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AGENDA BILL Agenda Item No. 5(H) Date: October 7, 2014 To: El Cerrito City Council From: Melanie Mintz, Interim Community Development Director Yvetteh Ortiz, Public Works Director Subject: Professional Services Agreement with Emily Alter ACTION REQUESTED Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of El Cerrito and Emily Alter (Consultant) to provide project management and support services for special projects and programs in an amount not to exceed $62,500 bringing the total contract to an amount not to exceed $87,500 for Fiscal Year 2014-2015. DISCUSSION The Community Development and Public Works departments are currently advancing a number of one-time special projects and planning efforts, including the Citywide Urban Greening Plan, Citywide Active Transportation Plan, the Ohlone Greenway Station Access, Safety and Placemaking capital improvement project, the Safe Routes to Transit/San Pablo Avenue Complete Streets technical study, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Del Norte Precise Plan and STAR Certification. These efforts are primarily grant funded. With current vacancies in both departments, City staff is in need of consultant services to provide the focused attention these special projects need. Furthermore, the Community Development Department is holding a vacancy in Economic Development and is currently in need of assistance to at least minimally maintain our economic development service objectives, including serving as liaison to the Economic Development Committee and advancing development of the Economic Development Action Plan and associated activities. The Consultant has provided outstanding service and value to the City and provides a unique versatility in delivery of work product, being able to manage projects that advance and blend the City’s sustainable community development, economic development and multimodal transportation goals. Because she has assisted the Cityin the past, no learning curve is required. The Consultant has led the development of several successful grants, including the $3,468,547 One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) for the upcoming Ohlone Greenway Station Access, Safety and Placemaking project; the $100,000 Safe Routes to Transit grant; and the recently secured $302,500 Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Priority Development Area Planning grant to develop a Del Norte Precise Plan. The Consultant has also been the primary project ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. S(H) manager on the grant funded Urban Greening Plan, Active Transportation Plan and the STAR Communities certification process. Going forward, on an annual basis, the departments will continue to evaluate their needs and available budget, to determine how to continue to provide the services that advance the City's Strategic Plan utilizing permanent positions and consultant services as needed. Currently, due to the dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency, there is no permanent funding source for the vacant Economic Development position necessitating partially backfilling it through this contract. The consultant contract is funded by a combination of grants from the Municipal Services Corporation, Proposition 84, One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) and both departments' operating budgets for professional services. STRATEGIC PLAN The proposed Consultant contract supports both the Community Development and Public Works departments to advance several Strategic Plan goals and strategies, including: Goal B: Achieve long-term financial sustainability through pursuing opportunities for new funding, including outside grants; Goal C: Deepen a sense of place and community identity, by reimagining underdeveloped and underutilized properties through advanced planning efforts, developing an Economic Development Action Plan, encouraging the use of alternative modes to connect people and create a sense of community; and Goal F: Foster environmental sustainability citywide through setting policies and providing innovative programs that promote environmental sustainability. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS The original agreement was for an amount not to exceed $25,000. This amendment for an additional $62,500 would bring the total contract to an amount not to exceed $87,500. Expense appropriations are available through the adopted Fiscal Year 2014-15 City budget in the Community Development, Public Works and Capital Improvement Program budgets. No additional budget appropriations are required. Scott Hanin, City Manager Attachment: 1. Resolution Page 2 ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(H) Attachment 1 RESOLUTION 2014-XX RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CERRITO AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH EMILY ALTER IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $62,500 WHEREAS, the City of El Cerrito has an existing contract with Emily Alter (Consultant) to provide project management and support services for special projects and programs to the Public Works and Community Development Departments; and WHEREAS, the City of El Cerrito is advancing several one-time efforts to further Strategic Plan Goal B: Achieve long-term financial sustainability through pursuing opportunities for new funding, Goal C: Deepen a sense of place and community identity, Goal F: Foster environmental sustainability citywide; and WHEREAS, both the Public Works and Community Development Departments are carrying vacant positions, including the Economic Development program manager, and; WHEREAS, the Public Works and Community Development Departments are currently advancing a number of one-time special projects and planning efforts, including: the Citywide Urban Greening Plan, Citywide Active Transportation Plan, the Ohlone Greenway Station Access, Safety and Placemaking capital improvement project, the Safe Routes to Transit/San Pablo Avenue Complete Streets technical study, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Del Norte Precise Plan and STAR Certification, and; WHEREAS, funding was identified in the adopted Fiscal Year 2014-15 budget for professional services and no new appropriations are required. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of El Cerrito that it hereby authorizes the City Manager to execute an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of El Cerrito and Emily Alter in an amount not to exceed $62,500. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon passage and adoption. I CERTIFY that at a regular meeting on October 7, 2014 the City Council of the City of El Cerrito passed this Resolution by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(H) Attachment 1 ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: IN WITNESS of this action, I sign this document and affix the corporate seal of the City of El Cerrito on October 2014. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: Janet Abelson, Mayor