HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-06-26 - AGENDA REPORTS - FED LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY SERVICES: KADESH AND ASSO (2)
3
Agenda Item: 3
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: June 26, 2018
SUBJECT: FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY SERVICES: KADESH AND
ASSOCIATES LLC AND JAMISON AND SULLIVAN, INC.
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
PRESENTER: Michael Murphy
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council :
1. Award contracts for the continuation of professional services with Kadesh and Associates
LLC and Jamison and Sullivan, Inc., on a month-to-month basis during the period of July 1,
2018, through September 30, 2018, in an amount not to exceed $15,000 for each firm,
resulting in a total amount not to exceed $30,000.
2. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute contracts and associated documents
subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
For the past 18 years, the City of Santa Clarita (City) has successfully opposed efforts by
CEMEX to locate a 56,000,000 ton net sand and gravel mine in the Soledad Canyon area. The
large-scale mine was proposed to be located on split estate, with the City of Santa Clarita owning
the surface estate and the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding a superior
ownership of the underlying mineral estate.
The City retains two Washington, D.C. based federal advocacy firms, Kadesh and Associates
LLC and Jamison and Sullivan, Inc., to assist the City of Santa Clarita in advocating against the
mining project. The current contracts for each firm expire on June 30, 2018. Each firm is
proposed to be retained at $5,000 per month on a month-to-month basis during the period July 1,
2018, though September 30, 2018.
Mark Kadesh, the principal at Kadesh and Associates, is a former Chief-of-Staff for Senator
Dianne Feinstein. He has extensive experience with both congressional, particularly United
Page 1
Packet Pg. 25
3
States Senate, and administration officials and processes. Cy Jamison, a principal at Jamison and
Sullivan, is a former Director of the Bureau of Land Management and has extensive experience
with both congressional, particularly the House of Representatives, and administration officials
and processes.
Kadesh and Associates LLC and Jamison and Sullivan, Inc., have played an important role
regarding matters related to federal legislation and administrative action directly related to
Canyon mining proposal. The two firms provide both strategic advice and
personal and committee staffs, and administration officials. For example, both firms were
inst
committee staffs, and City staff in securing inclusion of language within the FY 18 Omnibus
withdrawing the site of the former mining contracts between BLM and CEMEX from mineral
entry, meaning that the Secretary of the Interior is precluded from issuing new contracts, leases,
or conveyances of minerals from the Soledad Canyon site in the future.
On August 28, 2015, the California State Director of BLM issued a Decision formally
terminating the two mining contracts that it held with CEMEX for over a quarter-century to mine
in Soledad Canyon. CEMEX appealed the Decision and both parties have been engaged in an
administrative appeal process through the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA). While there
is no statutory time frame in which IBLA is required to make a decision, it is anticipated that a
which ends the administrative process, either of the parties would be eligible to file suit in
federal court, or the parties may possibly enter into settlement negotiations.
The City Council is requested to authorize an extension of the personal services contracts with
Kadesh and Associates LLC and Jamison and Sullivan, Inc., on a month-to-month basis during
the period of July 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018, in an amount not to exceed $15,000 for
each firm; resulting in a total expenditure not to exceed $30,000 during the proposed contract
period.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
1. Not award contracts to Kadesh and Associates LLC and Jamison and Sullivan, Inc. and issue
a request for proposal for federal advocacy services.
2. Not award contracts for the period of time or in the amounts contained within the
recommended action.
3. Other direction, as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommended action will result in a total maximum expenditure of $30,000
during the period July 1, 2018, through September 30, 2018. Adequate funds to support these
proposed contracts will be available through account number 11000-5161.002.
Page 2
Packet Pg. 26