HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03081994 - S.6 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: •'A � +
SUPERVISOR TOM TORLAKSON Costa
County
DATE: March 8, 1994
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE PARTICIPATION IN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR
PROPOSED DELTA ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CENTER, OAKLEY AREA
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)A BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize Supervisor Tom Torlakson, on behalf of
Contra Costa County and as Chair of the DESC Task Force, to sign a
Memorandum of Understanding for the Delta Environmental Science
Center.
BACKGROUND: Since March 1992 Supervisor Torlakson has represented
Contra Costa County (and served as Chair) on a Task Force which was
formed for the purpose of developing an environmental interpretive
center in East Contra Costa County. Other participants on the Task
Force include the Contra Costa Community College District, the East
Bay Regional Park District, the Ironhouse Sanitary District and the
Mount Diablo Audubon Society and numerous educators and administrators
from throughout East Contra Costa County.
In July 1993 the Board of Supervisors approved the concept of
participating in a Joint Powers Agreement with the Community College
District, the East Bay Regional Park District and the Ironhouse
Sanitary District.
The Task Force has received some funding and intends to commence
with an Initial Design Study for the proposed facility (Attachment 2) .
The Task Force has determined that although a JPA is not required at
this point, execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (Attachment 1)
should be achieved before the study begins.
�o>-✓�- ��n.��-ate
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
§IGNATURE(Si:
ACTION OF BOARD ON -.4 1 R IS- APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED ✓ OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ASSE�F,*,.,. ?V 37- AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED r ► Q��`A- Q°�
PHIL BATCHELOR.CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY AOM)NISTRATOR
0
Y O�
M362 (10/88)
BY � -n t ,DEPUTY
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
FOR THE
DELTA ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
This is a Memorandum of Understanding between the following
"Participants" : Contra Costa County ("County") , the East Bay
Regional Park District ("Park District") , the Contra Costa County
Community College District ("Community- College") , the Ironhouse
Sanitary District ("Ironhouse") , and California State University,
Hayward (Contra Costa County Campus) ("Cal State") .
The Participants desire to develop and operate a Delta
Environmental Center ("Center") . As presently contemplated the
Center would be constructed near Oakley, California on lands
provided by Ironhouse, with the physical structure principally
maintained by the Park District. Community College through its Los
Medanos College Campus and California State University Hayward
(Contra Costa County Campus) would conduct environmental studies
and allied science programs at the Center, and school districts
(serving grades kindergarten through twelve) would use the Center
as a resource for the education of their students. The present
concept of the Center is further developed in the attached Exhibit
A, entitled, "The Delta Environmental Center: A Facility Designed
to Prepare Students for the Future" dated August 5, 1993 .
In consideration of the foregoing and the promises, terms and
conditions of this Agreement, the Participants agree as follows.
1. Creation of Delta Environmental Center Coordinating
Council. County, Park District, Community College, Cal State and
Ironhouse, join together to determine funding sources, key
structural elements, develop a Master Plan, and initiate a fund
raising program for the Center.
2 . Effective Date; Notice. The effective date ("Effective
Date") of this Agreement shall be upon notice to all signers by the
office of Ironhouse Legal Counsel that it has been notified by Park
District, Ironhouse, Community College and County that the
governing board or appropriate authority of each of them has
approved their entry into this Agreement. Ironhouse Counsel's
office shall cause such Effective Date to be inserted in the line
provided immediately prior to the signature lines below.
3 . Funds. Under separate letter of agreement, the Alameda-
Contra Costa County Parks Foundation, a tax exempt entity, shall
receive, account for, and disperse donation and grants receipts for
the purposes of the Delta Environmental Center for the purposes of
the Delta Environmental Center as directed by the Coordinating
council .
1
4 . Purpose. The purpose of the joining of the Participants
herein is to develop and initiate planning studies, identify
funding sources, develop a capital fund raising campaign and
develop a Master Plan for the Center.
a. Initial Study. The Participants desire to further
define the design and determine the cost of developing the Center.
An outline of the scope of an initial design study (the "Initial
Study") accomplishing this objective is attached as Exhibit B. A
preferred site for the Center has been designated on Ironhouse
lands, and Ironhouse is prepared to lease such location to the
Center on the terms which it has proposed. One purpose of the
Initial Study is to examine the potential of this Site and its
development constraints. Upon completion of the Initial Study, the
Coordinating Council shall re-examine the designated Site for the
Center, and either confirm or change the Site as the Council deems
appropriate, but subject to agreement of Ironhouse as to any
location on Ironhouse lands other than that presently designated.
The Site so designated by the Council shall be the "Site. "
b. Park District shall administer the Initial Study. It
shall issue an RFP, select an outside consultant, hire the
consultant on such terms as Park District shall reasonably
determine (subject to the requirements of this Agreement) , oversee
the work of the consultant, review and comment on the consultant's
draft report, and cause the final report to be issued. In so
administering the Initial Study:
i. Park District shall not let the contract
for the Initial Study at a total cost in excess of the lesser of
the Center's cash on hand or $ , nor collect any fee or other
compensation for its administration services, without the prior
approval of the Coordinating Council.
ii. Park District shall cause a draft of the
completed report to be furnished each Party for review and comment,
providing a 30 or more day period for such purpose, before the
final report is issued.
iii. Prior to selecting an outside consultant,
Park District shall consult with the Coordinating Council
concerning the recommended consultant(s) , but the final decision on
selection shall be made by the Park District.
C. While the Initial Study is being conducted, the
Participants through the Coordinating Council plan to consider
additional participants in the Center and, where appropriate,
initiate discussions with a view towards membership.
5. Master Plan. Based on the Initial Study, and subject to
the availability of funding, the Coordinating Council shall cause
a Master Plan for the Center to be prepared.'
2
a. The Master Plan, at a minimum, shall include the
following:
i. A design for development of the Site within the
Center's Premises. Among other things, such design shall include
the number and size of the laboratory/classrooms and other
facilities and shall state how the premises will comply with school
safety laws to the extent such compliance is required by law.
ii. A capital funds budget.
iii. An operating plan, specifying who will operate
the Center, who will use the Center, and what the uses will be.
iv. An operating budget.
V. A fundraising plan.
vi. Deadlines by which certain amounts of the
funding must be paid or legally committed, failing which each
Participant or other Party may elect to withdraw from the Center.
vii. The services which Participants and other
Parties will provide the Center, which may include (but need not be
limited to) accounting services, legal services and park and
environmental services.
viii. An outline of the contents of any amendment to
this Agreement or proposed joint powers agreement or other legal
mechanism to implement the Master Plan and operate the Center.
ix. Provisions for disposition of the Center's
property upon the Center's dissolution.
X. Designation of parties necessary for the Center
to proceed.
b. Such Master Plan shall be submitted for approval in
concept to the Coordinating Council, and shall require conceptual
approval by all Participants designated as necessary to proceed in
the Master Plan before it shall be deemed adopted or may be
implemented by the Center. Failure of any Participant to
disapprove the Master Plan within 60 days following its submission
shall be deemed approval.
C. Following such unanimous conceptual approval, the
Council shall, 'subject to the availability of funding, cause any
required environmental documentation to be prepared, and shall to
the extent required by law process the proposed development with
County and other governmental authorities with jurisdiction.
3
6. Coordinating Council: For the purposes stated herein, the
Participants shall select representatives, who shall form the
Coordinating Council of the Delta Environmental Center.
a. Voting members: The , voting members ("Voting
Members") of the Coordinating Council shall be the following:
-one representative of Community College,
to be designated by its governing board.
-one representative of Cal State.
-The member of the Board of Supervisors of Contra
Costa County whose District includes the Center.
-The member of the East Bay Regional Park District
Board of Directors whose Ward includes the Center.
-one member of the Ironhouse Sanitary District
Board of Directors.
Each member may remove or replace its representative at will.
b. Advisory Members: non-voting Advisory Members shall
include Mt. Diablo Audubon Society and other such organizations as
the Council determines appropriate.
C. Powers: The Coordinating Council has all the powers
necessary to accomplish the tasks stated herein.
d. Quorum; Vote: All decisions by the Coordinating
Council shall be by a majority vote of the Council Voting Members
present at a meeting at which a quorum of voting members is present
except as otherwise required by this Agreement. A quorum shall
consist of a majority of the Voting Members.
e. Fundraising. In addition to the power to raise
funds, the Coordinating Council shall be charged with the duty to
use all due diligence to seek funds for the operation and
maintenance of the Center, and to that end shall seek donations and
grants and other forms of assistance in the public and private
sectors. All funds received shall be deposited with the Alameda-
Contra Costa County Parks Foundation.
7 . Ironhouse Site Access: Ironhouse District shall provide
reasonable access to Participants, their representatives or
contractors involved in the Initial Study or Master Plan
completion.
8. Environmental Documentation. Ironhouse is providing the
environmental documentation for the Premises and Site of the
Center, as such Premises and Site were proposed in November of
4
1993 , by including the Center in the EIR (now in preparation) for
the Ironhouse District's new wastewater treatment plant. If
additional CEQA compliance is required, it will be determined and
directed by the Council.
9 . Lease. The preferred site is on Ironhouse District lands,
Section 4a, and Ironhouse intends to lease such site to the Center
on terms to be determined by Ironhouse and the Coordinating
Council.
10. Term. This Agreement shall become effective upon approval
by County, Community College, Park District and Ironhouse on the
date provided in Section 2 . The term of this Agreement shall
continue thereafter until a public entity is formed pursuant to a
joint powers agreement or the Council determines by a 60% or more
vote to dissolve the Center.
11. Changes in Membership. Upon completion of the Initial
study or Master Plan, any Participant or other voting or non-voting
member of the Council may withdraw from the Center and Council upon
providing written notice within 60 days after approval of the
Initial Study or the Master Plan to all Participants. Withdrawal
of member agencies shall not have the effect of terminating this
Agreement so long as at least Community College, Ironhouse, and
Park District remain Participants. Additional public agencies may
join the Council with the consent of two-thirds of the voting
members of the Council.
12 . Signatures. Each official signing below certifies by his
or her signature that he or she has been duly authorized to execute
this Agreement on behalf of his or her Participant.
Effective Date: , 1994 .
COUNTY SIGNATURE DATES:
Contra Costa County
By: Date:
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Contra Costa County
Community College District
By: Date:
California State University. Hayward
By: Date:
5
East Bay Regional Park District
By: Date:
Ironhouse Sanitary District
By: Date:
LIST OF EXHIBITS
Letter Title lst Refer.
A The Delta Environmental Center: A
Facility Designed to Prepare Students
for the Future dated August 5, 1993 Recital
B Scope of Initial Study Sec.4 (a)
6