacement vehicles
and equipment to be acquired by County departments either through purchase,
lease purchase or donation.
II. AUTHORITY. By Board Order, Item C.162, July 18, 2000, proposed County
Vehicle/Equipment Acquisition and Replacement Policy
III. POLICY GUIDELINES
Additional and replacement vehicles and equipment to be acquired by County
departments either through purchase, lease purchase or donation must be appropriate
for the intended use, within the approved budget, safe to operate, and cost efficient both
to operate and maintain. The expected annual use of any vehicle should be in excess of
3,000 miles. Dedicated Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and battery electric vehicles
with frequent and demonstrated short trip usage patterns may be exempted from the
County minimum mileage requirement. Replacement priority will be given to vehicles
and/or equipment that are determined by the Public Works Department Fleet Manager
(Fleet Manager) to be unsafe, in the poorest condition, uneconomical to operate or
maintain, or have the highest program need.
A. ACQUISITION OF REPLACEMENT VEHICLES/EQUIPMENT The acquisition
of “replacement” vehicles or equipment may be approved by the Fleet Manager
and County Administrator, provided that the vehicle being replaced meets or
exceeds the minimum mileage criterion and/or the vehicle/equipment is
damaged beyond economical repair as determined by the Fleet Manager.
Vehicles and equipment will be considered for replacement or, in the case of
low utilization, reassignment to another function or department, when one or
more of the following conditions exist as determined by the Fleet Manager.
1. Replacement parts are no longer available to make repairs
2. Continued use is unsafe
3. Damage has made continued use infeasible
4. Cost of repair exceeds the remaining value
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Page 2 of 5
5. Low utilization (usage does not exceed 3,000 miles per year) cannot
justify ongoing maintenance and insurance costs
B. MILEAGE EVALUATION INTERVALS At the mileage intervals specified
below, vehicles will be evaluated to determine their condition and expected life.
The Fleet Manager is to make such evaluations in accordance with the
following schedule. Evaluations may be conducted sooner under certain
conditions, such as when a vehicle needs repairs more often than other
vehicles of the same class and age, or when a vehicle has been damaged.
After initial evaluations, a vehicle will be re-evaluated every 12,000 miles or
until it reaches the end of its life, at which time it will be declared surplus.
VEHICLE TYPE EVALUATION INTERVAL
Sedans 90,000 miles
Sheriff Patrol Sedans 90,000 miles
Passenger Vans 90,000 miles
Cargo Vans 90,000 miles
Sports Utility Truck 100,000 miles
Pickups and 4x4 100,000 miles
Medium/Heavy Duty Trucks 120,000 miles
Buses 180,000 miles
School Buses 8 years/(inspect every 45 days by law)
Miscellaneous Equipment Depends on Condition
C. EQUIPMENT ABUSE, NEGLIGENCE, AND MISUSE Departments utilizing
County equipment shall be responsible for all costs associated with driver
abuse, negligence, or misuse of County equipment. Determination of abuse,
negligence, or misuse will be at the discretion of the Fleet Manager. The
Fleet Manager shall notify the department using the equipment of any charges
covered under this section.
D. VEHICLE CITATIONS, PARKING TICKETS, AND TOLL EVASION NOTICES
The department utilizing the equipment shall be responsible for ensuring
payment of all citations, parking tickets, and toll evasion notices attributed to
any equipment. Citations or tickets attributed to equipment due to
administrative reasons (license, titling, registration, etc.) will be the
responsibility of the Fleet Manager to resolve, with the exception of expired
registration tabs on undercover vehicles. The department utilizing the
equipment is responsible for ensuring undercover plated vehicles display a
current registration tab.
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Page 3 of 5
E. ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL VEHICLES/EQUIPMENT Departments
requesting acquisition of an additional vehicle or piece of equipment must
demonstrate the need and identify the source of funding for the acquisition
and its ongoing maintenance. Funds for the acquisition of additional or
replacement vehicles/equipment must be appropriated in the County budget
before such acquisition can occur. This appropriation may be included in the
annual County Budget adopted by the Board of Supervisors or may occur via a
budget appropriation adjustment approved by the Board during the fiscal year.
The attached form shall be used for each Vehicle and Equipment Request
Form and forwarded to the County Administrator’s Office, Budget Divi sion,
upon whose approval the request will be sent to the Fleet Manager for technical
recommendations.
Any vehicle and/or equipment that is offered as a donation to the County must
be inspected by the Fleet Manager and determined to be in good operating
condition, safe, and efficient to operate and maintain prior to acceptance. If the
vehicle does not meet these criteria, the donation is not to be accepted.
Donated vehicles and equipment require a signed Board Order before the
donated equipment may be accepted.
IV. CLEAN AIR VEHICLE POLICY AND GOALS
It is the intent of the County to procure the most fuel efficient and lowest emission
vehicles and reduce petroleum fuel consumption. Vehicle and equipment purchases
shall be operable on available County alternate fuel sources to the greatest extent
practicable and must comply with all applicable clean air and vehicle emission
regulations.
A. VEHICLE PURCHASES Alternate fuel (electric, Compressed Natural Gas
(CNG), fuel cell, etc.) vehicles shall be procured to the greatest extent
practicable. If an alternate fuel vehicle is not operationally feasible, a hybrid
electric vehicle shall be the next type considered for procurement. Vehicle
purchases other than alternate fuel or hybrid electric require specific
justification and approval by the Fleet Manager and shall be rated no lower
than Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) by the California Air Resources
Board when possible.
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Page 4 of 5
B. EXEMPTION FROM CLEAN AIR VEHICLES POLICY Marked emergency
response vehicles (e.g. police patrol, fire, paramedic, and other Code 3
equipped units), may be exempt from the Clean Air Vehicle Policy. The Fleet
Manager may also grant exemptions for vehicles used primarily for prisoner
transport or when no alternate fuel or low emission vehicle is available
that meets the essential vehicle requirements or specifications. The intended
use of the vehicle shall be the determining criteria for granting a Clean Air
Vehicle Policy exemption.
V. DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITY
A. Department Head or Designee assigned vehicles
1. Designate a department staff person to serve as the departments point of
contact for all fleet related issues
2. Ensure safe operation of all vehicles and bringing in vehicles to the Fleet
Services Center for scheduled preventative maintenance and safety
inspection when requested by the Fleet Manager
3. Budget appropriately for all expenses
4. Prepare and submit Vehicle and Equipment Request Form to the County
Administrator’s Office, Budget Division for approval of replacement and/or
addition of vehicles
5. Enter correct mileage when purchasing fuel
6. Ensure vehicle meets minimum use guidelines
7. Notify Fleet Manager of any vehicle assignment changes
B. County Administrator’s Office
1. Review requests for purchase of vehicles for operational need, compliance
with County policy, and budgetary impact.
C. Public Works Department – Fleet Services Division
1. Administer and oversee the County Fleet including providing regular
preventative maintenance and repairs.
2. Budget for the acquisition and replacement of vehicles and/or equipment
3. Prepare annual report and summary of the distribution of light vehicles and
heavy equipment by department for the current fiscal year, the two prior
fiscal years, and the recommended distribution for the new fiscal year.
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Page 5 of 5
4. Develop light duty vehicle and equipment specifications to increase
alternate fuel (CNG, electric, fuel cell, etc.) hybrid electric, and partial zero
or less emission vehicle purchases.
5. Identify and procure suitable alternate fuels for use in County vehicles
6. Monitor and identify non-County alternate fuel locations for use by County
vehicles
Originating Department(s):
County Administrator’s Office
Public Works Department
Information Contacts:
County Administrator’s Office –Management Analyst Liaison
County Fleet Manager at 925.313.7072
Update Contact:
County Administrator Senior Deputy, Municipal Services
/s/
David Twa
County Administrator
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C:\Users\mwara\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\4LKZ6ZQD\VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST FORM -
Final revisions Mar 2015.docx 3-30-15
VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST FORM
(See Instruction Sheet)
Department: Date:
Authorized Signature: Telephone:
Printed Name:
1. Reason and justification for vehicle request:
2. Funding Source (Budget information will be used to prepare Board Order):
_
Is an appropriation adjustment needed? Yes No
Fiscal Officer: Name: Telephone:
3. Description of vehicle or equipment requested (If applicable, complete an accessories form):
4. Is an alternative fuel vehicle acceptable? Yes No
If no, reason clean air vehicle will not work:
_
5. If replacement, which vehicle or equipment is being replaced: Type:
Vehicle/Equipment Number: Odometer/Hours:
6. Reason purchase cannot wait until next budget cycle:
7. CAO Release to PWD Fleet Manager: Yes No Date:
CAO Signature: _________________________________
FOR PWD FLEET MANAGER USE
1. Is vehicle/equipment an addition to the fleet? Yes No
2. If vehicle/equipment is for replacement, an inspection/evaluation to be completed by Fleet Manager: Date Inspected: Vehicle/Equipment: Make: Model: Year:
Condition of vehicle and/or equipment and life expectancy:
Accumulated Depreciation: Estimated Salvage Value: Estimated Cost of Request:
3. Any underutilized vehicles in existing department fleet? Yes No
4. Fleet Manager Signature: Date:
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C:\Users\mwara\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\4LKZ6ZQD\VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST FORM -
Final revisions Mar 2015.docx 3-30-15
Instructions
1. Use a separate request form for each vehicle.
2. Funding Source: Information to be descriptive and is to include funding source (i.e., grant funds, etc.)
and department charge numbers. This information is used to prepare “Financial Impact” paragraph on
Board Order and requisition. No vehicle or equipment will be ordered until funding is transferred into
the proper Public Works Department Accounting fund and approval by the Board of Supervisors has
been received.
3. Purchase of a car, van or pick-up requires an accessories form to be completed and attached to the
Vehicle and Equipment Request Form. Accessories forms (pdf files) are available for download from
the intranet site or by calling (925) 313-7071.
4. Alternative Vehicles: CNG = Compressed Natural Gas
Hybrid = Combination of gasoline and electric
Electric= Charging stations available at 1220 Morello Avenue or 2467 Waterbird
Way, Martinez
5. Describe vehicle or equipment type being replaced. Vehicle and odometer or equipment number and
hour usage must be completed.
6. Reason must be specific. Poor planning is not a justification.
7. Submit completed Vehicle and Equipment Request form to CAO Analyst assigned to your department.
General Information:
Purchase Time: Purchase time varies in length depending on type of vehicle or equipment requested and the
supplier. On average, the process takes approximately 90 days after the Fleet Manager receives Board of
Supervisors approval.
Underutilized Vehicles: Fleet Services will determine whether department requesting a new vehicle has any
underutilized vehicles in its current inventory prior to approval of the request. Underutilized vehicles must be
addressed prior to purchase of any new vehicles.
Rev 8-1-03 JE
Rev 3-30-15 JY
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INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE 5.
Meeting Date:03/28/2016
Subject:COUNTY'S SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
Submitted For: Betsy Burkhart, Communications & Media Director
Department:Office of Communications & Media
Referral No.: IOC 16/9
Referral Name: DEVELOPMENT OF A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
Presenter: Betsy Burkhart, Communications &
Media Director
Contact: Betsy Burkhart,
925-313-1180
Referral History:
On June 17, 2014, the Board of Supervisors approved a social media policy (attached) governing
the use of various online engagement tools by County employees for business communication
purposes. The County Administrator requested the Office of Communications and Media, with
assistance from Risk Management and County Counsel, develop guidelines for use and training.
Input and direction from the Internal Operations Committee in 2013 and 2014 shaped the contents
of the umbrella policy. Due to staffing and resource limitations, the implementation of the policy
was deferred to 2016.
Referral Update:
Risk Management is working with the Office of Communications and Media (OCM) to develop
and host custom web-based training, using Target Solutions, for all account administrators. The
training will include the following key areas:
how to open and register a new social media account
social media as a public record and records retention/archiving
legal issues affecting government social media use
social media monitoring and effective measurement/analytics
social media in crisis and emergency communications
The OCM is currently piloting the use of Sprout Social, a tool designed to manage social media
use and mentions across multiple platforms. It also offers a higher level of analytics than free
tools such as TweetDeck and Hootsuite. At the conclusion of the pilot, a recommendation will be
made on the value of having a countywide monitoring and management tool for all County social
media accounts.
The OCM has extensively researched best practices in implementing government social media
policies. Staff is developing content for an intranet-based website that will provide County social
media administrators with the guidelines for use of the primary social media tools currently being
utilized. Those include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, LinkedIn, Pinterest,
Periscope, Snapchat, Flickr and Google+. As more tools emerge, they will be added to the
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Periscope, Snapchat, Flickr and Google+. As more tools emerge, they will be added to the
guidelines section.
The County’s current intranet requires IT staff to add and update content, creating extra work for
a very small web team. It uses outdated technology, and is used sparingly as a countywide
resource. The County Administrator has authorized the OCM to work with CivicPlus, the web
content management system vendor for the County website, to develop a new intranet framework
in 2016. Departments that currently maintain their own intranet sites may keep them or develop a
new ones in CivicPlus. All employees, even those whose departments have created standalone
websites outside of the County site, will be able to access the new intranet. Department heads and
elected officials will designate which staff members should have access rights to update their
content, much as it works now with their public-facing web pages.
The benefit to a new, user-friendly intranet as it pertains to social media is that County account
holders will have a one-stop shop for “how to” guidelines for each of the tools used, access to the
online form for requesting a new account, links to help sites and phone numbers for social media
tools, and many other useful resources.
Several County offices have initiated discussions with social media archiving companies,
recognizing that managing social media records is much more complex than originally thought.
The OCM is working with county departments to consolidate this into an enterprise-wide
approach to be more cost-effective and efficient.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
The policy is going to be put into an Administrative Bulletin format, and made available to all
employees. The Target Solutions training modules and intranet site with guidelines for use and
other resources is expected to be ready for use by September 1, 2016, allowing the policy to go
into full effect before the end of the year.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
Utilizing a social media archive service and analytics tool would have annual costs typically less
than $25,000 for both if managed at an enterprise level.
Attachments
Social Media Policy
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Contra Costa County Social Media Policy
Social Media Policy June 2014
This policy establishes guidelines governing the use of social media by County employees for
the purpose of communicating to the public. Social media should be understood to include any
web-based tool that allows for open communication on the internet, including but not limited
to micro-blog sites (Twitter,) social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn,) video sharing sites
(YouTube,) and image sharing sites (Instagram).
Contra Costa County departments, offices and divisions may use social media when its use will
further the business goals of the County and the missions of its departments. The County
supports the secure use of approved and established social media tools to deliver information
to the public.
For departments, offices and divisions that have a business need to communicate via social
media, this policy will govern the use of those tools.
1. All official Contra Costa County accounts on social media sites are considered an
extension of the County’s business and are governed by applicable County policies
pertaining to email, Internet use and security. Accounts must be managed by County
employees, not interns, contractors or volunteers.
2. Accounts should be established and managed by departments following terms of service
negotiated with social media providers by the federal government and the National
Association of State Chief Information Officers. Staff shall use official government
accounts rather than personal accounts to represent County services and programs.
3. Departmental and office accounts will be centrally coordinated through a County Social
Media Registry. Existing accounts will be grandfathered-in; new accounts will be
requested through the Office of Communications and Media for departments that do
not have official communications staff. All account administrators will provide their
contact information and a backup contact for the registry in the event of a problem or
security issue with their account.
4. Social media account managers will attend annual training to ensure compliance with
applicable security and privacy laws, copyright, records retention, the California Public
Records Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA.)
5. Contra Costa County’s countywide and departmental websites will remain the primary
and predominant internet presences. Whenever possible, content posted to County
social media sites will also be available on related County websites to make information
accessible to residents who do not use social media. Content posted to County social
media sites should, when practical, contain links directing users back to official County
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Contra Costa County Social Media Policy
Social Media Policy June 2014
websites for in-depth information, forms, documents or online services necessary for
conducting business with Contra Costa County.
6. In the event of an emergency, all County social media contents and postings should be
coordinated through the Office of Communication and Media or its designee.
Departments with official communications staff will take the lead in delivering their
emergency information and keep the Office of Communications and Media informed.
The goal will be to ensure that messages are consistent across the many accounts and
platforms managed by the County. Depending upon the incident, account managers
may be asked to point to specific departmental social media sites that will serve as the
main source of information.
7. Employees communicating on behalf of the County via social media are, in fact,
representing the County at all times. Employees who fail to adhere to the guidelines
and conduct themselves as agents of the County will be removed from account
administration and may be subject to disciplinary action.
8. Guidelines for using approved social media tools and specific “how to” instructions for
establishing and maintaining accounts will be provided to all County users, and updated
regularly in an online tool kit.
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INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE 6.
Meeting Date:03/28/2016
Subject:Animal Welfare Benefit Fund
Submitted For: Beth Ward, Animal Services Director
Department:Animal Services
Referral No.: IOC 16/10
Referral Name: Animal Benefit Fund Review
Presenter: Beth Ward Contact: Beth Ward (925) 335-8370
Referral History:
On April 21, 2015, the Board of Supervisors received several comments regarding the Animal
Benefit Fund from members of the public during fiscal year 2015/16 budget hearings. As part of
budget deliberations, the Board directed staff to include a review of the Animal Benefit Fund to a
Board Standing Committee for further review.
On May 12, 2015, the Board of Supervisors adopted the fiscal year 2015/16 budget. Included in
the Board’s action was the formal referral of this issue to the Internal Operations Committee.
On September 14, 2015, the CAO reported to the IOC on the history of the Animal Benefit Fund
(report attached hereto for reference). With the retirement of former Animal Services Director
Glenn Howell, further study on this referral was suspended until the new department director
(Beth Ward) could review the history and provide input and advice to the Committee.
Referral Update:
I. BACKGROUND ON THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER
The Contra Costa County Animal Shelter (CCCAS) receives approximately 12,000 live domestic
and livestock animals annually. CCCAS’ budget is designed to cover the basic needs of incoming
stray, abandoned, and homeless animals and our County licensing and field services departments.
The basic needs include food, prophylactic medical care (spay/neutering), antibiotics and general
veterinary supplies, emergency veterinary treatment, sterilization, microchips, and collars/travel
boxes for animals.
As an open-door agency, the CCCAS accepts animals suffering from medical or behavioral
conditions that while treatable, may initially disqualify the animal from placement into a new
home. CCCAS’ operating budget is currently not designed to fund extended medical rehabilitation
for injured/ill animals, behavior management, foster care supplies for orphaned animals, supplies
designed to enhance animal enrichment in the shelter environment, or marketing and outreach
efforts aimed at increasing adoptions.
33
II. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ANIMAL BENEFIT FUND.
In 1988, the CCCAS created the Animal Benefit Fund. The original purpose of the Animal
Benefit Fund was to allow the Animal Services Department to receive donations from individuals,
animal welfare organizations and businesses, to support animal health and welfare projects that
are not funded by departmental or general County revenue.
Since the creation of the Animal Benefit Fund, monetary contributions and donations for services
and supplies for animal welfare have provided for unfunded needs of the animals impounded in
CCCAS. These donations have come in the form of grants or “soft ask” gifts over the counter or
from our website.
IV. PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE 1988 RESOLUTION.
In order to increase our ability to create more funding opportunities and clarity around how funds
will be used, the CCCAS is requesting that the Board approve a Resolution that expands upon the
1988 Resolution. Specifically, CCCAS would request that the Board rescind the 1988 Resolution
and replace with a new Resolution, authorizing the CCCAS Director to accept any monetary
donation, gift, bequest, or devise made to or in favor of the Contra Costa County Animal Services
Department as allowed under Government Code section 25355, approve the continued use of the
Animal Benefit Fund, establish new programs that receive assistance under that Fund, authorize
the CCCASD Director to solicit donations for the benefit of shelter animals, and require the
CCCAS Director to provide an annual report to the I/O Committee.
The following are the program descriptions:
Animal Benefit Fund: Animals have a variety of needs, and CCCAS does not always have the
funds to address those needs. The Animal Benefit Fund may be used for such needs as medical
treatment of a sick/injured dog, orthopedic repair for a damaged limb, veterinary diagnostic tests,
kennel enrichment in the form of toys and beds, upgraded dog training supplies for volunteers
such as training collars/harnesses, nutritional supplies for orphaned puppies and kittens, print or
radio advertising to promote adoptions, and spay/neuter efforts. In addition to monetary donations
to the Animal Benefit Fund, wish lists, in-kind gifts, Amazon Smile gifts, and gift cards to pet
stores, home improvement stores, and other big box stores can also help us with these needs.
The Animal Benefit Fund would support the following seven new programs:
(1) Panda’s Gift Program: This program is for emergency vet care and goes to help animals like
Panda, a dog who was brought to us in distress, in labor with a deceased puppy stuck inside, an old injury to
her left eye and in overall poor condition. Our medical team acted quickly, rushing her into surgery, removed
the puppy from the birth canal, performed an Ovariohysterectomy, and did a third eyelid flap to protect her
injured eye. Panda quickly recovered from her surgery and acted like a new pup, snuggling with her foster
family and learning what it felt like to be safe and loved. A family met and fell in love with Panda and took
her home to join their household. Without donations to this fund, happy endings like Panda’s would not be
possible.
(2) Education Program : This program is to help pet owners resolve behavioral problems that might
cause them to give up their pet, to help shelter animals with behavioral issues that might keep them from
being easily adopted, and to create education programs for school age children. CCCAS will be creating a
program where local trainers will work with pet owners, shelter dogs, volunteers and foster homes on
reducing various behavioral problems, resulting in fewer surrenders and more successful adoptions. This
program can also help to support humane education in our communities.
34
(3) Shelter Intervention Program: Often times families get into a crisis situation where they turn to
surrendering their pet to a shelter. Our intervention program would help to provide resources to keep animals
in their homes. Examples of intervention tools: spay/neuter, behavior/training assistance, and grooming.
(4) Transfer Partner Assistance Program: This program would provide support to our smaller
transfer partners, who help save the lives of animals with medical concerns or basic Spay/Neuter support for
animals pulled from CCASD.
(5) Spay and Neuter Program: This program would make spay and neuter more affordable and
accessible in our County by establishing a donation subsidized voucher program to provide free or low cost
spay/neuter surgeries in collaboration with local veterinarians.
(6) Pets for Seniors Program: A pet is sometimes the only companion our community’s elders have,
and the health and psychological benefits of having a pet are well-documented. This program pays a portion
of the adoption fee for qualifying seniors, allowing them to use the money they saved to help pay for the
initial items necessary for keeping a pet. This program may also be used to help seniors on limited incomes
to keep animals in their lives when they may have had to give up their furry companion due to lack of
money for basic daily needs or medical concerns.
(7) Discounted Adoption Program: Sometimes, we are critically full of pets waiting for new homes.
Rather than euthanize healthy adoptable or treatable animals, CCCAS discounts the adoption of pets to give
people even more of an incentive to adopt. CCCAS also participates in national adoption events, promoting
the placement of shelter animals. We are only able to offer reduced-fee adoptions when we have donated
funding available.
V. OTHER PROPOSALS COVERED IN THE UPDATED RESOLUTION.
In addition to approving the formation of the new programs described above, the Resolution
would delegate the CCCAS Director with the power to accept any gift, bequest, or devise made
for the benefit of animals in the shelter through programs such as a car donation and planned
giving programs pursuant to Government Code Section 25355. In keeping with this code section,
the Director will file a report with the Board every quarter that describes the source and value of
each gift. An annual report will also be provided that shares the impact of the Animal Benefit
fund on our community animals and families. As is required by statute, any gifted funds or assets
will be used for those purposes as are prescribed in the terms of the gift, bequest, or devise. The
monies in these funds are not intended to replace General Funds, rather they are to supplement
and enhance our care for animals and support of the public.
CCCAS is also requesting that the Director be authorized to solicit monetary contributions
through methods such as request forms included in dog license mailing, website information, and
adopters and owners surrendering pets being given the opportunity to assist other shelter animals
by contributing at the time of their transaction. Donations will be tax-deductible and
acknowledged in writing to the donor.
Gifts by donors may be designated directly to a specific gift fund or program. Gifts received with
no instruction as to the use for a specific area or program or funds donated for “general animal
welfare” will be considered as part of the general Animal Benefit Fund. Monies raised through
in-house donations, and/or general fund raising activities shall be considered undesignated gift
funds.
The Director will utilize these funds in a manner that is consistent with the specific purpose for
35
which they were donated. It is also important to recognize that these are donated funds and as
such the use of the funds to pay businesses, organizations and fund voucher programs for various
services to support the CCCASD programs would not be considered “gifts of County funds”.
Each year, the Director will recommend expenditures from the Animal Benefit Fund through the
budgetary process. Grants and designated funds shall be expended according to the grant or
designated gift. Designated balances of $50 or less will be rolled back into the undesignated gift
funds.
Should the CCCAS wish to expend more than $25,000 per purchase order, CCCAS must submit
a request in writing for approval by the Board of Supervisors.
The CCCAS anticipates that approximately $150,000 will be received annually in donations. This
estimate is based on the amount of donations received by the animal shelter over the last 3 years.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ACCEPT report from the Animal Services Director on the Animal Benefit Fund;1.
CONSIDER recommendations of the Animal Services Director and PROVIDE direction to
staff regarding next steps:
2.
authorize the CCCAS Director to accept any monetary donation, gift, bequest, or devise
made to or in favor of the Contra Costa County Animal Services Department as allowed
under Government Code section 25355 (NOTE: County policy requires Department Heads
to notify the CAO regarding donations exceeding $1,000 and obtain Board of Supervisors
approval for donations exceeding $10,000),
approve the continued use of the Animal Benefit Fund,
establish new programs that receive assistance under that Fund,
authorize the CCCASD Director to solicit donations for the benefit of shelter animals, and
require the CCCAS Director to provide an annual report to the I/O Committee.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
No impact to the General Fund. The Animal Benefit Fund is the repository for community
donations that help to fund unmet needs of animals impounded at County shelters.
Attachments
Archived 9-14-15 Report to IOC on Animal Benefit Fund
36
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT37
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT38
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT39
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT40
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT41
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT42
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT43
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT44
ARCHIVED IOC REPORT45
INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE 7.
Meeting Date:03/28/2016
Subject:TRIENNIAL REVIEW OF BOARD ADVISORY BODIES - PHASE I
UPDATE
Submitted For: David Twa, County Administrator
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: IOC 16/7
Referral Name: Advisory Body Triennial Review
Presenter: Terry Speiker, Chief Assistant CAO Contact: Theresa Speiker (925) 335-1096
Referral History:
The Board of Supervisors has asked a number of county residents, members of businesses located
in the county and/or county staff to serve on appointed bodies that provide advice to the Board on
matters of county or other governmental business. Periodically, the Board evaluates and examines
the advisory bodies to determine if any changes are needed in the structure, composition, Board
charge, enabling mandate, assignments or the inner workings of the bodies. Some of these
reviews have led to changes in bylaws, membership requirements, structure, enabling charges,
assignments/duties or sun-setting of the body.
Each body has an enabling charge and bylaws, which spell out structure, work processes and the
expectations of members. Although bodies do not have the authority to hire employees, most
bodies have been assigned county or contracted staff to assist the Chair, Vice Chair and the
members with conducting the business of each body and providing regular reports,
recommendations and advice to the BOS or other units of government. The business of each body
is public and governed by all the applicable state and local laws about transparency and
availability of the body’s records to the members of the public. Some bodies are required to adopt
a conflict of interest code, although the Fair Political Practices Commission asked us in 2014 that
we review all bodies with these code requirements to see if they are legally necessary, according
to State law. Bodies are expected to file an annual work plan with the BOS and a list of goals and
priorities that will guide their work for that year. They also are asked to submit an annual report
that summarizes their accomplishments and activities.
The first phase report of the current Triennial Review cycle was considered by the IO Committee
on April 13, 2015. Several of the bodies were asked to return to the IOC in 2016 with updates or
further information, including:
Airport Land Use Commission review of the Aviation Advisory Committee;1.
Economic Opportunity Council;2.
Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging;3.
Agricultural Task Force;4.
46
Agricultural Task Force;4.
Commission for Women;5.
Emergency Medical Care Committee;6.
Public and Environmental Health Advisory Board and Hazardous Materials Commission;
and
7.
Library Commission.8.
Referral Update:
This memo summarizes responses to questions or directions from the IOC concerning these
advisory bodies.
The Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) Review of the Aviation Advisory
Committee (AAC): The Department of Conservation and Development (DCD) and the
ALUC has provided the following response to the IOC question of whether or not the
ALUC and the AAC should remain as separate entities or if their duties and responsibilities
can be combined.
According to DCD, the ALUC is a state mandated body that is charged with reviewing proposed land use
applications that are within the area of the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan; no other duties are assigned
to it. There is very little overlap between the duties of the AAC and the ALUC. The AAC is a discretionary
advisory body that provides input and advice to the Director of Airports, the BOS, and the Board’s Airport
Committee on a wide range of airport issues. In the estimation of DCD, the AAC provides a vital interface
and link to pilot organizations, airport staff, individual pilots and the communities surrounding the airport.
Also according to the Department, most general aviation airports in California (like Contra Costa County’s
airports), have an AAC. The DCD Director believes that encouraging and supporting an active and engaged
AAC is an airport management “best practice”. For all the reasons cited, the DCD and the ALUC recommend
to the IOC and BOS that the ALUC and the AAC be maintained as separate entities.
Economic Opportunity Council (EOC): The Employment and Human Services
Department (EHSD) has provided follow-up information on questions raised during 2015
IOC meetings about the proper use of Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding.
At that time, some EOC members had raised concerns about whether CSBG money was
being allocated correctly; members questioned if too much was being allocated towards staff
and administrative costs and not enough towards programming.
Since the 2015 IOC meetings, the EHSD Department Head and Community Services Bureau (CSB) Bureau
Chief have met with the State and the EOC Board on a number of occasions to review the use and allocation
of CSBG funds and the role of the EOC in fund oversight. (See Attachment 2.) The State has determined
that there was no inappropriate use or allocation of CSBG funds and gave this information to the EOC Board.
Subsequently, the State approved the 2016 budget for the current CSBG contract with Contra Costa County.
On March 5, 2016, the State met with the EOC Board to answer program or funding concerns of the
members. Also at that time, State experts from the Community Services and Development Department
provided a comprehensive orientation to the EOC Board, explaining the oversight role of the EOC in relation
to CSBG funds. It is planned that dialogue of this type with the EOC Board will continue. Currently the
Department is working with the State, County Counsel and the CAO to review and update, if needed, the
Joint Powers Authority that is required to receive CSBG funds. Any proposed changes will be brought to the
BOS for consideration.
Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging (ACOA): When this matter was
discussed at the IOC in 2015, neither the Bureau Chief for Aging and Adult Services nor the
Chair of the Advisory Council on Aging had been able to complete the Triennial Review
because of a lack of stable Council membership and departmental staff support.
Since that time, a new Bureau Chief has been hired and has begun working with County Counsel and the
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Chair of the Advisory Council to rewrite the ACOA Bylaws. Two significant changes proposed to the
Bylaws will be to revamp the membership structure of the body and reduce the number of appointees so that
a quorum can regularly be achieved and representation across all areas of the county and stakeholder groups
will be assured. Any changes to the Bylaws will be brought to the BOS for review and approval before taking
effect.
In addition to rewriting the Bylaws, the new Bureau Chief and the Chair of the Council have been reviewing
the ACOA mission statement and mandated responsibilities under the Older Americans Act, the functions of
the Council, and the current work group structure. They have also developed and filed their 2015 Triennial
Report with the Clerk of the Board’s Office (COB). (See Attachment 3.) They have reviewed past work
products and have discussed a plan for recruiting and using a newly structured Council. Key to the success
of a revamped ACOA will be regular staff assistance for the Council; the Bureau Chief and EHSD
Department Head are currently considering their options for addressing this need. EHSD’s goal is to support
the Advisory Council in recruiting members, helping them get their work plan accomplished, and being
compliant with Brown Act and Better Government requirements for holding open meetings and soliciting
public input.
Agricultural (Ag) Task Force: When this matter was initially before the IOC in 2015, the
Ag Task Force had not met regularly and the Triennial Review Report on the Task Force
had not been submitted by either the Department Head or the Task Force Chair. Because a
new Department Head had recently been named, the IOC determined that this matter should
return to the committee in 2016, after the new Department Head had time to review the
situation and develop recommendations for how best to seek advisory input from residents
and county-located agri-businesses.
Since that time, the Department Head has reviewed the background, history and work of the Task Force and
has prepared a draft proposal designed to re-energize and modernize the body’s efforts. The draft includes a
revised mission statement and work program, delineation of powers, duties, membership, meeting plan and
staffing. A copy of this draft is attached for Committee review and direction (Attachment 1); the
Department Head will be present for the IOC meeting.
Commission for Women: When this matter was reviewed by the IOC in 2015, the primary
issues to be resolved concerned the size of the membership and whether or not there would
be additional staff support provided. A determination was made not to approve additional
staff support for the body.
On the matter of membership, the determination was made to reduce the number of members to a total of 20
seats (one from each supervisorial district, 15 At-Large appointees and one alternate). The Bylaws have been
rewritten to reflect this change; review is currently underway in the CAO and County Counsel offices. As
soon as this review is complete, the Bylaws will be submitted to the BOS for consideration.
Emergency Medical Care Committee (EMCC) : The IOC asked the CAO to work with
the EMCC and staff from the Health Services Department to review the EMCC's charge,
work plans and Bylaws to ensure that they were not venturing beyond their advisory level
duties and authority. That work has been done and the following has taken place:
The Bylaws were modernized and rewritten, with County Counsel assistance, approved by
the EMCC in December, 2015 and approved by the BOS on January 5, 2016, to become
effective March 2016;
The number of members was decreased by removing alternates for seats;
The number of officers was downsized to be more consistent with the structure of other
county advisory committees;
Duties and the charge were more clearly delineated, to make sure that the body operates in
an advisory fashion.
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Public and Environmental Health Advisory Board and the Hazardous Materials
Commission: When this matter was before the IOC in 2015, the Supervisors asked the
Health Services Department to consider whether or not there was enough overlap in mission,
charge, duties and work plan to merge the Public and Environmental Health Advisory Board
and the Hazardous Materials Commission. After review, the Health Services Department
found that the Hazardous Materials Commission has an active and vigorous membership
and a full range of duties that would not fit in well with the work of the Public and
Environmental Health Advisory Board; they recommended no merger of the two bodies.
On the other hand, the Department believes that the Public and Environmental Health Advisory Body would
benefit from restructuring. They have been considering how best to modernize this committee, but do not yet
have a draft proposal for the IOC to consider. They are requesting an additional 60 days to complete their
review and to prepare a response to the IOC.
Library Commission: When this matter was reviewed by the IOC in 2015, the County
Librarian was very newly appointed and not able to provide much information about the
work of the Commission. The previous Librarian had not completed the 2015 Triennial
Review documents nor had the Library Commission submitted review materials to the Clerk
of the Board’s (CoB) office. The Supervisors directed the newly appointed County
Librarian, who is also staff to the Commission, to complete the Triennial Review documents
and prepare a status report on the Commission and its work for the IOC. The review
(Attachment 4) was submitted to the CoB’s Office in January 2016 and is on public file
there.
The Library Commission was created by resolutions from the BOS and the Mayor’s Conference in March,
1991. It has been reauthorized periodically since that time; it will automatically sunset on June 30, 2016
unless it is reauthorized.
The Commission consists of 29 members and 29 alternates. Each BOS office and each of the 19 cities in the
county appoints one member and one alternate. In addition there are “special representative” members who
are appointed by the Superintendent of Schools, the Contra Costa Central Labor Council, the Contra Costa
Council, the Friends’ Council or the Contra Costa Community College District. The charge to the body is to
provide advice to the BOS and the County Librarian. According to the report from the County Librarian, their
primary work and outputs during the time she has worked with them has been to advocate for State funding
(with BOS approval), share reports and information with other Commission members that are specific to their
local communities on library activities, and provide a sounding board to county library staff.
The County Librarian is recommending that the body be allowed to automatically sunset on June 30, 2016 or
rewrite the Commission bylaws to reduce the size of the membership and/or the frequency of the meetings
and restructure their charge/duties. The reasons for the recommendations include the following:
The large size of the membership and alternates has made it extremely difficult to
recruit and keep seats filled;
Also due to the large size of the membership, it has been very difficult for the
Commission to develop a work plan and complete work projects; and
Many of the current members serve on their local Friends groups in addition to being
an appointed member of the Commission, so their advocacy and volunteer efforts have
other established avenues to positively affect literacy efforts and library programs
throughout the county.
The County Librarian has shared these recommendations with the Library Commission and the City
Managers. The City Managers have not taken a formal position on the recommendations and have scheduled
the County Librarian to make a presentation to the April Public Manager’s Meeting to discuss the review.
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The County Librarian and members of the Commission will be present at the IOC meeting.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
Accept follow-up report on questions and information previously requested by the IOC.1.
Maintain the Airport Land Use Commission and Aviation Advisory Committee as separate
bodies.
2.
Approve for Board of Supervisors consideration the revised mission statement and work
program, delineation of powers, duties, membership, meeting plan and staffing for the
Agricultural Task Force.
3.
Maintain the Hazardous Materials Commission and the Public and Environmental Health
Advisory Board (PEHAB) as separate bodies and direct the Health Services Department to
report back to the IOC in 60 days with recommendations for revitalizing the PEHAB.
4.
Allow the Library Commission to sunset, as scheduled, on June 30, 2016, or rewrite the
Commission bylaws to reduce the size of the membership and/or the frequency of the
meetings and restructure their charge/duties.
5.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
None. This is an information report.
Attachments
Attachment 1: Agricultural Task Force Follow-up Report
Attachment 2: Economic Opportunity Council Follow-up Report
Attachment 3: Advisory Council on Aging Follow-up Report
Attachment 4: Library Commission Triennial Review Survey
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1
40 Douglas Drive, Martinez, CA 94553 • (925) 313-1500 • Fax (925) 313-1575 • www.ehsd.org
To: The Internal Operations Committee of the Board Date: March 21, 2016
CC: Julie Enea, County Administrator’s Office
From: Kathy Gallagher, EHSD Director
Subject: March 2016 Update to IOC Report Regarding the Economic Opportunity Council
At the October 12th IOC meeting, I reported that conversations with the State regarding
CSBG funding would occur. Those conversations have occurred and were centered on
the question of which programs of the Community Action Agency (CAA) are taken into
account when calculating the 12% administrative costs. As stated in the contractual
language, due to the intent of CSBG funding, the total budget of all programs could be
taken into account when calculating these costs. The Community Services Bureau had
been using this understanding when reporting its total operational budget and
computing the administrative expenses which are not to exceed twelve percent (12%).
Although the contractual language was taken directly from Government Code Section
12781(c), further guidance was included in the 2016 contract stating, “Community action
program(s) includes only those programs over which the Contractor’s tripartite board or
advisory board, in the case of governmental entities, has operational jurisdiction and
oversight or advisory responsibility.”
Staff worked diligently with the EOC in December 2015 to take a zero-based budgeting
approach in creating the 2016 CSBG budget. In this effort, administrative costs were
scaled back, resulting in administrative costs that do not exceed 12% of the CSBG
budget and leave .18 FTEs in administrative support. In addition, the amount of funding
subcontracted to the community increased from $200,000 in 2015 to $362,382 in 2016.
The Community Services Bureau submitted a budget for the 2016 program year that
aligns with this new understanding and computes the administrative expenses based on
only the CSBG funding.
In the IOC’s recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on 12/8/15, it is noted that
the primary issue at hand was “reports that most of the Community Services Block
Grant (CSBG) received by the EOC was being expended on County staff costs instead
of on programs.” While the State confirmed that CSB’s allocations were in line with the
intent of the funding and the law prior to the contract change in 2016, we acknowledged
EOC member concerns. While CSB has made every effort to address the concerns of
M E M O R A N D U M
Kathy Gallagher, Director
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2
the EOC regarding their oversight of the CSB funding, which has resulted in these
notable changes, there continues to be unrest with a few of the members as to what can
be classified as administrative costs vs. program costs. Despite several conversations
with the State and an abundance of clarifying materials presented to the EOC fiscal
sub-committee, questions persisted and continued to hinder the important work of
ameliorating poverty in the County.
On Saturday, March 5, Board training was held to address these concerns and to
provide a comprehensive board orientation. We were honored to the have the Executive
Director of CalCAPA, John Heath, and the Deputy Director of the California Department
of Community Services and Development (CSD), Sylmia Britt as our esteemed trainers.
The training validated the various methodologies and rationales used in developing the
CSBG budget and both trainers indicated that the CSB budget has been and remains
sound. The trainers emphasized the advisory role of the EOC and presented a slide that
read, “As you function in your Public Community Action Advisory Board role, remember
that your role requires you to master the gentle push. You recommend, you suggest and
you advise. Although you do not have the same extent of responsibility as your Private
counterparts, your role is just as important and you can be a great voice for those
fighting their way out of poverty”.
While our work was praised and validated as a whole, there was reference to a core
governance document that is required in order for a public agency to receive CSBG
funds: A Joint Power Authority or JPA; which delineates the role of the board vs. the
role of the EOC. CSB has conducted a thorough search of its archives and has asked
the state to do the same. The state (CSD) only retains records for 7 years and also lost
many historical documents when a server migration failed. CSB has been working with
County Counsel, the CAOs office, and the Clerk of the Board to try to find this document
and they are still searching.
It should be noted that the 2016 budget was approved by the state and formed the basis
of the current CSBG contract for 2016. We continue to be proud of the work we do in
the community and are committed to working collaboratively with the EOC as the CSBG
advisory body moving forward.
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1
40 Douglas Drive, Martinez, CA 94553 • (925) 313-1500 • Fax (925) 313-1575 • www.ehsd.org
To: Internal Operations Committee Date: March 21, 2016
From: Kathy Gallagher, EHSD Director
Victoria Tolbert, AAS Director
Subject: Report on Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council
At the request of the IOC, please see the attached reports from the Aging and Adult
Services Bureau. The first document is a report on the statutory structure of the Area
Agency on Aging Advisory Council with the current status of their responsibilities. The
second document is the Annual Report of the Council activities and accomplishments
for the 2015 year.
The Advisory Council is in the process of re-evaluating their By-Laws in regard to
membership and attendance. They are working with County Counsel to effect some
changes that will enable the Council to better meet their quorum requirements. Any
changes to the By-Laws will be brought to the Board of Supervisors for approval.
M E M O R A N D U M
Kathy Gallagher, Director
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Contra Costa County
Board of Supervisors
2015 Triennial Sunset Review of Appointed Boards,
Committees & Commissions
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 1
INTRODUCTION
Contra Costa County is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors elected by the citizens
of our County. The work of the Board of Supervisors is augmented by various advisory boards,
committees, or commissions, comprised of citizens who are appointed by the Board of
Supervisors. These appointed bodies are formed to provide support and citizen input by making
recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on various issues (such as service delivery
problems or community needs). County committees are created as a result of State and Federal
legislation, contractual agreements with other public agencies, or in response to specific
community needs. These citizens' advisory bodies serve as direct links between the Board of
Supervisors and our community, expand forums for communication between the public and
County government, and enhance the quality of life for our residents.
SUMMARY OF THE TRIENNIAL SUNSET REVIEW PROCESS
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 2012/261 on June 26,
2012 establishing a "triennial sunset review process" for most County boards, committees and
commissions whose members are appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Each year the Clerk of
the Board will schedule one-third of these committees for review by the County Administrator's
Office and the Internal Operations Committee of the Board of Supervisors.
The purpose of the triennial sunset review is to provide the Board of Supervisors with a method
to periodically evaluate the ongoing purpose, performance and effectiveness of the advisory
committees. For additional information about the review procedure, please refer to Resolution
2012/261 of June 26, 2012, and to the Advisory Body Handbook.
SUBMISSION OF THE TRIENNIAL SUNSET REVIEW REPORT
The triennial sunset review report (to be completed using this questionnaire) must be signed by
the advisory body chairperson and by the County staff person currently serving as liaison to the
committee. The completed and signed questionnaire should be submitted, along with the
additional materials listed below, to:
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
Attn: Advisory Body Sunset Review
651 Pine Street, Rm. 106
Martinez, CA 94553
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 2
List of materials to include with Triennial Sunset Review report:
1. Copies of the advisory body meeting agendas and minutes from the last 12
meetings.
2. A copy of the advisory body bylaws that are currently in effect.
3. A copy of the most recent Annual Report that was submitted to the Board
of Supervisors.
4. A brief, informal statement of the advisory committee's overall priorities,
recent efforts, and current focus; and,
5. A recommendation, from the Department Head that oversees the
committee, whether to continue or discontinue the committee, as well as
recommendations, from the County staff or Department Head, concerning
any changes to the committee that might increase its effectiveness or
impact.
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 3
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
Advisory Body
Triennial Sunset Review
I. Advisory Body Contact Information
Contra Costa County Library Commission
a. Name of Advisory Body (i.e. Committee, Commission or Board)
Rodger Lum
b. Name of Advisory Body Chairperson
Jessica Hudson
c. Name of Advisory Body Staff
1750 Oak Park Blvd, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
d. Staff Business Address
925-646-6423
e. Staff Telephone Number
JHudson@ccclib.org
f. Staff E-mail Address
http://guides.ccclib.org/Commission
g. Advisory Body Website Address, if applicable, if not, write “N/A”.
II. Advisory Body History and Meeting Events
Please provide the following information:
a. Number of advisory body members appointed in the last 36 months.
30
b. Number of advisory body members who resigned in the last 36 months.
30
c. Number of advisory body meetings scheduled in the last 36 months.
18
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 4
d. Number of advisory body meetings cancelled for lack of quorum in the last 36
months.
0
e. Number of advisory body meetings cancelled for reason other than lack of quorum
in the last 36 months.
0
f. Number of advisory body meetings held in the last 36 months.
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III. Advisory Body Mission, Objectives, and Major Events
a. State the original purpose and responsibility of the advisory body.
The Contra Costa County Library Commission was original established in March
1991 for a two year period and has been reauthorized by both the Board of
Supervisors and the Mayor’s Conference for continuance. The original purpose and
responsibility of the Commission is five part: 1) To serve in an advisory capacity to
the Board of Supervisors and the County Librarian; 2) To provide a community
linkage to the County Library; 3) To establish a forum for the community to express
its views regarding the goals and operations of the County Library; 4) To assist the
Board of Supervisors and County Librarian to provide library services based on
assessed public need; and 5) To develop and recommend proposals to the Board of
Supervisors and County Librarian for the betterment of the County Library
including, but not limited to, such efforts as insuring a stable and adequate funding
level for the libraries in the County.
b. Please describe any major changes to advisory body responsibility which have
occurred over time, e.g. change in legal mandates or in the major activities that it
has undertaken.
There have been no major changes to the responsibilities of the Library Commission
over time. The Library Commission is not legally mandated.
c. Identify the target population or communities served by the advisory body.
The Library Commission serves as an advisory body to the County Board of
Supervisors and the County Librarian. In that capacity, their target population is
all current and regular library users, which encompasses the whole of the County
excepting the City of Richmond which has its own municipal library.
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 5
d. List regular and ongoing activities, services, and/or programs the advisory body
provides to achieve its current mission. If applicable, also list one-time or special
projects offered to achieve the mission.
The Library Commission achieves its mission through having six meetings per
year, all of which are open to the public. The Library Commission receives
presentations from Library staff on various projects and operations, so that
Commissioners are aware of and able to ask questions regarding those projects and
operations. The Library Commission meetings offer a public comment section to
allow for open feedback and communication. Library Commissioners also
frequently serve on community-specific Friends of the Library or Library
Foundation groups, which helps strengthen the linkage between the communities
and the County Library. In the past 36 months, the Library Commission has also
hosted/participated in various Town Hall meetings to encourage community
feedback on the Library’s strategic planning process.
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 6
IV. Advisory Body Organization and Structure
a. Please describe any staffing issues/challenges, i.e., vacancy rates, efforts to fill seats,
member turnover, recruitment and retention efforts.
1) The Library Commission has one Library staff person that acts as liaison, secretary, etc
for the Commission. The responsibilities for that position currently lie with a vacant
position, and the Department Head has been the main staff person for the Commission for
the past thirteen months.
2) With 29 seats and 24 appointing agencies (5 seats are through the Board of Supervisors
and the remaining 24 are dividing between the 19 cities and the 5 special districts), there
are often gaps in filled seats for different jurisdictions. Over the last 36 months, 30
Commissioners have either resigned during their term or have elected not to ask for
another term. Over the last 36 months, 30 new Commissioners have been appointed, with 8
leaving during that same period of time. It can be difficult to keep up with vacancies and
member turn over. For perspective, 16 Commissioners were Commissioners at the start of
the period 36 months ago and still sit on the Commission.
b. Please describe any changes or potential changes you could suggest in the
committee's organization, structure, number of seats, qualifications, meeting
schedule, or any other area that you believe might improve the Committee's
performance.
The Library Commission is a large organization, with 29 Library Commissioner
seats and 29 Alternate Commissioner seats. Although the Commission is not usually
full, there are regularly 35-40 members present at meetings. The structure of the
organization was set up to be provide 1:1 representation from the different Cities,
Board jurisdictions and special organizations in the County but that may also give
more seats to the “cities” than to the “county”. The Library Commission meets
every other month; some months there are multiple presentations to the
Commission and some months less depending on topics of interest to the
Commission. A concern for the Commission is its purpose; although the
Commissioners complete their task well and with passion for libraries, there is not
always much accomplished through the process that would not have already been
accomplished at the local (Friends, Foundation) level. It would be Library staff’s
recommendation to look at either a sunset for the Commission or a reduction in the
number of meetings held per year plus a reduction in the amount of seats on the
Commission.
c. What information is regularly presented to the advisory body members to keep
them informed of the body’s performance?
The Library Commission has several regular agenda items; approval of minutes,
sharing of books, State Library Funding as well as “Items of Interest to the
Commission”. This last item allows the various Commissioners to speak about what
is going on in their jurisdiction and to share successes that might be replicated in
other locations. Yearly, the Commission also includes agenda items regarding their
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 7
annual report to the Board of Supervisors and their work plan for the coming
calendar year.
d. Are the advisory body current bylaws reflective of the body’s current mission and
purpose?
Yes but meeting topics/agenda could be matched up more concisely with the
mission.
e. Do you recommend changes to the advisory body bylaws (e.g., adjustment to term
length, required qualifications, number of meetings, or primary focus)? If yes,
please state why?
No, Library staff does not recommend changes to the bylaws. The bylaws are an
accurate representations of what the Board Order requires the Commission to
complete.
f. Does the advisory body have a sufficient number of members to achieve its mission?
Do you recommend an adjustment to the number of advisory body seats (an
increase or decrease)?
The Advisory Board has a sufficient membership. Library staff would recommend a
decrease in the advisory board seats to create a more flexible Commission.
g. If you recommend making an adjustment to the number of advisory body seats,
please indicate which seats and why?
Library staff’s first recommendation would be to sunset the Commission as their
parts of their objective are being completed at the local level and other parts can be
completed via the library sites themselves (ie, public input through the Library
Administration email, the chat service, the 1-800 line, or the Ask email instead of
just through the Library Commission email). Library staff’s second
recommendation would be to reduce seats assigned to the special districts, moving
total seat count from 29 to 24. Staff see difficulty in reducing seats assigned to either
the cities or the County, as each currently has one representative per jurisdiction (5
seats for the County, one per Board seat). Library staff would recommend
removing the seat for the City of Richmond, as the County Library does not serve
the City of Richmond. Another option is to look at removing alternate seats, as
many meeting see both the Library Commissioner and the Alternate Library
Commissioner attending.
h. If special requirements or prerequisites exist for members to serve on the advisory
body, do you believe the requirements are important and necessary, or do they limit
the recruitment of potential candidates?
There are no special requirements to serve on the Library Commission.
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Advisory Body Public Information Policies
a. How does the advisory body engage stakeholders and the general public about
issues and programs within the body’s area of responsibility?
The Library Commission posts its agenda and supplemental materials on the
Commission’s website, at all library locations and copies of the agenda are sent to
all city partners, the Clerk of the Board’s Office and various other locations for
public consumption. Library Commission meetings are open the public, with a
public comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Library Commissioners
tend to also be Friends of the Library or Library Foundation members, outside of
their Commission responsibilities.
b. How is stakeholder and public input incorporated into the advisory body’s mission
and objectives? Please also describe any outreach efforts to encourage public
participation in advisory body meetings and sponsored activities
The Library Commission’s mission and objectives are set out in their bylaws.
Bylaws have been reviewed and amended in 1992, 1999, and 2012. The
Commission’s mission and purpose is based on the Board Order that created the
Commission.
c. How far in advance of the meeting date does the advisory body post its meeting
notice?
Notices are required to be posted 96 hours in advance but tend to be posted one
week in advance of the meeting. Full packet information is also posted on the
Library Commission website one week in advance of the meeting.
d. Where are meeting notices posted (please note all locations)?
Official posting locations are at the Pleasant Hill Library, Library Administration,
the Walnut Creek Library and the Clerk of the Board’s Office. Agenda are also sent
to each Board of Supervisor’s office, the County Administrator’s Office, all
Community Libraries, the City of Richmond Library, and City offices. The meeting
notice and agenda packet are also uploaded onto the Commission website.
V. Advisory Body Budget (if applicable)
a. Please provide the advisory body’s source of revenue (if any) for the past 36
months. Rounded figures can be used. (Add additional sheets or documents if
needed.)
Sources of Revenue
Source Amount
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 9
Total $0
b. Provide a summary of the committee's actual or estimated expenditures for the
past 36 months.
Types of Expenditures
Category Amount
Total $0
*The Library Commission does not have a revenue source or expenditures. The Library
Department, on behalf of the Commission, pays for staff time and printing/mailing costs
for agendas and agenda packets.
VI. Advisory Body Current Issues (if applicable)
Are there any additional issues or problems that the Committee
wishes to bring to the attention of CAO and/or the Board of
Supervisors, or that the Committee has been unable to resolve?
Provide a brief description of the issue:
Include enough information to give context for the issue. Helpful information includes:
i. What is the specific problem or concern?
The only concerns are those noted above; the size of the Commission and what can
be accomplished by the Commission that is not already accomplished through other
means.
ii. Whom does this issue affect?
Click here to enter text.
iii. What is the advisory body’s current role related to the issue?
Click here to enter text.
iv. What policy or program changes, or other recommendations, has the committee
considered in response?
Click here to enter text.
VII. Advisory Body Comments and Suggestions
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a. Describe the effect the advisory body has made on the target population.
The Library Commission has been able to assist the County Librarian through its
comments and feedback on presentations provided throughout the 36 month review
period. It assisted with Town Hall meetings in support of the Library’s Strategic
Plan and provides community-level support and advocacy for library services.
b. Describe the specific impact the work of the advisory body has made in achieving its
mission.
The Library Commission has made specific impact in advocacy. A regular agenda
item is State Library Funding. The Library Commission regularly reviews
upcoming concerns regarding State and Federal Library funding, creates letters to
be approved/signed by the Board of Supervisor Chair, and advocates with their
local politicians to support stable or increased State and Federal funding.
c. Additional Comments
Please use the following space to share additional comments about the work of the
advisory body, its effectiveness, the services it provides, or any other related subject.
The Library Commission will be meeting on November 19th, 2015 and will include this
as a topic for discussion. It is planned for an ad hoc group to be formed at that meeting to
discuss the Commission’s continuance, purpose, structure, etc. Preliminary
recommendations from that ad hoc committee are expected back to the Commission at
the January meeting, with final review and approval at the March 2016 meeting. This
information will be shared back with the County Administrator’s Office at that time for
inclusion in this final review.
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Contra Costa County 2013 Advisory Body Triennial Review Page 11
Thank you for your cooperation.
(1) Chairperson of your advisory committee or commission:
x__________________________________________________
(please print name):___________________________________
(2) County Staff or Liaison who coordinated survey:
x__________________________________________________
(please print name):___________________________________
Required signatures:
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