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ITEM: |
CONSENT CALENDAR |
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5. |
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF TWO TEMPORARY FIELD STAFF POSITIONS AND SUPPLIES
FUNDED THROUGH A SECOND INTERAGENCY CONTRACT BETWEEN MPWMD AND NMFS TO
PROVIDE FOR AN ADDITONAL COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND MONITORING PROJECT |
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Meeting
Date: |
January 23,
2019 |
Budgeted: |
No |
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From: |
David J.
Stoldt, |
Program/ |
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General
Manager |
Line Item No.: |
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Prepared
By: |
Suresh
Prasad |
Cost Estimate: |
Up to $39,198 (reimbursable) |
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General
Counsel Approval: N/A |
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Committee
Recommendation: The Administrative
Committee did not review this item due to cancellation of the January 2019
committee meeting. |
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CEQA
Compliance: This action does not
constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines
Section 15378. |
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SUMMARY: In 2017 and 2018, the District entered into an interagency contract with National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service-Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NMFS-SWFSC) for the purposes of conducting juvenile steelhead population studies. As part of a second new three-year contract, for fiscal year 2018-2019, MPWMD will provide local employees to support up to two positions. The positions will be filled at one of five levels, depending on increasing skill level, possession of specific certifiable skills in electrofishing, surgical fish tagging, and red-legged frog identification and avoidance. Field work will be conducted for five months from January through May for a total of 1,360 combined hours.
The contract is limited to $39,198 per year. The funding for this contract comes from California American Water as a requirement of Water Rights Order 2016-0016. This field work will focus on evaluating steelhead survival through Los Padres Reservoir and over the spillway and through the new Behavioral Guidance System of Los Padres Dam (LPD). The data collected will guide future steelhead management by the NMFS and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and is required information needed in future decisions on what to do with LPD.
Authorization
is requested to hire a combination of limited-term Water Resources Assistants,
Fisheries Aides, Fish Rescue Crew Leader, Fisheries Technician, Field Biology
Assistant not to exceed the allocated contract amount for the year, and to
purchase a boat, motor, and trailer and miscellaneous supplies for the
project. The District is also loaning
its existing 5’ Screw Trap to the project. These positions would prevent the
accrual of excessive compensatory time and overtime for higher level regular
full-time positions.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Board approve two temporary field staff positions for cooperative research and monitoring projects with the NOAA/NMFS for fiscal year 2018-2019. This is a fully reimbursed project so the impact to the District will be zero. This project was not part of the FY 2018-2019 Budget so it will be included in the District’s mid-year budget amendment.
IMPACTS TO STAFF/RESOURCES: The total cost of the limited-term staffing described above would not exceed the interagency contract amount. MPWMD will provide the administrative overhead for onboarding, and payroll administration. The employees will not use the District’s vehicles.
None
U:\staff\Boardpacket\2019\20190123\ConsentClndr\05\Item-5.docx