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Council authorizes up to $50,000 for city consultant to shape local outreach on Cal Am’s $3 million Coastal Commission fund
Summary
The City Council approved hiring a consultant (not to exceed $50,000) to develop a Marina‑led community engagement plan so council input can be submitted to the Coastal Commission about how Cal Am’s $3 million condition should be spent.
The Marina City Council voted Feb. 19 to authorize the city manager to hire a consultant to help the city develop a community engagement plan regarding a $3 million payment required of California American Water (Cal Am) under Coastal Commission approval conditions. The council approved the authorization on a voice vote; staff set a not‑to‑exceed amount of $50,000.
City Manager Lane Long explained the context: when the Coastal Commission approved Cal Am’s project with conditions, Cal Am was required to fund coastal‑access and recreation improvements and provided $3 million that will flow to local projects. The Coastal Commission contracted EnviroGage (the transcript names EnviroGauge/EnviroGage) to do a city‑level outreach survey on Cal Am’s behalf; EnviroGage will report directly to the Coastal Commission.
Long told the council that staff raised concerns with the Coastal Commission about the process because the council is the elected body that represents Marina residents and should be able to present city‑led input. The Coastal Commission agreed that a council‑driven plan could be influential, Long said, but the EnviroGage outreach is already under way and reportedly more extensive than the city’s capacity—advertising, canvassing, and broad polling paid for by Cal Am.
Staff recommended hiring a neutral facilitator/consultant to design a concise, city‑led process that would gather resident priorities, coordinate with EnviroGage’s work and produce a council‑adopted recommendation to the Coastal Commission. The consultant would run focused workshops and compile city‑approved findings to ensure the City of Marina’s voice is formalized and given weight.
Council member McAdams said the city should present focused options and budget‑conscious priorities to the public, not open‑ended “would you like a spaceship” questionnaires. Council member McCarthy urged speed and lean execution. Council members also suggested mailers, translation in multiple languages, and outreach at the farmers market.
The council voted to proceed and authorized the city manager to hire a consultant for up to $50,000 to assist with the city’s community engagement plan. Council member McCarthy moved the item; it was seconded and passed by unanimous voice vote.
Ending: Staff will develop a city engagement process, coordinate with EnviroGage’s data where possible, and return to council with recommendations and any budget adjustments.
