PREPARED BY: SARAH KOLARIK DATE OF MEETING: 04/15/19
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE “WHY JOIN” LETTER SUPPORTING THE CLEANER CONTRA COSTA CHALLENGE ONLINE SUSTAINABILITY ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
Infrastructure: Enhance Community Resilience - (202) Develop Long-Term Environmental Stewardship Goals is an adopted policy item under the adopted FY 2019-21 City Council Priority Workplan, effective March 1, 2019.
CEQA Compliance Statement
The Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge website is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and therefore does not require CEQA clearance.
BACKGROUND
In June 2018, Contra Costa County (County) was awarded a grant of approximately $200,000 from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) through the Climate Protection Grant Program to support the development of an online sustainability engagement platform called the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge (the Challenge). This grant-funded project is being implemented through a partnership between Contra Costa County and the Cities of San Pablo, Antioch, and Walnut Creek, and the non-profit Sustainable Contra Costa.
This Challenge is designed to help residents identify free and low-cost resources and actions to lower their energy, water, waste and transportation impacts, save money, and create a healthier environment. The entire platform will be available in both English and Spanish in order to serve the broadest population possible. All individuals who live or work in Contra Costa County will be able to participate as part of the Challenge.
An important part of the platform is a “Why Join” letter that is used to encourage community members to become a part of the Challenge. Staff request approval to display the mayoral signature on the “Why Join” page within the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge, under the attached “Why Join” letter, to show City elected support behind this initiative.
Staff believe this program will be more effective when elected leaders show their support. Our partners in this project-Contra Costa County, the Cities of Antioch and Walnut Creek-have already received support from their elected officials, in addition to the leadership of our community-based partner, Sustainable Contra Costa.
The Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge platform is hosted at www.contracosta.goco2free.org. The website will launch to the public at the end of April 2019 and the “Why Join” letter is one of the finishing touches.
A similar platform has been launched in other Bay Area cities (see following for examples). Signatures from community leaders will be listed in the same manner as in the Palo Alto platform:
• www.paloaltogocarbonfree.org/about/join <https://paloaltogocarbonfree.org/about/join>
• www.carbonfreealbany.org/about/join <http://www.carbonfreealbany.org/about/join>
• www.fremontgreenchallenge.org/about/join <http://www.fremontgreenchallenge.org/about/join>
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of San Pablo did not need to contribute any funds to the creation and launch of this platform. Grant funds are reimbursing for City staff time invested in platform set-up and community outreach efforts, in an amount not to exceed $9,849.03.
ATTACHMENT - Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge Why Join Letter