IN THIS ISSUE: August 7, 2009
Issue #30-2009
Page 3: Opposition Letters needed to SB 802
Page 4: CEC Seeks Comments on Proposed EECBG Guidelines for Small Cities and Counties
Page 5: Natural Resources Agency Releases Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
Page 6: California Coastal Commission Holds Roundtable Discussion with Coastal Cities and Counties
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES ESTABLISHES PROP. 1A
SECURITIZATION PROGRAM
California Communities, a joint powers authority (JPA) sponsored by the League of California
Cities and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), announced its plans on Aug. 5 to
launch a securitization program for the Proposition 1A property tax loan to the state. The
announcement was distributed to the various local government associations whose members will
lose 8 percent of their property tax revenues to the state in FY 2009-10. The program is intended
to replace 100 percent of the funds loaned by local agencies to the state. California Communities
is soliciting proposals to put together the financing team for this project and is prepared to move
expeditiously to structure the project. For more, see Page 2.
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ON-CAMERA MEDIA TRAINING AVAILABLE FOR CITY OFFICIALS AT THE
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Do you need to deliver your city’s message more effectively during media interviews? If so, take
advantage of this opportunity for professional on-camera media training at the League’s annual
conference in San Jose, Sept. 16-18. For more, see Page 2.
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REGISTER NOW FOR THE LEAGUE'S 2009 ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO
More than 1,000 city officials have registered for the League’s 111th Annual Conference, which
will deliver common sense, cost-saving solutions to the real issues challenging California cities.
The annual conference will feature close to 60 sessions including:
• City Finances –Doing More with Less
• Housing Issues – Hard Time are Hitting Home
• Public Safety – Gang Violence
Visit www.cacities.org/ac for the complete program. For more, see Page 3. 2
‘Prop. 1A’ Continued from Page 1…
The California Communities announcement is posted on the League’s Web site.
http://www.cacities.org/resource_files/28241.Securitization Program Letter.pdf
Following the passage of the July 2009 state budget amendments, the League, CSAC and the
California Special Districts Association began working with the state Department of Finance on
cleanup amendments to the securitization bill, ABX4 15. California Communities’ intent is to sell
the bonds with the proceeds of the sale going to the local governments by the end of November.
In return, California Communities will have the authority to collect the participating local
governments’ future receivable from the state. The goal is that local governments are not harmed
by the loss of this portion of property tax.
It’s important for city officials to understand the choices being offered to local government through
this mandatory state loan.
Cities can receive 100 percent of their loss paid through the securitization process and receive
payment at approximately the normal payment schedule. Because the state is paying the interest
on the bonds plus the costs of issuing, the full amount of the funds will be available to cities. Thus
the city will not suffer any loss of funds.
Cities that do not choose to participate in the securitization will forego the FY 2009-10 payments
until the state repays the loan in 2013. These funds will be paid back with interest at that time.
The state is determining the amount of interest that will be paid to local governments that are not
securitizing their receivable. The state’s approved interest rate must be announced by Sept. 28
and must be greater than the current Pooled Money Investment Account rate, but no more than 6
percent. This information will help city officials to determine whether their city wants to hold the
receivable as an investment or participate in the pool to sell their receivable at 100 percent of its
value. City officials will have approximately 30 days following the announcement on Sept. 28 to
decide whether to participate in the securitization.
The League will continue to provide city officials with information on the securitization process,
including the progress of cleanup legislation to ABX 4 15, as it develops.
California Communities is also available as a resource and will be distributing information via
www.cacommunities.org. Please contact James Hamill at (800) 635-3993 ext 216, Richard
Watson at (800) 635-3993 ext 217 or Michael Chin at 635-3993 ext 224 with further questions.
_____________________________________________________________________________
‘Training’ Continued from Page 1…
The 45-minute training will feature a short interview focused on a vital issue to your city, a video
playback/critique, and a follow-up interview. Participants will receive a DVD copy of their training
session.
The trainers are public information officers and media experts from cities throughout California.
The session is designed to give participants greater ease in delivering your city’s important
messages on camera and will improve newspaper and radio interviewing skills.
There is a high demand for these one-on-one sessions, and we’re limited to three sessions on
Wednesday, and six sessions per day on Thursday and three sessions on Friday, some of which
have already been filled. The timeslots are listed below. The training will be held in the League
Press Room at the San Jose Convention Center.
You must return the registration form and provide payment to reserve one of the training spots.
Please be sure to include details about an important issue facing your city so that we can prepare
interview questions that are tailored to your community. The form has been posted on the
League’s Web site at www.cacities.org/resource_files/28225.Media Training flyer2009.pdf.
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Emily Cole, League communications assistant, is available by phone at (916) 658-8283 to answer
any questions about the on-camera media trainings. Registration forms should be sent to her
attention at ecole@cacities.org or by fax to (916) 658-8240.
Reservations will be accepted on a paid first-come, first-served basis. There is a $10 charge
which is refunded as a $10 CityBooks coupon for those who attend the training. No refunds or
coupons will be issued for “no shows.”
Available On-Camera Interview Training Session Times
Thursday, Sept. 17
9 – 9:45 p.m.
10 –10:45 a.m.
1 – 1:45 p.m.
2 – 2:45 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 18
9 – 9:45 p.m.
10 – 10:45 a.m.
11– 11:45 a.m.
_____________________________________________________________________________
‘Annual Conference’ Continued from Page 1…
2009 League of California Cities Annual Conference
“Strong Cities, Strong State, Strong Nation”
Sept. 16-18
San Jose Convention Center
Attending the conference isn’t time away from work. In fact, it’s a great investment because the
annual conference is an opportunity to learn from experts using content-based and experiential
learning formats, including conversations with exhibitors and networking events. The information
you gain will directly benefit your city’s residents.
The opening session keynote speaker will be William H. Hudnut, III. The former Indianapolis four-
term mayor gained a national reputation for revitalizing his Midwestern city and now works for the
Urban Land Institute in Washington, DC, outlining strategies for building and maintaining
infrastructure that foster sustainable cities.
Thursday’s keynote speaker, Charlene Li, is an influential leader and guide on emerging
technologies, with a specific focus on social technologies, interactive media and marketing. Her
presentation, Transforming Cities Using Social Media, will help you understand how your city can
thrive in a new economy driven by social media tools and techniques.
Register now at www.cacities.org/events.
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Opposition Letters to SB 802 Needed
Legislation to Limit Retention Proceeds to be Sent to Governor’s Desk
Local agencies must accept the lowest responsible bidder for construction projects, and often use
retention proceeds on progress payments to ensure that projects are timely and complete. Local
agencies commonly begin with a 10 percent retention rate, and reduce retention to 5 percent at
the half-way point of project completion if adequate progress is being made and the contractor is
acting in good faith. However, SB 802 (Leno) would require local agencies to limit retention to 5
percent over the life of a project, thus protecting potential bad actors and placing public interests
and public funds at risk. 4
The League has had many discussions in recent years regarding similar proposals to limit
retention proceeds to 5 percent (AB 1949: Conroy, 1996, vetoed; AB 940: Miller, 1997, vetoed;
AB 806: Keeley, 1999, vetoed; SB 619: Migden, 2008, held). The League continues to express
concern over these measures because there is not an obvious reason to limit retention proceeds
to 5 percent, but there are instances where 5 percent retention is simply insufficient, particularly
for smaller agencies.
Although Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has expressed concern with similar legislation in the past,
cities cannot rely on a veto this year. Last year, the Legislature passed, and the Governor signed,
SB 593 (Chapter 341, Statutes of 2008) which prohibited CalTrans from withholding retention
proceeds. CalTrans has reported no negative effects resulting from this legislation. As such, the
Governor’s Administration has removed their opposition to legislation limiting retention proceeds.
Take Action Now
SB 802 is awaiting a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and has received little
opposition in the legislature. The League strongly urges cities to send letters in opposition to SB
802 to their legislators and the Governor.
Sample opposition letters are available on the League Web site. Visit www.cacities.org/billsearch
and type “SB 802” into the search box to access the letters.
_____________________________________________________________________________
CEC Seeks Comments on Proposed EECBG Guidelines for Small Cities and
Counties
The California Energy Commission (CEC) staff held a workshop on Aug. 3 to brief stakeholders
on revisions they had made to the proposed Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
(EECBG) guidelines, based upon input from cities and other interested parties.
The CEC is asking that all parties interested in EECBG funding for small cities and counties,
review and comment on the commission’s final proposed guidelines, no later than Aug. 10.
The workshop highlighted some key changes which were incorporated into the final proposed
guidelines to include the following:
• Delete Limit on Administrative Costs. The 5 percent limit set forth in AB 2176 (Ch.
229/08), which sets forth criteria implementing the federal grant program, is deleted, as
authorized in trailer bill legislation passed as part of the state budget package last month.
Under the proposed final guidelines, the CEC is limited to 10 percent for grant
administration; there is no limit on amounts that can be spent on administration for grant
recipients.
• If you can’t use the funds, tell CEC as soon as possible. No less than 60 percent of
California’s EECBG funds must be allocated to eligible applicants. But CEC can
reallocate the funds within California if your city does not have a project where they can
be used. Otherwise, funds not spent in California will revert back to the federal
government.
• Collaborative Partnerships Possible. Small cities and counties may partner with other
governmental agencies or with nonprofit organizations on eligible projects.
• Equipment Purchases are Permitted. Grant funds may be used to pay for energy
efficiency projects, or to purchase equipment associated with an energy efficiency effort,
such as energy-efficient lighting.
• All Small Cities and Counties are Eligible to Receive Funding. The new proposed
guidelines establish minimum funding levels ($25,000 per city and $50,000 per county), 5
as well as establish formulas for additional funding based on population and
unemployment.
The CEC also emphasized the following:
CEC staff is available to help project applicants. But they will be very busy, so cities and
counties need to contact them early in the application process. Types of assistance available can
include consultation about eligible projects, site visits, energy assessments and more. The CEC
will have consultants to assist in this process.
Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Matching funds encouraged. Applicants are encouraged to look for matching funds to expand
the scope of the project for which EECGB funds are to be used.
The CEC urges cities and other interested parties to provide comments on the proposed
guidelines no later than Aug. 10, so that CEC staff will have time to submit their final application
package to the federal Department of Energy and then publish final guidelines by Sept. 9. The
CEC emphasized that deadlines for EECBG applications will be very short; they encourage cities
and counties to familiarize themselves with the guidelines quickly, so they will be prepared to
submit applications as quickly as possible. All projects must be completed by Sept. 30, 2012.
After that date, unexpended funds must revert to the federal government.
For a complete summary of the proposed final guidelines, please visit the CEC Web site at
www.energy.ca.gov/stimulus/documents.
E-mail comments to EECBG@energy.state.ca.us.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Natural Resources Agency Releases Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
The California Natural Resources Agency on Aug. 3 released recommendations on how the state
can respond to the threat of climate change. California is the first state to develop a
comprehensive plan to guide adaptation to climate change.
The 13 recommendations include:
• Establish a Climate Adaptation Advisory Panel to further assess California’s climate
change risks;
• To the extent possible, communities should amend general plans and local coastal plans
to avoid potential climate impacts;
• Implement strategies to achieve a statewide 20 percent reduction in per capita water use
by 2020, expand available state water storage, and implement the Delta Vision Cabinet
Group recommendations to improve Delta water supply, water quality and ecosystem
conditions. Support agricultural water use efficiency;
• Work to meet projected population growth and increased energy demand with greater
energy conservation. Renewable energy supplies should be enhanced through the
Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan to reach a goal of 33 percent of the state’s
energy supply from renewable sources by 2020; and
• Manage public health, infrastructure or habitat, to the extent that these are subject to
climate change impacts, from sea level rise, increased temperature, and changing
precipitation. This includes assessments of land use, housing and transportation
proposals that could impact health, greenhouse gas emissions, and community resilience
for climate change in keeping with SB 375 that addresses creating sustainable
communities.
The release of these recommendations also triggers a 45-day public comment period.
Stakeholders will have an opportunity during this period to comment at public meetings also
available via conference call. The first public meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 13.
6
The meeting will be held at:
California Department of Food and Agriculture Building
1220 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Call-In Number: (877) 536-5793
Participant Code: 344390
The second meeting will be held in Los Angeles. The date and time have not yet been
announced.
Submit written comments by U.S. mail to:
Adaptation
Natural Resources Agency
1416 Ninth Street, Suite 131
Sacramento, CA 95814
Submit e-mail comments to: adaptation@resources.ca.gov.
To read the full 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy report, please visit:
www.climatechange.ca.gov/adaptation.
_____________________________________________________________________________
California Coastal Commission Holds Roundtable Discussion with Coastal Cities
and Counties
Representatives from coastal cities and counties will have a formal roundtable discussion with
Coastal Commissioners as part of a special workshop on the Local Coastal Program (LCP)
process, on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero in San Francisco from 8
a.m. to 12 p.m.
The workshop is the result of the Coastal Cities Issues Group efforts to improve communications
with the Coastal Commission and make the LCP process more consistent.
Implementation of the California Coastal Act depends on collaboration between local
governments and the Commission. Local coastal governments hope to come out of the workshop
with a set of ideas that will guide future Commission decisions resulting in the LCP process
becoming more predictable and efficient for all parties.
Both local governments and the Coastal Commission will continue to face difficult budgets in the
future. Making the LCP process more predictable and efficient will encourage jurisdictions to
prepare and certify an LCP, if they haven’t already. Thus, more local governments will be able to
issue individual local permits, relieving the commission of the costly burden. In this way, both the
commission and local coastal governments will benefit going forward.
The workshop agenda and background materials have been posted on the Coastal Commission’s
Web site at www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html.
City and county officials from coastal areas are encouraged to attend and participate in the public
comment portion of the meeting.
For more information please contact League staff Mary Creasey at mcreasey@cacities.org or
(916) 658-8243.
____________________________________________________________________________
IN THIS ISSUE: August 14, 2009
Issue #31-2009
Page 5: REMINDER: Small Cities looking at Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Funding Must Turn in
Form to California Energy Commission by Aug. 21
EECBG Small City Grant Applicants: Check Your City Files for Records of OMB Audit Requirements
Page 6: U.S. EPA Launches Online Forum on Clean Water Enforcement
H1N1 Response Guidelines for Cities and Towns Now Available
Annual Conference and CityBooks are a Winning Combination
Page 7: On-Camera Media Training Available For City Officials at the Annual Conference
Registration Open for ILG Annual Conference Luncheon Symposium
NEXT STEPS FOR THE 2009-10 STATE BUDGET
Now that several weeks have passed since the conclusion of the most recent round of state
budget revisions city officials are attempting to get their bearings. They are asking concrete
questions about the impacts of various state decisions on local budgets, and what else they might
expect as the Legislature reconvenes to conclude its session Aug. 17 – Sept. 11. With Democrats
upset over some budget vetoes by the Governor, and a pending lawsuit over this matter filed by
Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, the environment is expected to be tense.
For more, see Page 2.
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CITIES AND COUNTIES MAY BE ABLE TO CONDUCT
ELECTIONS UTILIZING RANKED VOTING
On Aug. 17, the Senate Appropriations Committee will hear AB 1121 (Davis), a League
supported bill. The bill would establish a pilot project that allows up to 12 general law cities and
counties to conduct local elections using Ranked Voting (RV). Of those 12 cities and counties, no
more than four agencies from each of California’s three regions (northern, central and southern)
will be selected. For more, see Page 3.
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COASTAL CITIES AND COUNTIES HOLD MEANINGFUL ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION WITH COASTAL COMMISSIONERS
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, representatives from coastal cities and counties participated in a
historic roundtable discussion with Coastal Commissioners as part of a special workshop in San
Francisco on improving the Local Coastal Program (LCP) process. The workshop further opened
the lines of communication between local coastal governments and the Coastal Commission who
serve as partners in implementing the California Coastal Act.
For more, see Page 4. 2
‘Budget’ Continued from Page 1…
Here is a brief list of where things stand on the major budget items important to cities:
Proposition 1A Borrowing/Securitization: The state will borrow approximately $1.9 billion, 8
percent of city, county, and special district property tax shares pursuant to AB X4 14 and AB X4
15. The payments are required to be made in two equal installments: Jan. 15, 2010, and May 1,
2010. The repayment date listed in statute in June 30, 2013.
Local agencies have three basic choices:
1. Carry the state borrowing on local books for the term of the loan and be repaid with
interest. The interest rate has yet to be set by the Department of Finance (DOF), but
can range as high as 6 percent;
2. Request a hardship exemption from the DOF director. The director is authorized to
grant exemptions that may total not more than 10 percent of the total amount eligible
(calculated by the total value of 8 percent of all property tax received by local
agencies within the county); or
3. Enter into an agreement with California Communities, a joint-powers financing
conduit issuer, whereby the participating local agency would exchange their right to
state repayment of the borrowed property taxes for an up front payment financed
through bonds sold to investors. California Communities would structure the
financing, and investors would purchase the state’s commitment to repay the local
shares of property tax receivables, including interest. Interested cities should be
ready to act quickly; once the program is operational. The timelines are expected to
be tight. (See the Aug. 7 issue of City Advocate Weekly for more information.)
What’s Next
The League, CSAC and the California Special Districts Association, along with financing experts
from California Communities recently met with representatives of DOF to discuss a number of
desired amendments to the securitization language contained in AB X4 15. These requested
amendments are all oriented toward improving the prospects of a successful securitization.
Investors will be evaluating the risks associated with the state’s commitment to repay by the
repayment date. To ensure market success and reasonable interest rates, investors need to be
made as comfortable as possible that the state will pay as scheduled.
While the meeting with state officials was productive, the League is awaiting the proposed batch
of language, which should come shortly. It is hoped that that language will reflect the prior
productive discussions. One issue that the DOF has raised is the potential of moving the hardship
request process to follow the securitization effort, with the rationale that agencies that can recover
full costs through securitization will not need a hardship exemption. The League will be watching
for this in the expected language.
Assuming agreement is reached on amendments, urgency legislation, requiring a two-thirds vote,
is needed to ensure these changes take effect immediately.
Highway User’s Tax Account (HUTA): After much chaos in the Legislature during the final hours
of the budget votes, local governments received welcome news when what had been a proposed
unconstitutional $1.7 billion grab of HUTA funds, was transformed first into a loan with a proposed
10-year repayment plan in the Senate, then in the final hours, pulled entirely out of the budget
package in the Assembly. The final versions of the legislation that did not get adopted are AB X4
30 and AB X4 24, which remain in the Assembly.
Another HUTA-related provision, however, that delayed the receipt of six months of local HUTA
funds from July-December 2009, can be found in Section 16 of the cash deferral budget trailer bill
AB X4 16. While this language is now operative law, in the context of the final budget package it
can be viewed as potentially obsolete. There are several interdependent factors that explain this
transformation:
1. The original budget agreement was to take $1.7 billion in local HUTA funds; 3
2. The budget agreement also contained a trigger mechanism that would have had the
HUTA grab and the Prop.1A borrowing only occur if a complex redevelopment
securitization scheme in ABX4 27, sponsored by the City of Industry, failed to
produce sufficient revenues for the state General Fund. This measure, however, also
failed to move off the Assembly Floor; and
3. Because many parties involved in the budget agreement believed that the City of
Industry proposal would fail for a number of reasons, it was viewed as prudent to
defer local receipt of HUTA revenues, was so the state could easily grab the money
for the FY 2009-10 budget once the Industry plan failed.
4. Since neither the HUTA grab, nor the Industry proposal with its trigger, were included
in the final package, the current language in AB X4 16, Section 16, can be viewed as
obsolete.
What’s Next
The League and CSAC have had numerous conversations with DOF staff about the remnant
HUTA deferral language in AB X4 16, Section 16. The League would prefer that this language is
removed entirely, because it relates to legislation that was not enacted. Another option is to clean
up the language so that it clarifies that repayment will occur in January. The League is still waiting
for a firm answer from DOF on if the Administration would allow the removal of this language.
Since the enactment of the recent state budget agreement, DOF, the State Controller and the
State Treasurer have been focused on developing a cash flow strategy for the state. This strategy
should be complete in the next several days.
If the state’s cash flow needs can be met without this deferral, then removal of this provision may
be possible. Another possible scenario is that the state may seek to shift the deferral window to
the second half of the fiscal year, because March is when the state traditionally is short on cash.
In that event, a deferral of HUTA revenues could be proposed similar to that enacted in AB X3 7
of 2008.
Any change to this statute will also require an urgency clause with a required two-thirds vote.
Redevelopment Raids: The proposed $2.05 billion grab of local redevelopment agency funds,
contained in AB X4 26, will be devastating for many local projects and for local jobs. The
California Redevelopment Association (CRA) is preparing to litigate this matter on a variety of
constitutional grounds. While the CRA and other plaintiffs were successful in their recent litigation
against a proposed $350 million take, the Legislature has inserted language that attempts to
insulate this grab against some of the expected arguments. CRA’s core arguments, however, is
that the grab remains unconstitutional.
Should litigation not be successful, RDA’s must make payments by May 10, 2010. Agencies that
lack funds will incur various penalties, and borrowing from RDA housing funds triggers an
increased allocation set aside to 25 percent. Cities have the ability to loan the agency funds to
make the payment at terms to be agreed upon by the parties.
What’s Next
It is unclear to what extent any major changes to this redevelopment statute may be attempted.
CRA is currently focused on pursuing litigation.
Follow Up
The League will continue to report on all of these issues as more information becomes available.
_____________________________________________________________________________
‘AB1120’ Continued from Page 1…
RV is an election method which voters rank the candidates for office in order of preference, and
the ballots are counted in rounds, in the case of a single-winner election (e.g., City Attorney), a
series of runoff elections are simulated via the ballots being counted in rounds until only two
candidates remain, with the candidate having the highest number of votes being declared the 4
winner. In the case of multiple-winner elections (e.g., city council) the same process occurs until
all seats to be elected have been filled.
Whether the Governor will sign this bill is still unknown. A similar bill, AB 1294 (Mullin) from 2007,
would have allowed all cities and counties to implement RV, however, the Governor vetoed the
bill sighting concerns that not enough voters are aware of RV and there were no voting machines
certified by the Secretary of State (SOS) to conduct RV elections.
San Francisco adopted RV as an election method for the November 2004 General Election. The
SOS only approved the city’s election equipment for a one-time use, but subsequently SOS has
approved the system for use in other elections due to the success of the November 2004
election.
While AB 1121 may face some uncertain challenges in the Legislative process, should this bill
become law some cities will have an opportunity to utilize RV as an election method.
The following guidelines must be met in order for a city or county to be considered by SOS to
implement RV:
1. RV as a voting method may be adopted by either, 1) approval of a ballot measure
submitted to the voters by city council at an election; or, 2) an initiative ordinance adopted
by the voters;
2. The voting system used by the city must be capable of conducting the election using RV
and the system must be approved by SOS; or, by another procedure (to be determined)
that is approved by the SOS; and
3. A city must submit a written request to SOS requesting approval to utilize RV. SOS will
approve cities and counties on a first-come-first-serve basis until a total of 12 cities and
counties have been authorized to implement RV.
Once a city has been authorized to utilize RV the city must conduct a voter education and
outreach campaign to familiarize voters with RV, which includes public service announcements
on radio or television, or public service announcements in the print media. A city must also
prepare a report (to be determined by the Legislative Analyst) after an election is conducted and
submit it to the Legislative Analyst.
League staff will continue to keep you updated on the progress of this bill. For questions please
contact Natasha Karl, League legislative analyst, at nkarl@cacities.org.
_____________________________________________________________________________
‘Costal Cities’ Continued from Page 1…
Local coastal government representatives highlighted some of the projects that local
governments have taken on independently to improve coastal access for the public and protect
natural coastal resources.
While the Coastal Act has played a major role in preserving California’s world-renown coastal
resources, many cities and counties continue to face challenges in getting a LCP approved or
amended by the Coastal Commission. For the Coastal Act to be fully implemented as the voters
intended, all cities and counties must have an up to date LCP. In order to accomplish this, the
LCP process must become more clear, consistent and efficient for all parties involved.
When local governments have updated LCP’s and are thus able to issue individual local permits,
the commission will be relieved of the costly burden. In this way, both the commission and local
coastal governments will benefit going forward.
Local coastal governments will continue to work with the Coastal Commission on improving the
LCP process and hope to hold another workshop in the future. A full webcast of the workshop can
be viewed on the Coastal Commission’s video archive at: http://www.cal-span.org/cgi-
bin/media.pl?folder=CCC.
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REMINDER: Small Cities looking at Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block
Grant Funding Must Turn in Form to California Energy Commission by Aug. 21
Cities in California that did not receive Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG)
funds from the Federal Government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will
need to turn in an “Intent to Apply” form to the California Energy Commission (CEC) no later
than Aug. 21 or they may forfeit their EECBG funding allocation.
The CEC has over $30 million available through the EECBG program to help small cities and
counties install cost-effective energy efficiency projects that reduce energy use and greenhouse
gases.
In most cases, the mayor, city manager or finance officer for the city should have received a letter
from the CEC stating that the city is eligible for funding. If not, a copy of the letter sent out by the
CEC, along with a copy of the Intent to Apply form is attached to this notice. If the completed
form is not returned by Aug. 21 the city may forfeit their EECBG funding allocation. The
next step in the process to receive these funds will be completing the application when it
becomes available in September 2009.
Cities that are interested in reviewing the EECBG Program Guidelines that are currently being
finalized, can find them at http://www.energy.ca.gov/recovery/blockgrant.html. Cities are
encouraged to review the guidelines and begin identifying potential projects that may work in your
community. The CEC can also provide technical help to cities that require assistance in
identifying energy efficiency projects they may be eligible for. For more information on free
technical assistance, please visit the CEC’s Energy Partnership Program at
http://www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/partnership/index.html
Cities can also email the EECBG program at the CEC at eecbg@energy.state.ca.us with any
questions about these funds or this program.
_____________________________________________________________________________
EECBG Small City Grant Applicants: Check Your City Files for Records of OMB
Audit Requirements
A letter sent earlier this month by the California Energy Commission (CEC) to smaller cities
contains one instruction regarding compliance with federal audit requirements that is likely to
cause confusion for city officials.
The letter was sent to cities that did not receive Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
(EECBG) funds from the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act, advising them to submit a Letter of Intent regarding their interest in applying for their share of
state-administered EECBG funds, or they may forfeit their EECBG funding allocation.
The letter informed the cities that they should contact the State Controller’s Office to verify their
compliance with the financial and compliance audit requirements of the US Office of Management
and Budget.
In fact, cities are encouraged to first check their own files for copies of a single audit report
(Audit determination), Exemption Letter or “No Review Necessary” correspondence that is
provided each fiscal year by the California State Controller, regarding federal funds the city has
received in a prior year. A copy of these documents will be a required part of your final application
to the Energy Commission for these EECBG funds.
If the city does not have copies of this correspondence from the State Controller’s Office, the city
should review its records of compliance with OMB audit requirements for federal funds, and
submit required audit information to the State Controller as soon as possible. A city that is not in
compliance with these requirements may be at risk of losing its opportunity to receive EECBG
funds.
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6
U.S. EPA Launches Online Forum on Clean Water Enforcement
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched an online discussion forum to
receive public input on the future direction of EPA's national water enforcement program. The
public will be able to provide feedback through the EPA Web site, between now and Aug. 28,
giving them a forum to address any concerns about EPA's efforts to protect the water in their
communities
The forum is part of a larger agency effort to improve the performance and enhance public
transparency of state and federal Clean Water Act enforcement programs. In a memo issued on
July 2, Administrator Lisa Jackson called for stronger enforcement performance at federal and
state levels and a transformation of EPA's water quality and compliance information systems. As
part of this effort, Jackson directed the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance to
develop an action plan. All ideas from the public will be evaluated and considered for
recommendations to the EPA Administrator about the future direction for EPA's water
enforcement program.
More information on the development of the clean water enforcement action plan is available on
the EPA’s Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/cwaenfplan.html.
To comment on the action plan also visit the EPA’s Web site at:
http://blog.epa.gov.cwaactionplan.
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H1N1 Response Guidelines for Cities and Towns Now Available
Last week, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, and Homeland
Security updated federal guidelines for fall flu season planning. The following guidelines may be
helpful to cities and towns as they prepare for rapid response to outbreaks at varying levels of the
H1N1 virus, particularly in local schools.
Local officials can find the H1N1 guidelines at http://www.flu.gov/plan/school/index.html.
The National League of Cities will post updates on their Web site at:
http://www.nlc.org/resources_for_cities/pandemic.aspx.
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Annual Conference and CityBooks are a Winning Combination
The League’s Annual Conference & Expo will be held in San Jose this year with sessions and
events scheduled that are not only personal enriching but a great added value to your city’s
growth. CityBooks, the League’s bookstore, will be available again this year with our inventory of
over 600 relevant publications. If you are looking for practical, current information on local
government and professional development topics then take a few minutes to discover what
CityBooks has to offer.
2009 Annual Conference & Expo CityBooks hours and location will be:
Located on the Exhibit Level of the San Jose Convention Center
Wednesday, Sept.16 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 17 from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 18: 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Not registered for the 2009 Annual Conference and Expo? Register online at www.cacities.org/ac
before Aug., 25 and receive a $10 CityBooks Coupon!
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7
On-Camera Media Training Available For City Officials at the Annual Conference
Do you need to deliver your city’s message more effectively during media interviews? If so, take
advantage of this opportunity for professional on-camera media training at the League’s annual
conference in San Jose, Sept. 16-18.
The 45-minute training will feature a short interview focused on a vital issue to your city, a video
playback/critique, and a follow-up interview. Participants will receive a DVD copy of their training
session.
The trainers are public information officers and media experts from cities throughout California.
The session is designed to give participants greater ease in delivering your city’s important
messages on camera and will improve newspaper and radio interviewing skills.
There is a high demand for these one-on-one sessions, and we’re limited to three sessions on
Wednesday, and six sessions per day on Thursday and three sessions on Friday, some of which
have already been filled. The timeslots are listed below. The training will be held in the League
Press Room at the San Jose Convention Center.
You must return the registration form and provide payment to reserve one of the training spots.
Please be sure to include details about an important issue facing your city so that we can prepare
interview questions that are tailored to your community. The form has been posted on the
League’s Web site at www.cacities.org/resource_files/28225.Media Training flyer2009.pdf.
Emily Cole, League communications assistant, is available by phone at (916) 658-8283 to answer
any questions about the on-camera media trainings. Registration forms should be sent to her
attention at ecole@cacities.org or by fax to (916) 658-8240.
Reservations will be accepted on a paid first-come, first-served basis. There is a $10 charge
which is refunded as a $10 CityBooks coupon for those who attend the training. No refunds or
coupons will be issued for “no shows.”
Available On-Camera Interview Training Session Times
Thursday, Sept. 17
9 – 9:45 p.m.
10 –10:45 a.m.
2 – 2:45 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 18
9 – 9:45 p.m.
10 – 10:45 a.m.
11– 11:45 a.m.
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Registration Open for ILG Annual Conference Luncheon Symposium
The Institute for Local Government (ILG) will present its fifth annual Luncheon Symposium at the
League’s annual conference in San Jose on Sept. 17.
Dr. Robert S. Ogilvie, program director of Planning for Healthy Places at Public Health Law &
Policy, will speak about ways that cities can use planning, economic development, and
redevelopment tools to create healthier neighborhoods.
The symposium presentation will be followed by an afternoon workshop on “Local Strategies for
Creating Healthy Communities.” Both the symposium and the workshop are being organized by
ILG’s Healthy Neighborhoods Project.
Local leadership related to neighborhood planning and development can have a profound
influence on public health.
8
The connection between health and the environment present both challenges and opportunities
for community leaders and residents including:
• More than 50 percent of Californians do not meet recommended guidelines for physical
activity. Better community planning and design can help make walking, biking and other
forms of physical activity a regular part of daily life for residents of all ages and
backgrounds. For example, building parks within walking distance increases the
likelihood that people will exercise by 25 percent.
• On average, California neighborhoods have four times more fast food restaurants than
grocery or produce stores. Communities that increase access to healthier foods enjoy
lower rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other serious nutrition-related health
conditions according to a number of scientific studies.
Please visit www.cacities.org/events to register online, or contact Carmen Pereira for information
at (916) 658-8208 or cpereira@ca-ilg.org.
ILG is the nonprofit research and education affiliate of the League of California Cities and the
California State Association of Counties.