HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 6g. Application for FY 2023-24 SLO County IWMA Technical Assistance Grant Funds Item 6g
Department: Utilities
Cost Center: 6107
For Agenda of: 4/2/2024
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Aaron Floyd, Utilities Director
Prepared By: Chris Lehman, Deputy Director – Wastewater
Meg Buckingham, Solid Waste and Recycling Program Manager
SUBJECT: FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY INTEGRATED
WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
GRANT APPLICATION
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize the Utilities Department to apply for the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Integrated
Waste Management Authority Technical Assistance Grant in the amount of $10,000;
2. If the grant is awarded, authorize the Utilities Director, or their designee, to execute
necessary grant documents and direct the appropriation of monies to the accounts
required to administer the grant.
POLICY CONTEXT
The recommended actions are consistent with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Climate
Action Plan, Pillar 5: Circular Economy, which includes a Lead by Example component
identifying a zero-waste goal of ninety percent landfill diversion for all City operations,
buildings, and facilities by 2030.
DISCUSSION
Background
The San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) offers a
Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) Program to businesses, government agencies,
nonprofit groups, and institutions located in San Luis Obispo County to promote, start,
and/or expand waste reduction and landfill diversion efforts.
The IWMA’s TAG Program is designed to empower local groups and/or change agents
to develop community-based strategies for the prevention, separation, diversion,
recycling, and composting of material. The IWMA typically seeks applicants who can act
as a catalyst for reducing waste, promote zero waste strategies, demonstrate circular
economy practices to eliminate waste, and maximize material resources.
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Item 6g
Application Process and Proposed Use of Grant Funds
If approved by the City Council, staff will apply to the TAG Program. This is a competitive
grant opportunity and applications include a written component (Attachment A) and a
presentation to the IWMA Board of Directors for consideration at the May 8, 2024, Board
of Directors meeting.
In 2023, staff performed an audit of the trash, recycling, and organics containers located
at indoor and rentable City facilities to identify areas that need new containers in
compliance with Senate Bill 1383. During this audit, staff observed certain City facilities
had broken containers, incorrectly labeled containers, or no containers at all for recycling.
Staff procured uniform two and three waste stream containers with available budgetary
savings and installed them at prioritized City facilities not in compliance with SB1383, or
that had an immediate need. This grant funding would be used to purchase containers
for the remaining public-facing or high-use locations that do not yet have the needed
containers. The in-kind contributions of staff time will be dedicated to facilitating the
project, procuring and installing the containers, and reporting the success to the IWMA.
This grant would further the City’s efforts towards meeting the ambitious zero waste goal
included in the adopted Climate Action Plan with the intent that by leading by example,
the City will simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrate
replicable strategies to residents, businesses, and other organizations.
Previous Council or Advisory Body Action
On October 20, 2020, the City Council authorized staff to apply for a previous round of
TAG Program funding. Grant funding renews every fiscal year, providing the opportunity
for agencies to apply annually.
Public Engagement
Public comment can be provided to the City Council through written correspondence prior
to the meeting and through public testimony at the meeting. An opportunity for public
comment will also be available at the May 8, 2024, IWMA Board of Directors meeting
when the City’s TAG funding request is under consideration.
CONCURRENCE
The City’s Finance Department concurs with the findings of this report. The Office of
Sustainability and Natural Resources also concurs with staff’s recommendation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The recommended actions are not a “project” as defined under CEQA Guidelines Section
15378 because the action will not result in any physical change to the environment.
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Item 6g
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: No Budget Year: 2023-24
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund $ $ $ $
State
Federal
Fees
Other: TAG
Program Award
$10,000
Total $10,000 $ $ $
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action to authorize staff to
pursue a grant funding opportunity with the IWMA for up to $10,000 to fund solid waste
and recycling infrastructural improvements to increase landfill diversion.
ALTERNATIVES
Council could decide not to authorize the application to the IWMA TAG Program.
Staff does not recommend this alternative; however, if Council chooses not to authorize
staff to apply for this funding, staff will continue to seek other funding sources to assist
with the implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan.
ATTACHMENTS
A - Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Technical Assistance Grant Program Application
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Applicant Name First:M eg Last: B ki h uc ng am
3.Provide an itemized projected budget (revenues and costs) for the next (3) three years.
Included the project's proposed in-kind contribution. In-kind contributions can be any
services or equipment being provided by the applicant such as time, matching funding, etc.
Year 1:
Grant Funds - $10,000 (bin procurement - bin costs and shipping)
In-Kind - 5 hours of staff time (Bin procurement, facilitation, and installation)
In-Kind - 12 hours of staff time (Quarterly bin monitoring for contamination and diversion success)
Year 2:
In-Kind - 12 hours of staff time (Quarterly bin monitoring for contamination and diversion success)
Year 3:
In-Kind - 12 hours of staff time ( Quarterly bin monitoring for contamination and diversion success)
No revenues will be received from this effort.
4.Describe how your program will reduce waste, divert waste, and/or conserve landfill space.
Also, describe how you will track/measure project milestones in order to meet intended goals.
In July 2023, the City hired a consultant, ReCREATE, to conduct a waste generation and
characterization audit of City facilities and operations. ReCREATE determined that the City's
internal diversion rate was 30 percent, however, it could be doubled to 60 percent if discarded
materials were properly source separated.
Placing uniformly paired, well-labeled, and SB 1383 consistent color-coded bins in areas where
recycling is not currently offered and in high employee/public usage areas is expected to increase
the amount of materials the City is able to divert from landfill disposal. In addition, the new bins
allow for customized signage that can be designed and periodically updated to target location
specific contamination based on the findings of quarterly visual audits.
The City will use an Excel spreadsheet to track the status of project milestones. Milestones include
opening a purchase order to the bin system supplier, product delivery, and grant administrative tasks.
Additional milestones beyond the scope of this funding request include
product installation, quarterly visual waste contamination audits, and the design and installation of
customizable signs.
Osan Luis Obispo County IWMA 870 Osos St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-782-8530 Page-3-Page 135 of 596
Applicant Name First:M eg Last:B ki h uc ng am
5.How does this project provide new or expanded landfill diversion and/or source reduction
opportunities for San Luis Obispo County?
Placing uniformly paired, well-labeled, and SB 1383 consistent color-coded bins in areas where
recycling is not currently offered and in high employee usage areas with inferior bin set ups is
expected to increase the amount of materials the City is able to divert from landfill disposal.
A prime example is the Sinsheimer Pool that does not have public facing bins for mixed recycling
and organics recycling in its lobby area. This facility has over 40 part-time lifeguards and can draw
hundreds of members of the public for a single event who enter and exit through this area.
The new bins allow for customized signage that can be easily updated to target location specific
contamination based on the results of periodic audits. The City has piloted both types of bin
systems in many of its rental facilities, such as the Ludwick Center and Library Community room,
and has received very positive feedback from facility users.
6.What resources and expertise do you have to complete this project?
The City implemented the first phase of this project in 2023 and has a clear understanding of what
it will take to procure and install the bin systems at the identified locations.
The City has already conducted multiple surveys of its facilities to determine these high priority
locations, that included stakeholder input from facility users.
Time will be dedicated from the Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator and Solid Waste and
Recycling Manager to oversee the procurement of the bins, and City Building Maintenance staff
will assist with their installation. The program also includes custodial training to make sure
materials placed in each of the containers are properly discarded in the appropriate outdoor
receptacles.
Note: In addition to responding to the above (6) six items, applicants may provide up to (10) ten pages of
supplemental information such as brochures, equipment flyers, etc. Print application and submit the
complete packet by US Postal Service. Applications must be date stamped by the application deadline.
Osan Luis Obispo County IWMA 870 Osos St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-782-8530 Page -4-Page 136 of 596