Approve fifth amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with Yolo Habitat Conservancy regarding administrative services. (No general fund impact) (Lindbo/Cormier)

Approve fifth amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Yolo Habitat Conservancy regarding administrative services (Attachment A).

The Yolo Habitat Conservancy is a joint powers agency comprised of the County of Yolo and the cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, and Woodland. In 2020, the County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Conservancy to provide administrative services, including staffing the Executive Director role, which serves as the administrative officer for the agency. Currently, the Department of Community Services provides staff administrative services for the Conservancy in accordance with the MOU.  Elisa Sabatini, former Manager of Natural Resources, was the County staff member most recently appointed to act as the Executive Director, but has since left her position with the County leaving the Executive Director position vacant.

In an effort to ensure the Yolo Habitat Conservancy is able to continue to operate smoothly, its Board of Directors took action at the December 9, 2024, meeting to appoint Christine Alford, Alford Environmental, as Interim Executive Director while the County's staff position is vacant.  Ms. Alford is uniquely qualified to fill this role having worked for the Conservancy for the last ten years, acting as the Conservancy's Deputy Director for the six years prior to the establishment of the MOU, which transferred administrative management over to the County. This interim appointment is a short-term measure which will provide for the development of a work plan and staffing recommendations for the Conservancy that will take into consideration anticipated capacity needs of the Conservancy over the next five years. The County will continue to provide financial, legal, human resources, and all other general administrative services.

The Conservancy's Board of Directors approved an amendment to the MOU to allow the County to delegate the Executive Director position and other administrative staff roles to outside contractors (Attachment A). Staff is now seeking approval from the Board of Supervisors of this minor amendment to the MOU.

Yolo Habitat Conservancy and Office of the County Counsel