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Approve first amendment to the agreement between the Regents of the University of California, Sacramento County, Solano County and Yolo County (multi-county partnership) for the provision of the UC Cooperative Extension Program for the term of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024, including an amount not to exceed $295,000 to the UC for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020; and Authorize the County Administrator to execute the agreement
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The County Administrator and UC Cooperative Extension recommend that the Board of Supervisors:
1) Approve first amendment to the agreement between the Regents of the University of California (UC), Sacramento County, Solano County and Yolo County (multi-county partnership) for the provision of the UC Cooperative Extension Program for the term July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024, including an amount not to exceed $295,000 to the UC for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020, and
2) Authorize the County Administrator to execute the agreement.
SUMMARY:
On April 8, 2014, the Board approved a 5 year Interlocal Agreement (IA) between the Regents of the University of California (UC), Sacramento County, Solano County and Yolo County for a multi-county partnership for the provision of the UC Cooperative Extension Program (UCCE) for the term of July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2019. The agreement created the Capitol Corridor Multi-County Partnership (MCP) operational model and enhanced efficiencies and reduced expenses through cost-sharing for administration of county-based UCCE programs. Through the agreement, UC provides various programs, including several agriculture programs, 4-H youth development programs, Master Gardener program and the Master Food Preserver program to Solano County.
This amendment renews the IA for an additional 5 year period, July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024, and includes an amount not to exceed $295,000 to the UC for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
UCCE is primarily funded through the General Fund. The annual agreement of support provides for an amount not to exceed $295,000 from each county to the UC for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. Payment is to be made in two installments, July 31, 2019 and January 30, 2020, with the accounting for actual costs reconciled at fiscal year-end. In addition, the Solano County in-kind contribution is estimated at $36,833 for FY2019/20. The in-kind contribution is to support such things as a facility to house program operations, custodial and grounds keeping services, telephones, and print services.
When compared to the department’s FY2018/19 Adopted Budget, there is an anticipated increase of $17,000 in the annual agreement for program services. The increase is to support 4-H program costs no longer covered by UC due to fiscal constraints at the federal and state levels, resulting in UC budget reductions. The State budget continues to flat-fund the University of California’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, which is where the UCCE is housed.
Future annual support (direct payments and in-kind support) will be dependent upon the agreed program levels and budgetary limits discussed during the course of the annual budget development by the MCP Leadership Advisory Committee, and will be subject to approval of the counties’ respective Boards of Supervisors and UC.
DISCUSSION:
In 2014, in response to fiscal challenges at the county, federal and state levels, and ongoing UC budget reductions, UCCE moved to a regional administrative structure while maintaining a county-based program structure.
This operational model enabled UC to expand Cooperative Extension programs within the three counties. It also enhanced efficiencies and reduced expenses through cost-sharing for administrative and program support functions of county-based UCCE programs across the three-county region. The model also eliminated redundancy in administrative and employee activities and facility use, and improved efficiency by realigning personnel around programs.
The Current MCP model consists of an UC administrative structure with UC employees and one UC director.
Programs
UCCE consists of local programs that are developed and delivered by UCCE Advisors, Program Representatives and staff at the county level. UCCE Advisors and campus-based UCCE Specialists and UC faculty together create a coordinated and synergistic network addressing issues at the local level through research and outreach programs with relevance from the local to international levels. The partnership between California’s counties and UC helps keep UC’s research focus relevant to local needs, invests in research and outreach education within counties to account for local variation and delivers results to solve local problems.
Programs provided in the counties are primarily determined by UCCE Advisors and the programs they build over their careers. Developing and prioritizing Advisor positions requires long-term visioning to address future clientele needs. The IA establishes an MCP Leadership Advisory Committee comprised of two (2) representatives from each of the counties. One (1) of the two (2) representatives will be the County CAO/CEO (or their designee); and one (1) will be a Supervisor (or an alternate Supervisor). The MCP Leadership Advisory Committee works with the MCP Director to prioritize current and long-term issues and needs that shape the programs offered in the three-county region, and provide long-term strategic planning for the MCP.
UCCE programs currently provided in Solano County include Delta crops, livestock and natural resources, pest management, Delta natural resources, 4-H Youth Development, Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver. However, due to the Governor’s budget remaining flat for ANR, advisors for vegetable crops, viticulture programs, and youth and nutrition education have been placed on hold for Solano County. Additionally, the agreement includes counties funding a portion of the 4-H Program Representative’s cost. In future years, this cost is to be covered by local 4-H program fees in order to reduce the fiscal impact to counties.
History of UCCE
In 1913, Congress established Cooperative Extension (formerly known as the Agricultural Extension Service) through the Smith-Lever Act. This legislation established a three way cooperative effort for the USDA, the State Land-Grant University System and local governments to extend research based information, education, and technology to the people through Cooperative Extension offices in almost every county in the nation. Three land-grant universities, UC Berkeley, UC Davis and UC Riverside are part of the Cooperative Extension network in California. Initially rural and dominantly agriculturally oriented, Cooperative Extension together with the UC have been responsible for the vast majority of production technologies, passed on to growers, that has made agriculture a strong economic base in California and Solano County. UCCE is also responsible for the management of the 4-H Youth Development program, the Master Gardener program and many other educational programs determined to be of value to the local population.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to approve the IA; however, this is not recommended as the MCP enables UC to enhance program delivery to Solano County citizens. If the IA is not approved by the Board, UCCE would continue to operate in Solano County on a status quo basis, which has been severely limited by UC and County budget and staff reductions in recent years.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The agreement amendment was negotiated between the UC and the County Administrator’s Offices and County Counsel Offices for the Counties of Sacramento, Solano and Yolo. The Yolo County Board of Supervisors approved the IA at their April 23, 2019 meeting. The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will address the IA at a date yet to be determined. Solano County Counsel has reviewed the agreement amendment and approved as to form.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION