ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE
1.	CONSIDER EXPENDITURE OF BUDGETED FUNDS TO PURCHASE A WEBSITE SOFTWARE LICENSE FOR WATER WISE GARDENING IN MONTEREY COUNTY
Meeting Date:		February 12, 2010	Budgeted:	Yes
From:		Darby Fuerst,	Program/	7813.86
		General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:		Stephanie Pintar	Cost Estimate:	$5,250
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee considered this item on February 12, 2010 and recommended ____________.
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: In 2009, the District purchased an annual license for the Water Wise Gardening software 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 2009, the District had over 2,000 hits on the Water Wise Gardening software.

District staff is requesting authorization to renew its one-year license and add 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 actual cost to the District is expected to be less than $2,000, after reimbursement for a portion of the costs by WAC, Marina Coast Water District, and California American Water. A portion of the payment ($1,000) is a reimbursable cost through California American Water.

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 February 12, 2010 meeting and voted to recommend __________.

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 reduce 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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