Title
Resolution to Approve a 5-Year Contract with the Huron River Watershed Council to Support Stormwater Permit Requirements ($417,063.88 total, for 5 years)
Memorandum
Your approval is requested to approve a Contract with the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) for a five-year period for support services on the Middle Huron Partnership and Stormwater Advisory Group.
By way of background, the City has a long-standing relationship with the HRWC, and supports its efforts to coordinate local governments in improving water resources, which include:
• Providing support to Washtenaw County communities for 27 years through the Middle Huron Initiative, to address the Phosphorous Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements in the Huron River system;
• Assisting the City and other communities in the Huron watershed with Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit public education and outreach requirements, including advertisements, community calendar publication, direct mailings, and, phosphorous education and outreach at local hardware stores; and,
• Developing a Watershed Management Plan for the Middle Huron, which is required by the MS4 permit and needed for state and federal stormwater pollution grants and loans eligibility.
Since 1999, the City has operated under a MS4 permit from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Implementation of this permit is best completed on a watershed-wide scale, requiring collaboration on numerous permit activities with other permitted communities within the watershed.
For this contract, HRWC has agreed to work with permitted communities to facilitate and provide services on these collaborative efforts, which services include public education, water quality monitoring, reporting assistance, watershed group facilitation, and technical assistance. HRWC was selected by the communities because the services it already provides make it uniquely qualified. HRWC work’s is performed parallel to the City’s to ensure compliance with the MS4 Permit.
The City continues to donate lab testing services for HRWC stormwater activities, which are estimated annually and are credited against monies to which HRWC would otherwise be entitled under the proposal contract. With those credits counted, under the contract, the City’s expected payment obligations to HRWC, subject to available funding, are reflected in the following Annual Invoice Schedule:
FY2025: $92,898.88 (minus $22,026.40 lab costs): $70,872.48
FY2026: $92,898.88 (minus $22,687.20 lab costs): $70,211.68
FY2027: $92,898.88 (minus $23,367.81 lab costs): $69,531.07
FY2028: $92,898.88 (minus $24,068.85 lab costs): $68,830.03
FY2029: $92,898.88 (minus $24,790.91 lab costs): $68,107.97
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Funding for this contract will be available in the Systems Planning Stormwater System Operations and Maintenance budget annually if so, approved by Council.
Sustainability Framework: The work contemplated for this contract furthers the Engaged Community, Sustainable Systems, Clean Air and Water, and Healthy Ecosystems goals of the City’s Sustainability Framework.
Staff
Prepared by: Jennifer Lawson, Water Quality Manager, Systems Planning Unit
Reviewed by: Brian Steglitz, Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City has a long-standing relationship with the Huron River Watershed Council and supports its efforts to coordinate local units of government to improve water resources;
Whereas, The City holds a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality;
Whereas, The City’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, 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 complies with the requirements of the City’s Non-Discrimination and Living Wage Ordinances; and
Whereas, Funding for these services will be included in the annual Stormwater Operating and Maintenance Budget, if approved by Council.
RESOLVED, That City Council approve a 5-Year Agreement with Huron River Watershed Council in the amount of $417,063.88 subject to the availability of funding in annual budget appropriations for services to support the City’s MS4 permit activities;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute said agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take all necessary actions to implement this resolution.