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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-06-22 - AGENDA REPORTS - FED LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY (2)Agenda Item: CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT CONSENT CALENDAR City Manager Approval: ! /f Item to be presented by: Michael P. Murphy DATE: June 22, 2004 SUBJECT: FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY DEPARTMENT: City Manager RECOMMENDED ACTION W City Council authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute, subject to City Attorney approval, a contract for continuation of professional services with Jamison and Sullivan, Inc. for the period July 1, 2004 through September 30, 2004. BACKGROUND Since February 2001, the City has retained the professional services of Jamison and Sullivan, Inc. for federal advocacy efforts specifically relating to the proposed Cemex/Transit Mixed Concrete (TMC) mining proposal. In April 2003, the Council expanded the scope of contractual services to include advocacy related to the reauthorization of the federal surface transportation act. Jamison and Sullivan's current six-month contract expires on June 30, 2004. The City Council is requested to authorize continuation of professional services with Jamison and Sullivan, Inc. for the period July 1, 2004 through September 30, 2004. Jamison and Sullivan's current monthly retainer is $13,000, plus reimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, up to a maximum of $2,000. As the federal transportation reauthorization legislation is drawing to completion, Jamison and Sullivan's services for the next contract period should return to their original scope of work relating exclusively to the Cemex/TMC issue at a new retainer level of $7,500 per month, plus a maximum of $2,000 for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, for the three month period of July 1, 2004 through September 30, 2004 with a total a maximum amount of $24,500. Funding is already included in the 2004/05 City Budget, approved by the City Council on June 9, 2004. The Cemex/TMC opposition effort continues to contain a legislative component. United States QP"OED Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Howard P. "Buck" McKeon have introduced S. 2058 and H.R. 3529 respectively, which precludes the mining project, as proposed, from being located in the Santa Clarita Valley. On May 21, 2004, Representative McKeon facilitated a meeting between Cemex U.S.A. President Gilberto Perez, Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke, Mayor Bob Kellar, and the Congressman resulting in continuing dialogue toward a legislative resolution. At such time as an agreement is reached, the provisions of such agreement will be placed into the two pending federal bills for enactment into law. Jamison and Sullivan, Inc. will continue to be an integral part of those activities. In April 2003, Jamison and Sullivan's scope of work was expanded to include the federal surface transportation act reauthorization, which was scheduled to be completed by September 30, 2003, the original expiration date of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA -21). Due to competing approaches and levels of funding commitment between the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the Bush Administration, a series of continuing resolutions were enacted to carry the current provisions of TEA -21 through the interim period until a reauthorization bill could be enacted. The Senate has passed a $318 billion reauthorization bill and the House has passed a $275 billion reauthorization measure. A joint house Conference Committee was recently appointed to reconcile the two measures. The City submitted a $66 million request package for inclusion in the six-year transportation blueprint. Jamison and Sullivan, Inc. working with Congressman McKeon has secured inclusion of $5 million in contract authority for the Cross Valley Connector as part of the House of Representatives transportation reauthorization bill, The Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users ('IBA -LU). The remaining activity on this issue is to ensure that the Cross Valley Connector and its existing contract authority mark remains in the legislation as it goes through the Conference Committee process. Jamison and Sullivan has already made the key contacts necessary and the staff will continue working through Congressman McKeon, Senator Boxer (a member of the Conference Committee) and Senator Feinstein to maintain the project in the final version of the bill. Therefore, staff recommends completing the existing contract with Jamison and Sullivan, which will expire on June 30, 2004 at the existing retainer level of $13,000 per month. A new contract should be executed with Jamison and Sullivan which returns their scope of services to exclusively working on the Cemex/TMC issue at the retainer rate of $7,500 per month plus $2,000 for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, totaling $24,500 during the contract period. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS 1. Award a contract for for a period of time other than three months in duration. 2. Not award a contract to Jamison and Sullivan, Inc. and issue a Request for Proposals for federal advocacy services relating to the proposed Cemex/TMC mining project and federal surface transportation act reauthorization. 3. Other direction as determined by the City Council. FISCAL IMPACT Approval of the recommendation would result in a total maximum expenditure of $24,500, which has been included in the adopted 2004/05 City Budget.