ITEM:		CONSENT CALENDAR
4.	CONSIDER EXPENDITURE OF BUDGETED FUNDS (REIMBURSABLE, EXEMPT FROM SPENDING FREEZE) FOR PURCHASE OF INTERNET LICENSE FOR WATER WISE GARDENING IN MONTEREY COUNTY
Meeting Date:			April 18, 2011	Budgeted:	Yes
From:			Darby Fuerst,	Program/	7813.86
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Stephanie Pintar	Cost Estimate:	$5,250 (Reimburseable)
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee considered this item on April 11, 2011 and recommended approval.
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: In 2009, the District purchased an annual license for the Water Wise Gardening for Monterey County. The license is $5,000 per year and allows unlimited links to the host website. For an additional $250, additional frames can be purchased that allow the website to track user statistics. Monthly web traffic reports that provide detailed information about the visitors that visit the software are included in the license. During 2010, the District had over 4,753 unique visit hits on the Water Wise Gardening software.

District staff is requesting authorization to renew its one-year license and one additional frame to enable implementation of the Water Wise Gardening for Monterey County software on the Water Awareness Committee (WAC) of Monterey County website with a link to MPWMD’s website. The website license is a shared cost between WAC and Marina Coast Water District. All District costs are reimburseable through the 2009-2011 conservation budget approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2009.

RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Administrative Committee approve expenditure of $5,250 and authorize the General Manager to renew the contract with GardenSoft to purchase a web license and additional frame for the Water Wise Gardening for Monterey County software. Funding is currently in the budget for this project under 4-2-1, Community Outreach and 4-2-2, Conservation Programs.

The Administrative Committee reviewed this item at its April 11, 2011, meeting and voted 2 to 0 to recommend approval.

BACKGROUND: In 2005, WAC contracted with GardenSoft to develop a Water Wise Gardening CD-ROM tailored to Monterey County. General distribution of the CD has occurred in all areas of Monterey County that are served by WAC members and by participants in the project. As landscaping irrigation generates the largest water usage on residential properties, and with evolving County, City, and District landscape requirements and ordinances, the information provided helps property owners be “garden smart” and reducing water use while still meeting any landscaping requirements. This is done with the user-friendly access and direction provided by the Water Wise software. The development of the CD master cost $15,000, which was divided up among the project participants. The CD-ROMs were purchased at a bulk cost of $3.15 each.

The CD-ROM provides photos of various types of local gardens; examples of front and back yards, hillsides, raised planters, shrub and perennial borders, walkways, parking strips, patio areas, theme gardens, native gardens, decks, fences, gates, surfaces, benches, trellises, low-maintenance gardens, and Mediterranean style gardens. There are hot-links embedded within the garden images of plants which link to photography, plant or material identification, and related information. Users are able to search for plants relevant to specific Monterey County areas by botanical name or common name, by look or color, by general variety, and much more. A brief questionnaire leads the user to the appropriate plants to solve their gardening wants or needs. A series of information pages are provided that list watering tips on a month-by-month basis and general lawn and planting area instructions for each month of the year. Finally, a list of all cooperating agencies, cities, and groups is listed within the software.

EXHIBITS

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