SR-6-N (55)
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Council Meeting: August 13, 1991
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Santa Monica, California
To: Mayor and city council
From: City staff
subj ect: Recommendation to Authorize the city Manager to Negotiate
and Execute an Agreement with Santa Monica College in the
Amount of $25,000 to Provide Academic Program and Student
Internships Pertaining to Hazardous Materials Management
INTRODUCTION
This report describes a proposed cooperative agreement between The
City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica College to provide a course
on community hazardous materials management with a particular focus
on best management practices for household hazardous waste. The
agreement would also provide for three student internships which
would last about three months each. The city of Santa Monica would
finance the costs of these programs which are estimated to be
$25,000.
DISCUSSION
The City of Santa Monica has provided a permanent facility for the
collection of household hazardous waste since 1988. This Household
Hazardous Waste Collection Facility serves nearly 3,000 residents
each year and diverts approximately 140,000 pounds of toxic waste
annually from potential illegal dumping into the City's soil and
water resources. Federal and State requirements increasingly
emphasize the city's role and responsibility in diverting hazardous
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waste, including household hazardous waste, from regular landfills
and other locations where the materials may contaminate the
environment. One of the key strategies which the city has adopted
to assist in the achievement of reduction and diversion of
hazardous waste is public education and technical assistance.
By forging a cooperative agreement with Santa Monica College, the
City will be able to greatly enhance the level of public education,
technical assistance and community outreach which is presently
available to Santa Monica residents and residents of surrounding
cites. It is proposed that the city underwrite a specialized course
on community-related hazardous materials management through the
auspices of Santa Monica College, Center for Environmental studies.
The course will be designed for local agency management and
regulatory professionals interested in establishing and managing
hazardous waste collection programs which serve the public in their
respective jurisdictions. The proposed extension course and
internship program would also satisfy one of the requirements
contained in the city's current permit for the Household Hazardous
Waste Facility from the Department of Health Services.
The proposed Santa Monica College course would encompass a "nuts
and bolts" understanding of how to devise a successful household
hazardous materials management program for a community. It is
presently envisioned that the study program would be offered as an
extension course lasting approximately six weeks. Successful
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completion of the course would be recognized by a certification in
hazardous waste management. After the inaugural course has been
developed and offered, and based on an evaluation of the success
of the course, it is possible that grant funding may be available
from state and/or federal agencies to continue the course on either
a regular semester or periodic basis. The joint development of this
new curriculum by the City and Santa Monica college should also
enhance the city's ability to receive future grant funds from state
or federal agencies for the implementation of new hazardous waste
management programs.
A j oint student internship program between the city and Santa
Monica College is also proposed to provide three eligible students
with practical experience in hazardous waste management and source
reduction. These student interns would work on city of Santa Monica
projects under the supervision of environmental programs staff.
Each of the internships would last approximately three months and
would be staggered so that no more than one intern would be working
on city projects at anyone time. The interns would be involved
with the following types of activities:
-- Assistance at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Facility in the tracking and analysis of waste items received
and development of a user profile which could be used to
better focus the city's source reduction efforts;
c;
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-- Assisting with technical outreach to local businesses on
source reduction and Best Management Practices issues;
-- Assisting in the creation and maintenance of a document
collection at Santa Monica Library which provides general and
technical literature, copies of City ordinances and brochures
as well as vendor files pertaining to hazardous materials
management, source reduction, and requirements for ozone-
depleting chemicals; and
-- Assisting in the identification of known contaminated sites
in the City, abandoned landfills, and other problem locations
so that a database and map detailing environmental hazards can
be developed.
FISCAL/BUDGET IMPACT
Approval of this staff report will result in the appropriation of
$8,333 from the Water, Wastewater and Refuse Funds for a total
appropriation of $25,000. The funds would be appropriated to the
following accounts:
25-500-671-00000-5506-00000
27-500-441-00000-5506-00000
31-500-661-00000-5506-00000
TOTAL
$ 8,333
8,333
8,333
$25,000
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The funds would be paid to Santa Monica College in one lump sum
payment once the agreement has been signed. The estimated cost of
the one semester course is $17,500, including all materials, and
the estimated cost of the five internships is $ 7,500. Any funds
collected from course fees charged to participants will be
reimbursed to the city.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that Council approve the appropriation increases
detailed in this staff report, and authorize the City Manager to
negotiate and execute an agreement with Santa Monica College in the
amount of $25,000 to provide an academic program and student
internships pertaining to hazardous materials management.
Prepared by:
stan Scholl, Director of General Services
craig Perkins, Environmental Services Manager
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