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HCOG staff propose funding MOU and 5-year term to house RCAP manager; RCEA also under consideration
Summary
Staff reported legal counsel found HCOG's JPA broad enough to host an advisory RCAP manager without amending the JPA, proposed a draft regional funding MOU with agency-proportional shares, presented a draft salary range of $105,000–$128,000 and a proposed five-year funding term, and said the region will also explore housing the role at RCEA.
Humboldt County Association of Governments staff updated the board Jan. 15 on ongoing work to determine a home for the Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) program manager and the structure of a regional climate committee.
Staff said a legal review found HCOG’s existing joint-powers cooperative agreement is broad enough to accept an advisory and oversight role for RCAP work without a formal amendment, provided the agency’s role remains advisory rather than an implementation authority. To secure funding for a permanent position, staff presented a draft regional funding memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would ask local agencies to pay proportional shares based on population. The MOU as presented included a proposed wage range of $105,000 to $128,000 and a suggested five-year funding commitment to give stability to a new climate program manager.
Staff also outlined two organizational scenarios: (1) housing the manager at HCOG in an advisory/oversight capacity, where the position would report to HCOG’s executive director; or (2) housing it at the Redwood Community Energy Agency (RCEA), which staff and some regional partners say has larger staff and more implementation experience, particularly on charging infrastructure and procurements. The regional working group recommended exploring both HCOG and RCEA; staff said RCEA’s board would consider the matter the following week and that the regional group would reconvene to produce a recommendation.
Board members asked whether the MOU work and draft job description would be transferable if the position lands at either agency; staff said much of the early work, including draft MOUs and job descriptions, would transfer. Staff requested affirmative direction at minimum to continue exploring HCOG as an option and pursue the MOU and job description development.
No final board action to accept the MOU or to designate a host agency was taken at the meeting; staff indicated the matter would return as an action item after additional coordination with RCEA and local agencies.
