To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Project Trellis: Updated Humboldt County Cannabis Micro-Grant & Loan Advisory Committee Bylaws and Resolution amending Resolution 19-45, as previously amended by 20-33, Establishing the Humboldt County Cannabis Micro-Grant & Loan Advisory Committee
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Receive the revised Bylaws for the Project Trellis Committee, formerly the Humboldt County Cannabis Micro-Grant & Loan Advisory Committee; and
2. Adopt the attached Resolution amending Resolution 19-45, as previously amended by Resolution 20-33.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
1120-275 Economic Development
DISCUSSION:
Background
On March 12, 2019 your Board adopted a framework for Project Trellis, the County of Humboldt’s Cannabis Micro-grant, Marketing, and Local Equity Program and, on May 28, 2019, your Board adopted Resolution 19-45 forming the Humboldt County Cannabis Micro-Grant & Loan Advisory Committee (to be known going forward as the County of Humboldt Project Trellis Committee, hereinafter referred to as Committee).
On April 28, 2020 your Board adopted Resolution 20-33 amending Resolution 19-45, which modified the Committees purpose to “rank, review, and score” applications, and directed staff to provide recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for its final approval based on the Committee’s ranking and review of the applications.
Since the passing of Resolution 20-33 the first round of Cannabis Business Micro-grants applications have gone through the process of review, scoring, ranking and recommendation to the Board, and the awardees are currently in the process of completing their projects and receiving their funds.
Additionally, after staff worked with the Committee to review the initial Cannabis Business Micro-Grant program to refine the process and improve upon the administration, review, scoring and ranking of applications, a second Cannabis Business Micro-Grant application round was released to the public on November 13, 2020.
Equity Program
Staff has also prepared for an initial round of equity grants. In discussions, it has been expressed by state funding agencies, County Counsel, county leadership, and community members, that there is a concern for the privacy of applicants, especially those who qualify due to incidents of a sensitive and confidential nature. Also, in evaluating the eligibility criteria, it has become apparent that equity grants would be best administered on a first come first serve basis for those who qualify based on criteria as stated in the County of Humboldt Local Equity Program Manual.
Due to both the confidentiality concerns and a lack of need for scoring in the equity program, staff recommends that your board adopt the attached Resolution amending Resolution 19-45, as amended by Resolution 20-33, establishing that Committee’s involvement in the Project Trellis Equity Program to include the review and approval of the application and verification process, but not the actual applications. This change will protect the confidentiality of equity applicants and will prevent their applications from being reviewed and discussed in a public forum.
Committee Efficiencies and Enhancements
Working with the Committee, County Counsel, county leadership, and community members, staff have also identified other ways to improve efficiencies in the work of the committee and enhance their participation in other Project Trellis initiatives.
Based on public feedback given for the Project Trellis Marketing Assessment, staff proposes an amendment to the responsibilities of the Committee to include assisting staff in marketing, publicizing and review of the Cannabis Marketing Request for Proposals (RFP), and also, to work with staff in review of the contracts for the Project Trellis Marketing Program. This would result in the permanent dissolution of the Ad Hoc Project Trellis Marketing Committee and would defer those responsibilities to the County of Humboldt Project Trellis Committee.
Due to the large and varying responsibilities of the Committee, it has also become apparent that more than three (3) meetings per year are required to accommodate for proper attention to each aspect of the Committee’s Project Trellis overview. Staff recommends that Committee meetings be changed from three (3) regular meetings per year, to a monthly schedule with twelve (12) monthly regular meetings per year.
Additionally, staff recommends updating the Open Meetings Section of Resolution 19-45 to Robert’s Rules instead of Rosenburg’s Rules. This is to correct an inconsistency between the Resolution and the Committee Bylaws, as well as, to better align with County of Humboldt procedures.
Finally, staff recommends changing the name of the County of Humboldt Cannabis Micro-grant and Loan Advisory Committee to the County of Humboldt Project Trellis Committee. This change is proposed to align with the common use of the Project Trellis Committee name by the public, the media, and staff. It also better encompasses the above stated responsibilities of the Committee, which touch on all three tiers of Project Trellis: Micro-grants, Equity and Marketing.
These proposed changes and recommendations concerning the Committee its role and its purpose were reflected in a revision to the Committees Bylaws which were received and approved by the Committee (and which can be amended and approved by the Committee as per Section M., formerly Section I, of their Bylaws) at the Committee’s most recently regularly scheduled meeting on Jan 6, 2021.
Recommendation
Staff recommends your Board adopt a second Resolution amending Resolution 19-45, as amended by Resolution 20-33, reflecting the aforementioned efficiencies and enhancements and that your Board receive a copy of the revised Committee Bylaws which were adopted by the Committee on Jan 6, 2021.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Your Board previously approved a 10% allocation of Measure S funds for Project Trellis. In addition, the Local Equity Program will be funded by two different state funding awards. These state awards will serve to offset the increased cost of staff time required to provide staff support to the County of Humboldt Project Trellis Committee for twelve (12) regularly scheduled meetings. The estimated staffing cost for the remainder of the fiscal year is $7,378 and have been included in the fiscal year 2020-21 Adopted Budget. No other financial impacts are anticipated as a result of adopting this Resolution or the proposed changes to the Committee’s Bylaws.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by supporting business, workforce development and creation of private-sector jobs .
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board Discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
Revised Project Trellis Committee Bylaws
Resolution to Amend Resolution 19-45, as amended by 20-33
Resolution 19-45
Resolution 20-33
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: I-2, H-2
Meeting of: May 28th, 2019; April 28th 2020
File No.: 20-452