Report Prepared by: Stephanie R. Dietz, City Manager
Title
SUBJECT: Approval of a Supplemental Appropriation Within the General Fund in the Amount of $33,000 and Approval of the First Amendment to Agreement for Professional Services for Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz, & Associates to Conduct Survey Ballot Measure Feasibility for Affordable Housing and Measure C
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers approving a supplemental appropriation within the General Fund in the amount of $33,000 and approval of the First Amendment to Agreement for Professional Services for Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz, & Associates to Conduct Survey Ballot Measure Feasibility for Affordable Housing and Measure C.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving the First Amendment to the Agreement for Professional Services for Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates; and,
B. Approving a supplemental appropriation within the unreserved, unencumbered fund balance in the General Fund in the amount of $33,000; and,
C. Authorizing the Finance Officer to make the necessary budget adjustments; and,
D. Authorizing the City Manager or the Deputy City Manager to execute the necessary documents.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommend by Staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended by Staff; or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer to Staff for reconsideration of specific items; or,
5. Continue to a future meeting.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
FY 2021/22 City Council Priorities, 1.a. Public Safety, Measure C Renewal and 4 Housing and Homelessness
DISCUSSION
History & Past Actions
As part of the FY 2021/22 Council Goals & Priorities, Council established the evaluation of renewing Measure C as a priority for the November 2022 ballot. To meet this goal, a City team was established consisting of the following individuals: City Manager, Deputy City Manager, Finance Officer, Police Chief and Fire Chief. In addition, an RFP was released in September 2021 to solicit consultation services to complete this work. Proposals were due in October 2021, with interviews in November 2021. After initial interviews, a second interview option was offered to the City Council Community Relations Ad hoc Committee but was declined, in lieu of staff’s recommendation.
Staff recommended the Lew Edwards Group, in partnership with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) for surveying services and Zephyr Collaboration to convene community workshops to educate and answer any questions related to the current use of Measure C funding, to evaluate the viability of a Measure C extension after the development of a robust public outreach effort. Each consultant entered into their own professional services agreement with the City.
• LEG - Not to Exceed $84,000 (through November 30, 2022)
Design of public outreach strategy, mailers, and digital content
• FM3 - Not to Exceed $33,000
Development of survey questions and conducting polling via phone interviews in both English and Spanish
• Zephyr - Not to Exceed $33,00
Up to six focus groups, and online engagement support with outcomes
Current Action
As listed in the FY 2021/22 Council Goals & Priorities, Council would like to focus on affordable housing and homelessness. Affordable housing has also become a large priority for Merced citizens, as evidenced in the public feedback at City Council meetings.
FM3 has offered to conduct a survey for an alternative ballot measure for raising additional funds to address affordable housing and homelessness. This survey will be conducted alongside the survey for researching the viability of extending Measure C.
A First Amendment to Agreement for Professional Services, in the amount of $33,000, has been prepared for FM3 to perform the additional survey on affordable housing and homelessness.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
Staff is requesting a supplemental appropriation within the unreserved, unencumbered General Fund to pay for the First Amendment.
ATTACHMENTS
1. FM3 First Amendment
2. FM3 Professional Services Agreement