Title
Consider recommendation from the Aquifer Management Planning Committee to approve an interlocal cooperation contract with the City of San Antonio for services associated with the City’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, and associated reimbursement to the EAA totaling $1,230,705 over the term of the contract.
Body
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Move the board approve an interlocal cooperation contract between the EAA and the City of San Antonio for services associated with the City’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program for the period October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2026.
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this agenda item is for the board to consider an Aquifer Management Planning Committee recommendation to approve an interlocal contract with the City of San Antonio (“City”) delineating the EAA’s role in support of the City’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program (“EAPP”).
The City’s EAPP program began with San Antonio residents’ approval of a sales tax proposition in 2000, which funded the acquisition of land on the recharge zone in Bexar County to protect it from development. Voters approved similar measures in 2005, 2010, and in 2015, that authorized the City to purchase conservation easements (in addition to fee simple purchases) and expanded the purchase area to include the contributing and recharge zones outside of Bexar County. Though no longer funded through sales tax revenue, the City has committed to continue the EAPP program.
Since 2008, the City has relied on the EAA to perform certain functions associated with the EAPP. Specifically, the EAA performs the initial geologic evaluation of potential properties to determine whether preserving those properties is beneficial to the City. The EAA also conducts annual inspections of properties under conservation easements acquired by the City. The acreage currently under easement totals approximately 164,000 acres.
In 2016, the City and EAA executed a 5-year interlocal cooperation contract whereby the City reimbursed the EAA $175,000 annually to cover approximately 50% of the EAA's costs to conduct the annual easement inspections. That interlocal agreement expires September 30. Under the terms of this new interlocal cooperation contract, which is attached to this summary and which has been reviewed by legal counsel, the City will reimburse the EAA $246,141, annually to offset 50% of all EAA staff costs associated with geologic evaluations and annual easement inspections.
At the meeting on August 24, the Aquifer Management Planning Committee voted to approve the motion recommended above.
M/WBE PARTICIPATION:
This agenda item does not involve the procurement of goods or services by the EAA and, therefore, this section is not applicable.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
This agenda item supports the general EAA mission.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City of San Antonio will share in the funding of the EAA’s participation in the City’s EAPP program by paying the EAA $246,141, annually. The initial payment will be due in 2022, and the associated revenue will be included in the General Manager's 2022 proposed operating budget. The City's share over the life of this interlocal cooperative contract will total $1,230,705.