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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC22650 Res 04-34 California Energy Commission - Request for AssistanceCITY OF PALM DESERT COMMUNITY SERVICES STAFF REPORT REQUEST: ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 04-34 APPROVING THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE ENERGY COALITION AND THE CITY OF PALM DESERT SUBMITTED BY: Robert Kohn, Director of Special Programs DATE: May 13, 2004 CONTENTS: 1. Resolution No. 04-34 2. Memorandum of Understanding Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 04-34 authorizing the City to enter into a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Energy Coalition, a California non-profit corporation facilitating a partnership of Southern California cities and their partner utilities - Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas, known as the "Community Energy Partnership." Executive Summary: The Energy Coalition is a California non-profit corporation that has been promoting "smart energy management" with energy consumers - from businesses to homes, and students, and industries and public facilities of all kinds - for over 20 years. In the fall of 2001, the City of Palm Desert was nominated to be included in the Community Energy Partnership, a unique collaborative project supported by Public Goods Charges collected from electric and gas ratepayers, facilitated by The. Energy Coalition, in partnership with Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas. The Community Energy Partnership links cities with their constituents to promote smart energy management, means to save consumer dollars, support the local economy, and provide utility system benefits in the form of reasonably priced, clean, and reliable power and natural gas. Staff Report May 13, 2004 Energy Coalition MOU Discussion: Page 2 Community Efficiency Tune -Ups continue to move forward, with 500 completed by the end of 2003. Plans are underway to re -contact several of the venues where work had begun earlier in the summer. The Tune -Up contractors continue to work in partnership with the Housing Department to provide Tune -Ups to the affordable housing segment of the community. In addition, the Small Business Efficiency Tune -Ups were identified and completed for over 200 appropriate businesses along the Highway 111 corridor. The City Council will subsequently be asked to approve a citywide Energy Master Plan developed through the Partnership, which staff will then implement. Staff is requesting that the City Council take action necessary to continue in partnership with the Energy Coalition by adopting a resolution entering into the project with nine other cities, the full support of Southern California Edison and The Gas Company, and approving the execution of the attached Memorandum of Understanding. Submitted by: ROBERT KOHN, irector Special Programs Approval: CARLOS ORTEGA, CI I MANAGER Department HEILA GILLIGASSI j NT CITY MANAGER PAUL GIBSON, FINANCE DIRECTOR COUNCIL ACTION:DENIED APPROVED .��// OTHER MEETING DATE AYES: NOES : QYkQ ABSENT : = t dY1 ABSTAIN: • VERIFIED BY: Original on File t i 3`lty Cleric's Office RESOLUTION NO. , 04-34 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ENERGY COALITION, A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION. WHEREAS, The Energy Coalition has demonstrated its ability to work with Southern California municipalities through its work in the cities of Irvine, Santa Monica, Moreno Valley, Palm Desert, Brea, and West Hollywood to provide energy efficiency programs; WHEREAS, the City of Palm Desert enters into the Community Energy Partnership, with the cities of Irvine, Santa Monica, Moreno Valley, Palm Desert, Brea, Cathedral City, Corona, San Bernardino, and Santa Clarita having been nominated by the Coalition to enter into this project; and WHEREAS, all City projects will be coordinated with City Council and the City staff liaison to ensure that proposed projects meet the City's intended energy efficiency goals and target traditionally under -served residents, schools, and businesses; and WHEREAS, the City of Palm Desert enters into this Memorandum of Understanding with the sole obligations listed therdin. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with The Energy Coalition, a registered non-profit corporation in the State of California, which in partnership with its utility partners — Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas — will provide the funding for and implementation of energy efficiency programs and services to under -served areas and populations of the City. PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Desert held this 13th day of May, 2004, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: BENSON, CRITES, KELLY, SPIEGEL NOES: NONE ABSENT: FERGUSON ABSTAIN: NONE ROBERT A. SPIEGEL, MAYOR ATTEST: RACHELLE D. KLASSEN, CITY CLERK CITY OF PALM DESERT Community Energy Partnership MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING between THE ENERGY COALITION and THE CITY OF PALM DESERT May 13, 2004 This Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Palm Desert and The Energy Coalition (the facilitating partner of the Community Energy Partnership with up to ten Southern California cities and utility partners Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas) is the beginning of a promising energy efficiency partnership. Its purpose is to forge effective strategies and programs to foster smart energy management in the City of Palm Desert and to provide a means for the City to chart its sustainable energy future. This Memorandum of Understanding prepares parties for the Community Energy Partnership and its specialized funding in the Southern California cities of Irvine, Santa Monica, Palm Desert, Moreno Valley, Brea, Cathedral City, Corona, San Bernardino, and Santa Clarita. The cities understand the value of the Community Energy Partnership to create short -mid term energy (kWh), capacity (kW), natural gas savings (therms), and dollar savings, and to shape a secure and healthy energy future. By participating in the Community Energy Partnership, The Energy Coalition will work with Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas to catalyze, facilitate, and manage a campaign for energy efficiency services in the City of Palm Desert that have the potential to save millions of dollars over time. Special emphasis will be placed on providing energy and dollar -saving measures for residents and businesses most in need of efficiency services and who have been underserved by traditional utility -driven, energy efficiency programs. 1 Energy Coalition MOU Background The Community Energy Partnership is an ongoing demonstration project of a statewide model for the delivery of energy efficiency services in California. The Two Cities Project (also known as the Regional Energy Efficiency Initiative) was operational in Irvine and Santa Monica from 1999 — 2002 and prepared the path for its expansion to the Six Cities Energy Project in 2002 2003, a "third party initiative" funded by the California Public Utilities Commission. The Community Energy Partnership expands the project to up to ten Southern California cities with an aggregate population of approximately 1,000,000. By targeting neighborhoods for specially bundled services, The Energy Coalition creates critical masses of activities that lead to synergies in service delivery for traditionally "hard -to -reach" power consumers such as low -moderate income residents, senior citizens, small businesses, school districts, and municipal facilities creating both millions of dollars of community savings and building an awareness and sense of community responsibility for local energy use. *** This Memorandum of Understanding defines the roles of the City of Palm Desert and The Energy Coalition for the years 2004 and 2005 and sets the stage for effective partnership: City Responsibilities Council Resolution: The City of Palm Desert staff will develop a staff report for a council resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign this Memorandum of Understanding for participation in the Community Energy Partnership. Staff will brief the Council about the project mechanisms and its potential for community benefit. The resolution will authorize the ongoing support and in -kind services necessary to enable and empower the Community Energy Partnership to meet or exceed its stated goals. Team Leader: The City of Palm Desert will appoint a senior staff member to serve as project liaison (known as a "Team Leader") for the Community Energy Partnership for the two-year project. The Team Leader will play a prominent role in representing the project within the City and coordinating project activities within the City. He or she will engage in routine communications with the other partner cities. All Team Leaders will participate in a two-day strategic planning forum at the onset of the project. Thereafter, Team Leaders or their assigned delegates, will participate in quarterly meetings with other partner cities throughout the project period and its final evaluation. The level of effort for this official is expected to be less than 10°A) full-time equivalent. 2 Energy Coalition MOU Staff Support: The City of Palm Desert will provide a minimum of two staff to support the designated Team Leader such that the City a) is represented at all quarterly Team Leaders meetings and other special meetings, and b) provides sufficient support to garner the full benefit of the Community Energy Partnership for the City of Palm Desert. The combined level of effort for these key positions is expected to be less than 10% full-time equivalent. Local Presence: The City Council Resolution will authorize the City to assist The Energy Coalition in effectively establishing a credible "presence" for the Community Energy Partnership within the City. This may include providing desk space for project staff at City Hall, enabling use of conference rooms, or establishing a hotline managed by the Coalition for interested participants. Project Promotion: Given the City's strong position within the community, it will be responsible for collaborative project promotion throughout the project tenure. This will include lending the City's good name and logo for project promotional materials, introducing Community Energy Partnership staff and management to key local stakeholders, linking the project with appropriate media outlets and connections, helping to identify credible implementation contractors, and highlighting other opportunities that will support the project's goals. In particular, the City will assist with effective program co -marketing and providing key linkages for success. Coalition Responsibilities Project Management: The Energy Coalition bears primary responsibility for project management throughout the term of the project. While urging local participation, the Coalition will bear responsibility to implement viable program plans with attractive offerings for residents and businesses within the City. The Coalition will assure ongoing program refinement and activities to maintain program visibility within the community. Administrative Services: The Energy Coalition will serve as the Community Energy Partnership administrator. The Coalition will maintain project fiduciary responsibility to hold. and disburse project funds from a specially arranged trust account. The Energy Coalition will pay all subcontractors and track financials for the Community Energy Partnership Executive Committee to assure that funds are carefully allocated and in full compliance with the protocols for the program as set forth by the California Public Utilities Commission. Professional Support Services: The Energy Coalition will support the City of Palm Desert and its energy efficiency initiatives using The Energy Coalition's technical support services. These include seasoned municipal energy planners, program designers, teachers and educators, marketing and communications 3 Energy Coalition MOU firms, and a cadre of engineering firms, each of which can be marshaled as needed to enact program savings and results. Tailoring Programs for the Community: At the onset of the project, Coalition staff will develop customized sets of efficiency activities in each city. These will guide the delivery of a local "efficiency campaign" that is designed, launched, and refined for maximum benefit. The Coalition will be responsible for a) the comprehensive communications and outreach campaign required, and b) the comprehensive operations required to foster effective community organizing and responsibility around energy issues. PEAK Student Energy Actions: Also at the onset of the project, Coalition staff will work with City officials to determine the opportunities for launching PEAK Student Energy Actions in the City. PEAK serves as an effective core activity for the Community Energy. Partnership. The Coalition is responsible for teacher trainings, provision of curricula, simulation software, etc, as well as supporting the program throughout the project tenure with contests, tool kits, special events, fundraisers, field trips, and summer programs. Municipal Energy Planning: Throughout the Community Energy Partnership, The Energy Coalition will work with the City of Palm Desert to develop and/or refine the City's Energy Master Plan, placing special emphasis on energy efficiency priorities and programs that serve the spectrum of energy usages in the City. This document will be a road map for energy efficiency activities in the short term, and will outline the project and will provide a ten-year plan for the City's overall smart energy management. Community Efficiency Tune -Ups: The Energy Coalition will bear primary responsibility the provision of hundreds of Community Efficiency Tune -Ups in the City of Palm Desert. The Tune -Ups in households, apartment complexes, and small businesses demonstrate the Coalition's comprehensive approach to energy and resource management in which electric, peak demand, natural gas, and water savings accrue. The Tune -Ups also highlight the hybrid approach of hard savings coupled with raising awareness about energy use and smart energy management. The Coalition takes full project management responsibility for the Tune -Ups, will select and train installation contractors, provide all program materials, "market" the program to deserving participants, and track results. Special Events: The Energy Coalition will bear primary responsibility for planning, organizing, preparing, and executing all manner of Special Events related to smart energy management in the City of Palm Desert. Special Events may be related to pre- planned community events or may be stand-alone events managed by the Coalition that serve the community organizing function of the Community Energy Partnership project and raise awareness of the value of energy and how to manage its use most wisely. 4 Energy Coalition MOU Creating Energy Champions: The Energy Coalition will take the lead in an important program feature, namely the Energy Champions Recognition Program. Working with City officials, the Coalition will publicize key individuals and organizations in the partner cities that have "gone the extra mile" to promote smart energy management. Energy Champions may appear in the papers and at City Council and School Board meetings and will be highlighted as local community leaders taking responsibility for energy use. Performance Tracking: The Energy Coalition will be fully responsible for tracking progress against goals and reporting this information on a quarterly basis to City officials. As stipulated by the contract with the California Public Utilities Commission, the Community Energy Partnership will retain an objective Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification contractor to determine baseline energy consumption and cost data, and to carefully measure short-term, mid- term, and long-term community savings. *** The above represents the Memorandum of Understanding between The Energy Coalition and the City of Palm Desert. This 13th of May, 2004. Ted Flanigan Managing Director The Energy Coalition Carlos L. Ortega City Manager Palm Desert, California 5