REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 08/02/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Council Member Jim Steiner
SUBJECT:
Title
ADVANCE TRAVEL REQUEST FOR COUNCIL MEMBER JIM STEINER TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT THE CALIFORNIA STATE CAPITOL
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to consider approving the advance travel request for Council Member Jim Steiner, to attend meetings at the California State Capitol as a member of the Santa Ana River Consulate Delegation.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council approve the advance travel request for Council Member Jim Steiner to attend meetings at the State Capitol as a member of the Santa Ana River Consulate Delegation. The estimated total cost for the requested trip is $1,291.24, which includes airfare, hotel, transportation, meals, and other related fees.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Santa Ana River Trail offers opportunities along its full extent for local outdoor recreation while also connecting inland communities to the California Coastal Trail. The Trail spans 3 counties (Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino) and connects 17 cities, offering opportunities for local outdoor access along its entire extent. More than seven million people live in the three counties that the trail connects. To date, 68 miles of the Santa Ana River Trail have been completed or are under construction. Completion of the trail is the starting point in the restoration and revitalization of the 100-mile Santa Ana River and its more than 600 miles of tributaries.
The sheer number of agencies and organizations with interests in the Santa Ana River makes collaboration and cooperation an absolute necessity. Recognizing the significant stakeholder engagement already active in the region, the Santa Ana River Consulate Delegate works closely with the region’s counties, cities, other federal, state, and local agencies, and non-profits to promote and sustain collaboration around opportunities relating to the River.
ANALYSIS:
Administration Policy No. 01200.001 (Travel and Other Expense Reimbursement Policy) requires all City Officials to obtain advanced approval from the City Council for trips involving overnight stays or travel by air.
The Santa Ana River Consulate Delegation will travel to Sacramento, California on August 15th - 17th, 2023 to meet with different State Senators and Assembly Members to discuss the Santa Ana River Trails and Parkways for potential funding and conservation opportunities. Council Member Steiner is a member of this delegation and, per the Administration Policy, seeking pre-approval from the City Council for travel expenses related to his participation in the meetings.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The estimated total cost of the recommended action is $1,291.24, which includes airfare, hotel, transportation, meals, and other related fees. Funding is available within the approved Fiscal Year 2024 City Council Operating Budget. A full summary of the estimated cost is included in the attached City Official Advanced Travel Request Form (Exhibit 1).
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) for the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action is for an advance travel request. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: ANGELA NIETO, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
REVIEWED BY: JACOB ELLIS, CITY MANAGER
Attachment:
1. Exhibit 1 - City Official Advance Travel Request