WATER DEMAND COMMITTEE
ITEM:		ACTION ITEM
2.	CONSIDER RECOMMENDATION TO BOARD ON FUNDING QUALIFIED LANDSCAPE WATER MANAGER COURSE DURING SPRING 2012
Meeting Date:			October 26, 2011	Budgeted:	Yes
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/	Water Conservation
			General Manager	Line Item No.: 4-2-1-D
Prepared By:			Stephanie Pintar	Cost Estimate:	$7,000
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: Staff is seeking authorization to spend up to $7,000 in budgeted funds to sponsor a 6-week Qualified Landscape Water Manager (QLWM) course (Exhibit 2-A) beginning as soon as funding is available from California American Water Company’s 2012-2014 General Rate Case (GRC). The class will be taught at the Monterey Adult School by Bob Costa of Pacific Water Management and is targeted to the local gardener. The QLWM will be a bi-linqual certification program that is recognized by the Monterey Bay Green Gardener Program and will provide Continuing Education Units recognized by the Irrigation Association (IA) and the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET).

Costs to the District for conducting QLWM include instructor and interpreter costs of approximately $270 per person (do you mean “participant”?) (with twenty participants). Room rental, printing and copying of class materials, advertising, and outreach would be additional costs. Staff proposes that the District charge a minimal tuition of $100 and support the remaining costs through the approved funding. Scholarships could also be made available for applicants demonstrating financial hardship. The requested funding is a not-to-exceed amount and an estimate only.

Staff is seeking advance approval of District sponsorship of the course in order to enable pre-planning and development of a contract and subsequent outreach material prior to approval of the GRC. Approval of the GRC is expected in early 2012, although the timing is now uncertain due to a recent delay. Funding for this series of workshops is available and contemplated in the conservation budget portion of the GRC under consideration by the California Public Utilities Commission, which provides for full reimbursement of District expenditures from Cal-Am..

RECOMMENDATION: The Water Demand Committee should recommend Board approval of the District sponsorship of the QLWM course with a not to exceed amount of $7,000.

EXHIBITS

2-A QLWM Proposal and Course Outline

U:\staff\word\committees\waterdemand\2011\20111026\02\item2.docx