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REQUEST FOR <br />COUNCIL ACTION <br />CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: <br />AUGUST 5, 2014 <br />TITLE: <br />AGREEMENT FOR STATE <br />GOVERNMENT LIAISON SERVICES <br />WITH TOWNSEND PUBLIC AFFAIRS <br />CITY MANAGER <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: <br />APPROVED <br />❑ As Recommended <br />❑ As Amended <br />❑ Ordinance on 16' Reading <br />❑ Ordinance on 2"' Reading <br />❑ Implementing Resolution <br />❑ Set Public Hearing For_ <br />CONTINUED TO <br />FILE NUMBER <br />Authorize the City Manager and Clerk of the Council to execute an agreement for state government <br />liaison services with Townsend Public Affairs in an annual amount not to exceed $60,000, <br />commencing July 1, 2014 for a one -year term with the option of extending the term for two one - <br />year terms, subject to non- substantive changes approved by the City Manager and City Attorney. <br />DISCUSSION <br />Local government agencies rely upon the expertise of state government consultants to represent <br />their respective government agencies in Sacramento. This service typically includes legislative <br />monitoring and analysis, state budget advocacy, and state grant coordination and advocacy. <br />State government consultants further provide monitoring of state executive proposals, as well as <br />administrative rules and regulations that may affect cities. <br />Townsend Public Affairs has provided this service to the City of Santa Ana for the past 14 years. <br />During this time, Townsend Public Affairs has served the City well by advocating for legislation, <br />policies and regulations that protect the City's interest. In addition, Townsend Public Affairs has <br />worked with the City on targeted funding opportunities, including funding for water conservation <br />and reliability projects and supporting the City's applications for the Active Transportation Program. <br />Townsend Public Affairs represented Santa Ana's interests in Sacramento this past year on <br />numerous issues, including: the City's liabilities from the dissolution of the redevelopment <br />agency, the state budget, local economic development proposals, regulation of medicinal <br />cannabis, and numerous pieces of legislation directly affecting the City and its operations. A <br />summary of Townsend Public Affairs' work efforts on behalf of the City for the past 12 months is <br />attached (Exhibit 1). <br />Staff is very pleased with the state advocacy efforts of Townsend Public Affairs and is <br />recommending re- instatement of their original annual fee of $60,000 for the FY 2014 -2015 <br />agreement. Townsend Public Affairs' original annual contract for services prior to the 2008 <br />economic recession was $60,000. As a result Townsend Public Affairs agreed to reduce their <br />25P -1 <br />