Title
Resolution to Approve a 6-Year Contract with the Huron River Watershed Council to Support Stormwater Permit Requirements ($33,743.83 annually; $202,462.98 entire project)
Memorandum
Your approval is requested to approve a Contract with the Huron River Watershed Council in the amount of $33,743.83 annually for support services on the Middle Huron Partnership and Stormwater Advisory Group for a six-year period.
The City has had a long-standing relationship with the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) and supports their efforts to coordinate local units of government to improve water resources. The following are examples of services the HRWC has provided:
· For the past seventeen years, the HRWC has provided support to Washtenaw County communities through the Middle Huron Initiative to address the Phosphorous Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements in the Huron River system.
· The HRWC has historically assisted the City and other communities in the watershed with Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit public education and outreach requirements. These services have included: newspaper advertisements; community calendar publication; direct mailings; and, phosphorous education and outreach at local hardware stores.
· The HRWC developed a Watershed Management Plan for the Middle Huron stretch of the Huron River. This Management Plan is required by the MS4 permit. It is also needed to be eligible for state and federal stormwater pollution grants and loans.
In 2013, the City submitted a revised MS4 permit application to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Implementation of this permit will be best completed on a watershed-wide scale, requiring collaboration on numerous permit activities with other permitted communities within the watershed. The HRWC has agreed to work with permitted communities to facilitate and provide services on these collaborative efforts. These services include, but are not limited to: public education efforts; water quality monitoring; reporting assistance; watershed group facilitation; and, technical assistance. HRWC was selected by the communities because the services they already provide make them uniquely qualified to support the permitted communities. HRWC work is performed parallel to the work that the City is doing to ensure compliance with the current MDEQ MS4 Permit.
Funding for these services is available in the approved FY14 Stormwater System Operations and Maintenance budget. Extensions would be subject to funding approval in subsequent years' budgets.
Staff
Prepared by: Jennifer Lawson, Water Quality Manager, Public Services
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City has had a long-standing relationship with the Huron River Watershed Council and supports their efforts to coordinate local units of government to improve water resources;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor has a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor's MS4 permit is best implemented through a watershed-based approach;
Whereas, Collaboration with surrounding permit holders on permit activities reduces permit implementation costs to the City and strengthens the effectiveness of the stormwater programs;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor and all other stormwater permit partners have elected to contract with the Huron River Watershed Council to accomplish several of the permit requirements;
Whereas, The Huron River Watershed Council has assisted the City with education and outreach for the City's stormwater permit requirements in previous years;
Whereas, The Huron River Watershed Council has provided support to Washtenaw County communities through the Middle Huron Initiative to address stormwater pollution;
Whereas, The Huron River Watershed Council is therefore uniquely qualified to provide permit support to watershed permit partners;
Whereas, The Huron River Watershed Council received Human Rights approval on July 26, 2012 and Living Wage approval on April 8, 2013; and
Whereas, Funding for these services in the first year is available in the approved FY14 Stormwater Operating and Maintenance Budget and funding in subsequent years will come from Stormwater Operating and Maintenance Budgets for those years if approved by Council;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute the Contract in the amount of $33,743.83 annually with the Huron River Watershed Council for support on the City's MS4 permit activities, following approval as to substance by the City Administrator, and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That Council approves five 1-year extensions of the Contract, subject to available funding;
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to renew the Contract for up to five 1-year periods at the annual cost specified in this Resolution, subject to available funding;
RESOLVED, That this Contract be funded from the approved FY14 System's Planning Stormwater Operations and Maintenance budget and from subsequent years' budgets if so approved by Council; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take all necessary actions to implement this resolution.