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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3.C 10/15/2012 ARendew"te ni#3 .C cALG 1859 DATE: October 15, 2012 TO Honorable Mayot.and`Memb�eerss of the City Council through City Manager FROM V` : Claire Cooper, City Clerk ' SUBJECT: Resolution Approving Agreement:with the County of Sonoma for the Purpose of Conducting,Consolidated Municipal Elections for the City of Petaluma, and Authorizing the City Manager to Sign Said Agreement. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council,:adopt the attached Resolution Approving Agreement with the County of Sonoma for the Purpose of Conducting Consolidated Municipal Elections for the City of Petaluma, and Authorizing the City Manager to,Sign Said Agreement. BACKGROUND The City of Petaluma contracts?with Sonoma County to consolidate municipal elections. After each election, the City receives,an°invoice from the County for its portion of the election costs. This does not include the cost of candidate statements for Council.Member candidates. Those costs are covered by the candidates themselves. The City's current contract with Sonoma County will expire December 31, 2012. The new agreement will extend through December 31, 2017. DISCUSSION There are two substantive changes from the current contract. Added are: 1. A requirement(that if either party wants to terminate, they must do so at'the time of annual budget discussions, With ninety days' notice. 2. Language in the workers'compensation liability and indemnification paragraph (#8) that provides that the City,shall not be liable for payment based on joint and several liability to any third parties, butonlyto the County, in the event the City's actions are a basis for liability. Minor, non-substantive"changes include the addition of standard contractual recitals on severability, entire agreement;joint drafting, and execution in,counterparts. Agenda Review: City Attorney \+�/ x Finance Director City Man FINANCIAL,.IMPACTS The City reimburses the County for its cost of election services. For FY 2012-2013, we have budgeted $37,000 toward this expense. The City's share of the 2010 election costs was about $39,000. ATTACHMENTS 1. Resolution Approving Agreement and Authorizing the City Manager to Sign Said Agreement. 2. Agreement with County of Sonoma to Consolidate Municipal.Elections for the City of Petaluma. (Exhibit A to Resolution). Resolution No. 2012-XXX:N.C:S. • of the City of Petaluma, California. APPROVING AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF SONOMA FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING CONSOLIDATED MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS FOR THE CITY OF PETALUMA WHEREAS, the current contract with the County of Sonoma to conduct elections for the City of Petaluma expires December 31, 2012 and the City wishes to continue such contract with the County; and, WHEREAS, to do so will require a new agreement with the County of Sonoma for the purpose of conducting municipal elections for the City of Petaluma. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Manager is hereby authorized to sign an Agreement with the County of Sonoma for the purpose of conducting elections for the City of Petaluma, attached as Exhibit "A." Under the power and authority conferred upon this Council by the Charter of said City. REFERENCE: I hereby certify the foregoing.Resolution was-introducedand adopted by the Approved as to Council of the City of Petaluma at a Regular meeting on the 151h day of October, form: 2012. by the following.vote: City Attorney AYES: Albertson,Barrett, Mayor Glass. Harris, I lealy,Kearney, Vice Mayor Renee NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: City Clerk Mayor 3 Exhibit A to Resolution • AGREEMENT FOR-ELECTION SERVICES THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into.on,January 1, 2013, by and between the COUNTY OF SONOMA, a political sdbdivision.of the State of California, hereinafter referred to as.the "County," and the CITY OF PETALUMA, a municipal corporation, hereinafter referred to as the "City." The parties mutually agree as follows: I. This Agreement is madeand entered into pursuant to Government Code Section 51300 et seq. and is subject to all the provisions thereof. 2. At the City's request, the County shall render the,following services to the'City' a. Conduct, manage, and supervise all municipal elections held within the City during this period pursuant to all.applicable state and federal laws governing the conduct of municipal elections; b. Procure and furnish all supplies and equipment to be used in said elections, including those supplies required to meet the federal I-IelpAmerica Vote Act.(HAVA); c. Perform all related:services and functions necessary to;the•accomplishment of this Agreement including;any additional language requirements that may be imposed as a result of the federal'Voting"Rights Act during the term of this Agreement. 3. This Agreement shall be in effect once signed by both,parties, beginning January 1, 2013 and shall continue in force and effect until notice of termination is given or December 31, 2017, whichever occurs first.. 4. For the purposes of conducting said elections, the Sonoma County Clerk and Registrar of Voters shall exercise such powers and duties conferred by law upon the clerk of the City with respect to elections, as agreed to by both parties. Such duties shall include, but not be limited to, those powers and duties set forth in Division 3, commencing with Section 3000; Division 10, Part 2, commencing with Section 10100, excluding the issuance and filing of nomination documents unless'Specifically agreed upon in..writing.by the Registrar of Voters and the City Clerk,not less than 180 days prior to,the date of the municipal election; Division 13, commencing with Section 13000; and Division 15, commencing with Section 15000, of the California Elections Code. 5. The•County shall not be obligated to conduct any election, the procedures for the administration of which are not specified instate law; nor any election which employs any meth"od of tabulation of votes other than a"one vote equals one vote" manner, including, but not limited.to, those methods referred to as choice voting, cumulative voting, distributive voting, instant run-off voting, ranked choice voting, limited voting,•or preferential voting.,Adoption,.by the City ofan alternative method of voting,terminates this contract;unless both parties;agree in writing to amend the Agreement to provide for administration of the;altemative voting method. 4- 6. Upon the completion.of the,official canvass of the votes cast, and upon proper demand by the County, the City shall forthwith reimburse•the County for any and all expenses incurred by the County in connection with said election as follows:. a: EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES: i. The County shall procure all equipment and supplies in the name of, and on behalf of, the City. ii. The amount, source and nature of said equipment and supplies will be determined in accordance with applicablelaws. The County will have complete discretion in making determinations in procurement of equipment and supplies. in Expenses incurred by the County in the accomplishment of this Section 6 of the Agreement shall, at the option of the County, either be paid directly by the City upon confirmation by the County; or shall be paid+to the County upon proper demand. b. POSTAGE: Postage shall, upon request of the County, either be prepaid by the City by warrant in the requested amount payable to the U.S. Postal Service or'bepaid to the County upon proper demand. c. POLLING PLACES AND ELECTION OFFICIALS: The City shall, upon proper demand, pay its pro-rata share of polling place expenses and compensation of election officials'attributable to the conduct of such election, including the cost of insurance if necessary. d. COUNTY STAFF SERVICES AND SUPPLIES: The City shall pay its pro-rata share of expenses incurred by the County for staff services and use of County supplies."Expenses"Has used:in this subsection shall include the cost • or the reasonable value of the following: i. Time and effort expended by County officers and employees; ii. Equipment and supplies furnished by the County; iii. Any other necessary expenditures made by the County in the accomplishment of this Agreement. e. CORRECTIONS The City agrees to bear the cost of correcting errors, including reprinting and mailing of information, if determined to be necessary, once the City Clerk has approved the final typeset version of ballot materials. 7. The City shall provide suitable locations for polling places and/or the consolidation of returns•andperform any other necessary functions, including the issuance of Vote.by Mail ballots or establishment of Vote by Mail drop-off of early voting locations, if requested by the County. S 8. County employees assigned to'duties in the performance of this Agreement shall remain at all times:under supervision oncontrol of the County. The City shall,exercise no supervision or control of such-employees. If questions arise on the part`of the City as to performance, such.questionsshall be,referred'directly to the County Clerk and Registrar of Voters as the supervisor•"of such;employees, and the determination or resolution of questions or problems shall be settled as mutually agreed upon by the parties to this Agreement. For purposes of workers'compensation insurance, it is intended that all persons performing services under this Agreement shall remain in the?general service of the County, and that their services on behalfof the City shall be considered a special employment which shall not subject the City to liability under workers''compensation laws. However;,it is understood that the County, in computing the cost ofitsservices hereunder, may take into account its direct cost of providing workers' compensation insurance coverage for such employees in proportion to time spent in the performance of this Agreement. The County shall hold harmless, defend and indemnify the City fromand';against any liability, claims, actions, costs,.damages or losses to any person, or damage to any property, arising out of the County's activities under this Agreement. The City shall hold harmless, defend and indemnify the County from and against any liability, claims, actions, costs, damagesor losses to any person, or damage to any property, arising out of the.City's activities under this Agreement. The County, in computing its cosis.ofservices under this Agreement, may take into account the direct cost of providing adequate.liability insurance to cover operations under this Agreement. The parties understand that each party maintains insurance programs under workers' compensation laws and in protection of various other liability risks and exposures; each party shall continue to maintain such,programs as a matter,of its own discretion. In the event liability is imposed upon the parties to this Agreement under any circumstances in which the above provisions of this paragraph do not control, and.ifthe liability is joint,and several, the parties shall contribute equally to the settlement of any claim or judgment. The City shall not be obligated or liable for payment hereunder to any party other than the County. 9. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve the City of the ultimate responsibility for canvassing the returns of;anyel'eetion held hereunder, nor shall'the County be obligated in any case to defend.or-prosecute any action at law or equity arising out of any such election or contesting the validity of any such•,election. The City shall be responsible for defending any court action'brought to challenge any election held pursuant to this Agreement. 10. It is expressly recognized that,this Agreement transfers.ministerial duties only. In the event that policy.questions arise, such questi'ons'will be referred to the City for decision by the appropriate City officials. 11. For any fiscal,year commencing after December 31, 20.12,either the City'or the.County, at the time of its respective annual budget deliberations, may terminate this_Agreement by giving the other party a-90-day written notice of termination. In such event, the County will not be responsible,forthe conduct of elections occurring;thereafter. If no such notice is given, this Agreement will be deemed to have been,renewed for an additional term of one year. 12. Any notices regarding termination or amendment to the Agreement,or demand for payment,;shall be in writing:and either served personally or sent-by prepaid, first class mail. Any such notice; demand,,etc: shall be addressed to the other party at the address set forth herein'helow. Either party may change its address'by notifying the other party of the change of address. Notice shall be deemed communicated within 48 hours from the time of mailing if mailed as provided in this section. To City: City Clerk • City of Petaluma 11 English:Street Petaluma, CA 94952 To County: County Clerk-Registrar of Voters P.O. Box 11485 Santa Rosa, CA 95406-1485 13. This Agreement constitutes the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between the County and the City and shall supersede any previous agreements, whether verbal or written, concerning the same subject matter. 14. No failure on the part of either party to exercise any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any other right or remedy that party may have hereunder. 15. If any one or more of provisions contained herein shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect,then such provision or provisions shall be deemed severable from the remaining provisions'hereof, and such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof, and this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had not been contained herein. 16. This Agreement may be executed in several-counterparts;'each of which shall,constitute one and the same instrument and shall become binding upon the parties when at least one copy hereof shall have been signed by both parties hereto. In approving this Agreement, it shall not be necessary to produce or account for more than one such counterpart. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, theparties,hereto have affixed their hands and seals. COUNTY OF SONOMA (SEAL) BY: CHAIR SONOMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DATE: ATTEST: COUNTY CLERK & REGISTRAR OF VOTERS BY: DATE: CITY OF PETALUMA (SEAL) BY: CITY MANAGER DATE: ATTEST: CITY CLERK BY: DATE: