DATE: March 12, 2024
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Maintenance Services
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Funding Agreement, Accept $500,000 in USDA Urban and Community Forestry Grant Funds, Appropriate $250,000 to Project 07797 for a Citywide Tree Condition Assessment, Inventory, and Tree Management Software and $250,000 to Project 07796 for Hazardous Tree Removals and Replacements, Transfer and Appropriate $250,000 from the General Fund to Capital Fund 405 for Project 07797, and Transfer and Appropriate $250,000 from Project 05102 to Project 07796 Over Five Years
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to: 1) accept $500,000 in Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) grant funds; 2) appropriate $250,000 to Project 07797 to perform a citywide tree condition assessment, inventory, and the procurement of a new tree management software; 3) appropriate $250,000 to Project 07796 for hazardous tree removals and replacements; 4) transfer and appropriate $250,000 from the General Fund to Capital Fund 405 for Project 07797; and 5) transfer and appropriate $250,000 from Project 05102 to Project 07796 over five years.
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SUMMARY
In early 2023, the USDA released a notice of funding opportunity for the U&CF Grant, a multiyear grant opportunity to encourage proactive maintenance and monitoring of urban street trees, advancing the use of tree inventory monitoring, and improving preparation for severe weather, among other program goals. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar match. The Maintenance Services Department successfully applied for and was awarded a total of $500,000 in grant funds to procure and implement a citywide tree condition assessment, inventory, and tree management software (“Software”) and support the removal and replacement of hazardous trees that pose a risk to property, pedestrians, and vehicles. To act on behalf of the USDA, the USDA is partnering with several national “pass-through partners” that will coordinate with awardees to execute funding agreements, manage distribution of grant funds, and to implement and monitor compliance with the U&CF program goals. The USDA selected GreenLatinos, a non-profit environmental organization, to be the City’s pass-through partner. Staff requests that the City Manager be authorized to execute the funding agreement with GreenLatinos, accept the grant funds, and appropriate $250,000 to Project 07797 for the acquisition and development of a new tree management software, citywide condition assessment and inventory and $250,000 to Project 07796 to support hazardous tree removals and replacements. Staff also requests the transfer of $250,000 from the General Fund to Capital Fund 405 and appropriating the same amount to Project 07797 for the required match. Staff also requests the transfer and appropriation of $250,000 from Project 05102 (Landscape Tree and Shrub Replacement) to Project 07796 over five years ($50,000 per fiscal year) for the required match.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Resolution