To: Board of Supervisors
From: Agricultural Commissioner
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Approve Amendment 1 to the Cooperative Service Agreement No. 18-73-06-0245-RA between Humboldt County and United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health inspection Services Wildlife Services (USDA-APHIS-WS), and Related Financial Plans for FY 2019-20 ($74,482) and FY 2020-21 ($77,089)
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve Amendment 1 to Cooperative Service Agreement No. 18-73-06-0245-RA, known as the United States Department of Agriculture-Wildlife Services (USDA-WS) Contract (Attachment 1), and Financial Plans No 19-73-06-0254-RA and 20-73-06-0254-RA;
2. Authorize the Chair to sign three copies each of Amendment 1 to the Cooperative Service Agreement, Financial Plan No. 19-73-06-0254-RA, and Financial Plan No. 20-73-06-0254-RA, and return all signed copies to the Agricultural Commissioner’s office for further processing; and
3. Grant a waiver of the Nuclear Free Ordinance.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
General Fund
DISCUSSION:
The USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Services-Wildlife Services (USDA-WS) provides the assistance of a trained Wildlife Services Specialist to resolve conflicts between humans and wildlife in 40 California counties. The USDA-WS program has operated in Humboldt County since 1921, most recently pursuant to Cooperative Services Agreement (CSA) No. 18-73-06-0254-RA, approved on August 21, 2018. The CSA provides Humboldt County residents with an integrated wildlife damage management program, including protection from livestock predation losses; property damage; protection of public health through disease monitoring (rabies) of wild animal populations; responding to attacks and potential threats posed by wildlife including protecting passengers and aircraft from collisions with wildlife; and protecting federal and state-listed threatened and endangered species. The CSA outlines county and USDA responsibilities, conditions, assurances, congressional restrictions, regulations, liability, and the term of the CSA (July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2023). Each year a financial plan between Humboldt County and the USDA-WS must be approved.
Amendment 1 to CSA No. 18-73-06-0245-RA modifies the standard CSA while still maintaining the essential services provided by the program to residents and agricultural industry in Humboldt County. Revisions include increased time and non-lethal mitigation efforts by the wildlife service specialist prior to taking a predator in urban or sub-urban areas of the county, enhanced reporting, no intentional lethal take of beaver, and additional terms to address concerns about threatened and endangered species which occur or are predicted to occur (such as gray wolves and California Condor) in Humboldt County. Amendment 1 to the CSA places no restrictions on the USDA-WS program when responding to a risk to human health and safety involving wildlife, or on services provided by the program to commercial agriculture.
In the absence of a signed financial plan for 2019-20, the USDA-WS program has been operating in Humboldt County based on a letter of intent to contract from the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office. With approval of the Financial Plans before the Board, Humboldt County will have all documents in place to receive services under the CSA until June 30, 2021.
A waiver from the provisions of the Nuclear Free Ordinance is requested because the USDA will not modify its cooperative agreements to accommodate local ordinances.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
All personnel, supervision, equipment and supplies necessary to accomplish USDA-WS activities pursuant to the CSA will be provided by the USDA-WS. Humboldt County and USDA-WS share staff salary, benefits, and other expenses to provide the services as specified in the agreement and annual financial plan.
The financial plans set forth the county will contribute $74,482 in FY 2019-20 for services rendered under Financial Plan No. 19-73-06-0254-RA. The county’s share of cost for the 2020-21 Financial Plan No. 20-73-06-0254-RA is $77,089, an increase of 3.5% reflecting increased costs for wildlife services specialist labor, vehicles, and indirect costs.
The General Fund allocation for WS in 2020-21 is $74,482. The funds to cover the remaining $2,607 will be transferred from the Agricultural Commissioner’s budget (1100261). Billings in equal amounts of $19,272.25 will be invoiced by the USDA-WS to the Agriculture Commissioner for payment on a quarterly basis.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
The recommended actions support the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Framework by protecting vulnerable populations and creating opportunities for improved safety and health.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to adopt the attached resolution authorizing the DHHS Director, or a designee thereof, to accept HNP funding made available by HCD. However, this alternative is not recommended since it will not allow the County of Humboldt to obtain funding that would be used to support vulnerable youth experiencing homelessness.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of Funding Made Available through the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Housing Navigators Program
2. Housing Navigators Program Allocation Acceptance Form dated February 7, 2020
3. State of California Government Agency Taxpayer Identification Form
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: 20-487