Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, County Health
Heather Forshey, Director, Environmental Health Services
Subject: Authorization to Apply for and Accept All Available Recreational Beach Monitoring Program Funds from the State Water Resources Control Board
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing:
A) The County of San Mateo to apply for and accept all available funds from the State Water Resources Control Board for Recreational Beach Monitoring Programs for Fiscal Years 2025-26 through 2027-28; and
B) The Chief of County Health or designee to execute in the name of San Mateo County all necessary applications, agreements, amendments, payment requests, and all other documents necessary for the purposes of securing grant funds, implementing the approved grant projects, and carrying out the purposes specified in the grant applications for Fiscal Years 2025-26 through 2027-28.
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BACKGROUND:
Section 115875-115915 of the California Health and Safety Code (H&S Code) requires coastal counties to perform beach sampling and public notification on coastal and San Francisco Bay beaches. Monitoring standards have been developed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
The San Mateo County Health Environmental Health Services Division (EHS) collects water samples from public beaches to evaluate the presence of unhealthy levels of bacteria. When bacterial counts exceed H&S Code standards, the public is notified by beach postings, website updates, email notifications, and a telephone hotline. The purpose of the public notification is to help reduce and prevent the spread of disease.
DISCUSSION:
EHS has received grant funds from CDPH and SWRCB for recreational beach monitoring programs since 1999. CDPH and SWRCB grantees are generally given a three-week turnaround to submit a fully executed contract. The CDPH and SWRCB require a Board-approved resolution authorizing acceptance of grant funds and executing the agreement, if anyone other than the Board will be signing the grant agreement. To meet the compressed timeline, we are requesting that this Board authorize the Chief of County Health, or designee, to apply for and accept the grant and execute all necessary documents. Those documents include applications, agreements, amendments, payment requests, and all other documents necessary for the purposes of securing grant funds, implementing the approved projects, and carrying out the purposes specified in the grant applications we submit.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
It is anticipated that the County beaches are open for use 99% of the time, due in part to EHS’ monitoring efforts.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2023-24 Actual |
FY 2024-25 Estimated |
|
Percent of time County beaches are open for use |
99% |
99% |
EQUITY IMPACT:
This resolution will positively impact all County visitors and residents, especially those underserved communities that may be disproportionally impacted by exposure to poor water quality at swimming beaches on both the Pacific and Bay sides of the County. Acceptance of State grant funds allows for continued sampling and posting of results of bacteria testing of water from swimming beaches within the County. Additionally, recreational beach monitoring program test results are available on the EHS public website, where they can be easily translated into a variety of languages via the Google Translate interface.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of this agreement covers Fiscal Years 2025-26 through 2027-28. Revenue and expenditures associated with the grants will be included in EHS’ respective budgets. Because the County is receiving funds, there is no Net County Cost associated with this agreement.