2150 River Plaza Drive, Suite 460
Sacramento, CA 95833

Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors

August 2, 2017

4:00 p.m.
(Meeting in 1st floor Large Conference room.)

Upcoming Regular Meetings

  • October 4, 2017
  • December 6, 2017
  • February 7, 2018

Call to order

1. Call to Order of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors

The Board Chair will call the meeting to order if a quorum is present. Announcements by the Board Chair or Executive Director may be made at this time. Board members may make announcements at this time as well.


Public comment

2. Public Comments

Opportunity for members of the public to address the Conservancy’s Board of Directors.


Action by consent

3. Approval of the minutes

*All items listed under the Consent Calendar, including minutes, are considered and acted upon by one Motion. Any Board member may request an item be removed for separate consideration.*

The Board Chair will request approval of the minutes and consent items of the Board of Directors meeting of June 7, 2017

Download the June 7, 2017 Minutes (PDF, 656 KB)


Action by consent

4. SAFCA request for land management on its Natomas Farms West, Sharma and AKT tracts; Implementation Agreement #8

The SAFCA Implementation Agreement #8 to the Master Agreement between the Conservancy and SAFCA, approved by the Board at the June 7, 2017 Board meeting, calls for a marsh management contract at SAFCA’s Natomas Farms, Sharma & AKT marsh complexes. Pursuant to that, HRS has been designated by SAFCA to continue land management at these marsh complexes.

The expected start date on the new agreement is October 1, 2017. Costs for this service will be billed directly to the appropriate SAFCA budget $60,000 per year, and additional tasks based on time and material. Staff recommends approval of this 3-year contract.

Download the SAFCA HSA Proposal (PDF, 584 KB)


Action by consent

5. SAFCA Implementation Agreement #9

SAFCA constructed a GGS/Drainage Canal as a migration corridor for Giant garter snakes (GGS) and for drainage purposes as part of the Natomas Levee Improvement Project (NLIP). SAFCA requested the Conservancy conduct GGS monitoring on the GGS/Drainage Canal in accordance with the SAFCA SSIP & SSMP for that property. The GGS monitoring effort will be fully reimbursed by SAFCA.

Staff recommends approval of this item to further efforts with SAFCA and to obtain important information about GGS movement from the southerly portion of the Natomas Basin to the north.

Download the SAFCA Implementation Agreement #9 (PDF, 979 KB)


Action item

6. Biological Effectiveness Monitoring Program-Program Document revision

Board members will recall that Conservancy staff previously shared its being alert to the possible influence the proposed revised USFWS/NMFS “HCP Handbook” might have on long-term biological effectiveness monitoring on Conservancy lands. Even if the NBHCP and MAPHCP is not directly impacted by the Handbook’s changes, it can be expected that over time, the Handbook will increasingly be used as a yardstick by which biological monitoring on HCP preserves is viewed and assessed. The Handbook de-emphasizes covered species population tracking and emphasizes directed research at management action.

Based on discussions with the Conservancy’s biological monitoring contractor and other biologists, this item contains a staff recommendation that the Conservancy’s Board of Directors authorize and approve the revised Conservancy BEMP Program Document, the guide for which the annual BEMP program is conducted. The biological monitoring compliance effort is one of the Conservancy’s largest line item expenses. The Board heard an outline of the proposed revised BEMP Program Document at its June 7, 2017 Board meeting.

This item requests the Board accept the proposed revised BEMP Program Document. With this action, the document will be submitted to the state and federal Wildlife Agencies for approval, or alternatively, from the NBHCP Technical Advisory Committee.

The revised BEMP Program Document will also be included with the Request for Proposals (RFP) planned for circulation in order to seek qualified contractors for the Conservancy’s biological monitoring effort for 2018 and beyond.

Download the Executive Summary (PDF, 54 KB)

Download the Biological Effectiveness Monitoring Program Document Revision Section 1 of 2 (PDF, 5.5 MB)

Download the Biological Effectiveness Monitoring Program Document Revision Section 2 of 2 (PDF, 5.3 MB)


Action item

7. RFP – Biological Effectiveness Monitoring

The current Biological Effectiveness Monitoring agreement with ICF International expires on December 31, 2017. Looking to a new agreement starting January 1, 2018, Conservancy staff proposes to circulate a Request for Proposals (“RFP”), including price and terms, to conduct biological monitoring for a three-year period with two one-year options to renew.

The biological monitoring effort is a requirement in the HCPs. The BEMP annual report is a key component of the Conservancy’s Implementation Annual Report which is also required by the HCPs.
This item requests the Board’s authorization to release and circulate the RFP for biological effectiveness monitoring and for Conservancy staff to seek multiple responses from qualified biological monitoring experts.

Responses will be presented to the Board at its October 4, 2017 meeting for the Board’s action.

Download the RFP – Biological Effectiveness Monitoring (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Download the recipients list for the Biological Effectiveness Monitoring RFP (PDF, 43 KB)


Action item

8. RFP – Land Management and Maintenance

December 31, 2017 marks the end of the existing land management and maintenance contract between the Conservancy and Sopwith Farms.

The Conservancy has had various contractors over the years conduct property maintenance work on managed marsh complexes. This work consists of largely cleaning out water control structures, treating non-native and/or noxious aquatic vegetation and keeping access open to the marsh complexes for biological monitoring personnel and other contractors as necessary. Other responsibilities include disposal or removal of dead and predatory animals, water management and certain groundwater well maintenance activities.

The Conservancy has prepared a Request for Proposals (RFP) designed to solicit responses from qualified contractors to conduct land management and maintenance work beginning January 1, 2018. Responses to the call for RFPs will be presented to the Board at its October 4, 2017 Board meeting for selection of a responding, qualified a land management and maintenance contractor beginning January 1, 2018. The contract is proposed for three years with two one-year options to renew.

Conservancy staff recommends the Board authorize the release of the land management and maintenance RFP with the intent to obtain responses from multiple qualified respondents.

Download the RFP – Land Management and Maintenance (PDF, 581 KB)

Download the recipients list for the Land Management and Maintenance RFP (PDF, 41 KB)


Discussion

9. Financial statement review

Financial statements will be provided for the period ended June 30, 2017 (unaudited). Additional financial information will be provided.

Download the June 30, 2017 Financial Statement (PDF, 2 MB)


Discussion

10. Conservancy leasing study session

The Conservancy’s Board of Directors has requested that staff provide a study session on the Conservancy’s contracting processes. The intention is to background Board members on the process staff uses in contracting for various services.

Staff will provide an overview of this process and discuss with the Board the different levels of management engagement in the contracting process.

This item will serve as an overview and be of a general nature. Further information can be presented as may be needed.


Exective Report

11. Executive Director’s Report

Various matters for Board members’ general information will be presented by the Conservancy’s Executive Director.

Download the Ex Director’s Report (PDF, 317 KB)


Executive Session

12. Executive Session

Executive session is scheduled for real estate.


Adjournment

13. Adjournment

Official adjournment of the meeting.