COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

June 10, 2010

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 22, 2010

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

James C. Porter, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Contributions to Bay Area-wide Regional Waste Reduction Campaigns

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution authorizing the Director of Public Works to determine the level of the County’s contribution, to a maximum of $25,000 per year for five years (FY 2009-10 through FY 2013-14), to finance a portion of the regional waste reduction campaigns of the Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition.

BACKGROUND:

The Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition (BayROC) is a collaborative of over 40 San Francisco Bay Area cities, counties and other public agencies, that work together to promote personal action and behavioral change through a variety of media campaigns on waste reduction.

The Board has authorized the County’s financial participation in BayROC at the same maximum funding level since the adoption of Resolution No. 061625 on December 16, 1997 and Resolution No. 067150 on January 11, 2005. The County’s past contributions to BayROC have been from the Solid Waste Fund.

DISCUSSION:

Since BayROC’s inception in 1996, the Recycling staff in Public Works have been key participants in this regional waste reduction outreach effort by serving on BayROC’s working committee to provide input on campaigns, strategic planning, and media outreach. BayROC achieves economies of scale by leveraging the financial resources of its contributing partners to reach audiences through effective media venues that would be too expensive for individual local agencies. These coordinated campaigns avoid duplication of effort by organizing press events and developing print ads, posters, and articles for local newspapers to further Bay Area-wide waste reduction campaigns. In recent years BayROC has produced two campaigns each year, with the two most recent campaigns focusing on reducing junk mail and promoting the public to “Bring Your Own Bag” to the store.

The County’s participation in BayROC is a very visible statement to the California Integrated Waste Management Board of the good faith effort of the County to achieve and maintain compliance with AB 939. We are recommending that the Board authorize the continued financial participation in BayROC campaigns, as it is a beneficial and cost effective component of programs to promote waste reduction to County residents and businesses.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form.

Approval of this action contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Collaborative Community by continuing to support the collaborative and regional campaign efforts of BayROC to promote waste reduction.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The maximum financial participation of the County is proposed to be $25,000 per year for the next five years. The participation is an AB 939 eligible expense and will be funded by the Solid Waste Management Diversion portion of the AB 939 Fees. There is no impact to the General Fund.