Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
DATE:	October 8, 2009
RE:	Cooperation Agreement with Douglas County:  Sustainability Coordinator Position

Included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is an appropriation of funding to the Department of Energy (DOE) for formula-based grants under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program.  On September 29, staff was notified that the City has been awarded $858,600 in grant funds.  As previously discussed, the grant award includes the following funding:  up to $100,000 for a Sustainability Coordinator to be jointly funded with Douglas County; $550,000 for HVAC and lighting upgrades at the Lawrence Public Library and $208,600 for replacement of lights along Massachusetts Street to LED. 

City and county staff have worked to develop the attached Cooperation Agreement relating to the Sustainability Coordinator position.  Per the terms of the agreement, this position will be a County employee and shall be supervised by the County Manager and shall receive direction from the City Manager, or designee, for approximately 40% of the employee’s work time on projects and tasks related to sustainability and energy conservation on behalf of the City.  The City shall pay 100% of the costs of the Sustainability Coordinator, including County benefit expenses related to the employment, up to $100,000 (proceeds from the EECBG). 

During preparation of the 2011 City and County budgets, a determination shall be made of whether to fund the position for that budget year.  If the City and the County agree to fund the position in 2011 and years thereafter, the City shall pay 40% of the position and the County shall fund 60% of the position. 

The agreement was presented to the Douglas County Commission on October 7, 2009 and was approved unanimously. 

Action Requested

Authorize the mayor to sign a Cooperation Agreement with Douglas County relating to the position of Sustainability Coordinator.