Agenda Item Wording:
title
Renewal authorization for the ECO Transitional Jobs Program - Authorization for the City Manager to approve an agreement with the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County to continue the Environmental Clean-Up Opportunities (ECO) Transitional Jobs Program through FY 2024/2025 in the amount of $245,000 from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.
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Deadline for Action: 6/3/2024
Submitting Department: Public Works
Contact Name and Phone Number: Jason Serpa, Public Works Manager, jason.serpa@visalia.city, 713-4533; Nick Bartsch, Public Work Director, nick.bartsch@visalia.city, 713-4052
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County (WIB) to continue a Transitional Jobs Program benefitting the community through more clean-up and recycling and Visalia’s homeless population through job training and opportunities. The amount of the contract is $245,000, funded by the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund (441), to pay the City’s share of the Environmental Clean-up Opportunities (ECO) program costs.
Background Discussion:
In 2017, the City of Visalia and the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County (WIB) established a program that would allow members of Visalia's homeless and low-income population to acquire the work skills necessary to obtain gainful employment while simultaneously addressing a community need, cleaning up illegally dumped material and recycling appropriate materials. Program participants are vetted and referred to the program by community partners, such as the Rescue Mission.
Upon entry to the program, participants spend up to three months working as part of a Community Services and Employment Training, Inc. (CSET) work crew, and are guided by a crew supervisor who helps prepare the participants for their transition to regular employment. Work assignments focus on picking up trash or illegally dumped material in the City right-of-way and other public areas. During this time, participants learn basic job skills such as arriving to work on time, working with others, accepting, and executing instructions, etc.
After successful completion of the initial Level I work-skills training portion of the program,
participants begin working alongside City employees in the solid waste division as a CSET level II participant under general Solid Waste Department supervision. Here, they learn to work with less direct supervision and more accountability. Work includes assembling residential trash cans, helping with deliveries, and other related duties. After acquiring skills and experience, the goal is for the participant to obtain outside employment. Since the start of the program, the City has hired 9 level II participants as hourly employees. Of those 9, 2 are still employed with the City as hourlies, 4 have moved on to better opportunities, and 2 participants have recently obtained full time employment in the City’s SWEEP program. One other employee received full time status as a solid waste driver in 2023.
Current Fiscal Year Outcomes
From July 2023 through March 2024, the ECO Program has had the following results:
Homeless Individuals:
• Referred to ECO: 307
• Attended Orientation: 71
• Completed Job Readiness: 47
Level I Crew Members: (33)
• Hours Worked: 4,323
• Total Wages Earned: $87,941
• Avg Wage Earned: $2,665
Level II Crew Members: (14)
• Hours Worked: 2,577
• Total Wages Earned: $50,176
• Avg Wage Earned: $3,584
Level I ECO Material Count (Litter Abatement)
• Total pounds of trash and misc. debris removed: 194,850
• Average month pounds of trash/misc. removed: 21,650
Goal versus Actual number of participants
|
|
Goal |
Actual FY22/23 |
Actual FY23/24 (July - March) |
|
Level I |
40 |
49 |
33 |
|
Level II |
20 |
13 |
14 |
|
Employment |
24 |
22 |
5 |
In comparison to the previous year at this time, the total average wage paid to a level 1 and level 2 participant increased by $500. The amount of litter picked up increased nominally from 194,155 lbs. to 194,850 lbs.
ECO participants also continue to obtain employment at a high rate as compared to the goals of the program. The goal of 24 placements was almost met with 22 placements completed in FY 22/23, with this fiscal year off the pace with only 5 placements. Even though there will be participants meeting the employment goal for the rest of the year, the WIB has mentioned that certain factors including the shift to an employer’s market has impacted the employment pool. It is also important to note that these placements are based only on the participants that complete the orientation. Out of the 307 total individuals that were referred to the program, there are some that obtain employment before attending orientation, realizing success before beginning the program. The opportunity to be part of the program is a good incentive to get people involved with the WIB and actively looking for employment, which can be achieved for some without entering the ECO program.
The City is receiving Level II participants at a regular rate and is seeing a benefit for the Solid Waste Department. Even though the primary goal is the success of the participants, it becomes a win-win situation if the City of Visalia is able to fill hourly vacancies with these participants while they are on their success path. In addition to being a resource for level 2 hourly workers, the level 1 crew managed by CSET has always been willing to help City staff if a cleanup is needed and staff is short or unavailable.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding for this program is partially offset from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund (441) Bottle Bill Revenues (Approximately $36,500) and savings from the four Solid Waste hourly positions that are held vacant since the work is performed through the ECO program. In addition, the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund realizes savings from the illegal dumping that is picked up throughout the City. Not only does this bring down the total tonnage cost of pickups, but it also decreases the number of times the City utilizes the contractor or our new SWEEP program for illegal dumping and increases our recycling rates.
The City of Visalia’s portion of the program is $245,000 and is disbursed based on actual cost. The budget for FY 23/24 is $15,000 more than the previous year and primarily pays for operational costs of the program including vehicles, supplies, the crew supervisor, and program coordinator. The total budget increase is due to the wage increases and a small increase in total participant hours per the budget supplied by the Workforce Investment Board. If the actual costs come in less, the remainder goes back to the Solid Waste Fund.
The proposed budget is as follows:
Project Costs
City of Visalia $245,000
Workforce Investment Board $245,000
Total Cost $490,000
Prior Council Action: March 6, 2017 - Initial Program authorization June 18, 2018 - Program reauthorization for FY 18/19 June 3, 2019 - Program reauthorization for FY 19/20 June 5, 2020 - Program reauthorization for FY 20/21 June 7, 2021 - Program reauthorization for FY 21/22 June 20,2022 - Program reauthorization for FY 22/23 May 15, 2023 - Program reauthorization for FY 23/24
Other: N/A
Alternatives: Decline reauthorization and discontinue program. This alternative is not recommended as the program provides tangible benefit to the City at a reasonable cost.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County to continue a Transitional Jobs Program (ECO) in the amount of $245,000 to be paid for out of the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund (441).
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: FY 24/25 Draft MOU