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<br />9D <br />Page 1 <br /> <br />""'..E""",..,..,.,""""" <br />'-. . .....' ". -', , <br />. - - - <br />R,,', :", '"''''''Pi''' '0''''''' '.,Ri",'T,," <br />.....--..' . "': ",,,-,",,';' .'-..' . <br />. -' . . . . <br />_" .d'_.',_ ," <br />'- ,: ,......: : -. -' <br />i,. .. _ "'" ."' -'" . .~ ~ <br />, . , . ".", , <br />: .,' ..:.. ...-.'; -' .....,..." "-. . <br /> <br />To the Ht>'n()table' CJty COUhCiI <br />Fromth~ Ma1~t <br /> <br /> <br />August 28, 2006 <br /> <br />Subject <br />Agreement for Consulting Services with W,H. Fawcett for consulting related to the City's <br />interest in the restoration of Bair Island, and restoring public access to the levees in <br />Redwood Shores, <br /> <br />Recommendation <br />Approve the Agreement for Consulting Services with W. H, Fawcett <br /> <br />Background <br />In May, 2003, the City hired William "Buzz" Fawcett, then with the lobbying firm of Perkins <br />Coie, LLC, based in Washington DC,. His initial scope of work focused on determining the <br />feasibility of developing a workable plan to address habitat and public access issues for <br />the Redwood Shores levees. The contract was for a period of six months. <br /> <br />At the end of the six month period, after numerous stakeholder meetings and research Mr. <br />Fawcett concluded that a workable plan could be developed which could balance a <br />renewal of public access to the Redwood Shores levees, with species conservation and <br />protection. The central concept relied upon looking at the larger ecosystem encompassing <br />the entire Bair Island complex, the Redwood Shores levees, and the U,S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service's (FWS) intent to restore Bair Island to tidal wetlands/habitat. <br /> <br />In January of 2004, Council authorized a contract amendment with Mr. Fawcett in the <br />amount of a $7,500 per month retainer, with funding that had already been earmarked for <br />Redwood Shores levees from GID 1-64 (Genera/Improvement District), to pursue this <br />work program. In June, 2005, Mr, Fawcett became a sole practitioner of his own firm, at <br />which time the City retained him at a reduced monthly retainer of $6,000 plus expenses. <br />For several months in 2005, Mr. Fawcett did not invoice the City in anticipation of no <br />immediate action during certain months while the Refuge and FWS were studying the <br />Environmental/mpact Statement (EIS) comments. The City Manager extended the <br />agreement with Mr. Fawcett in June, 2006 for a period of three months, <br /> <br />From 2004 through the first half of 2006, Mr. Fawcett worked closely with the City <br />Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Bair Island/Levees Land Access and City staff. The <br />critical tasks focused on the dual goals of assuring continued public access to portions of <br />Bair Island with appropriate facilities to accommodate that access, as part if its restoration <br />by the federal government, and of gaining a return of public access to certain levees in the <br />Redwood Shores area which are currently closed to public access. In brief, those critical <br />tasks included (but were not limited to): <br />