The City of Willits and Willits Economic Localization Sustainable…

The City of Willits and Willits Economic Localization

Sustainable Development Program 2008

The CALTRANS Environmental Justice Grant Application

Program Overview:
The California Department of Transportation provides funding through their Transportation Planning
Grant Program for projects that address local needs and issues and that meet one or more of the
following statewide transportation planning goals;
    1. Smart or strategic land use and opportunities for affordable housing and jobs.
    2. Congestion relief.
    3. Efficient movement of people, goods, and services.
    4. Safe and healthy communities.
    5. Pedestrian, bicycle, and transit mobility and access.
    6. Public stakeholder participation.
    7. Measures to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
    8. Conservation of energy and other natural resources.
    9. Protection of sensitive habitat and farmland.

WELL and other local citizens have assisted City Staff in preparing the grant application. The project
includes the collection of data, production of a scale model of much of downtown Willits, convening
stakeholder and focus group meetings and workshops, formulating and recommending plans,
programs and policies to the City.

We anticipate that the program will span 16 months with a likely in the Fall of 2008. WELL will be
administering the grant and is seeking applications from local residents who want to be project phase
leaders. These will be paid positions that will require professional level work. The payment and
contract terms have yet to be decided and will be contingent upon the grant award.

Project Phases
   ·   Phase 1. Programming and Administration
   ·   Phase 2. Data Collection and Inventory
   ·   Phase 3. Scale Model of central Willits
   ·   Phase 4. Events Management and Public Outreach
   ·   Phase 5. 12 Focus Group Meetings
   ·   Phase 6. 12 Public Workshops
         1. How do we get there from here? Mainstreaming sustainability.
         2. Homegrown economy. Maximizing local exchange, production, consumption.
         3. Optimizing the transportation grid for all users and modes. Minimizing travel.
         4. Harnessing the full potential of the Miracle Mile. Main Street unites community.
         5. Green affordable housing, urban design, architecture. Access and opportunity.
         6. Financing sustainability from the private and public sector.
         7. Energy production and efficiency. Balanced portfolio of energy solutions.
         8. Water use and watershed management. Facilitating sustainable development.
         9. Food production/distribution. Minimizing impacts, risks and waste by localization.
         10. Harnessing and restoring the value of local raw materials and manufacturing.
         11. Emergency response, safety, security. Minimizing exposure to injury.
         12. Sustainable healthcare, education and other civic institutions.
   · Phase 7. Produce Final report, Film and Recommendations
   · Phase 8. Final Presentation
   · Phase 9. Forward Implementation of Plan
The 20 page detailed grant application can be viewed on WELL's website and at the WELL office.

Project Phase Leaders
   ·   At this time WELL is seeking 5 project phase leaders for phases 2-6. Applicants should
       familiarize themselves with the grant application and meet the selection criteria below.
   ·   This announcement is also on WELL's website and will be sent to the local press in early
       February 2008
   ·   Project phase leaders should be local residents from our 95490 zip code and submit their
       applications in hard copy to the WELL office by the 31st. March 2008.
   ·   The selection committee will present a half page `justification' letter for each selected project
       phase leader
   ·   Final selection will happen during April 2008

Selection Criteria
The criteria that will be used to select project phase leaders are the following:
   1. A proven track record in delivering professional level work in the respective phase.
   2. A written submission detailing a design, plan and execution of the phase.
   3. An ability and willingness to manage a team of volunteers.
   4. Be responsible for time management requirements, ongoing documentation of work and
       collaboration with other project phase leaders.
   5. Represent the program to the public in a professional manner.
   6. Show a good understanding of sustainability issues.
   7. Be contractually required to see their task assignments through to completion.

Selection of Applicants
   ·   The selection committee of 3 will be Quinton Rowland, the program manager, Alan Fellari,
       representing the City of Willits and one other local resident (to be decided) who has grant
       related experience and not directly associated with the program.
   ·   Task leader selection will be based on the selection criteria and committee choices will be
       final.
   ·   Interviews will be conducted during April 2008 at the WELL office (dates and times to be
       announced) and the final selection will be made public at the end of April 2008

Notes
   ·   Budgets, task assignment fees and the overall financial management of the work will be set by
       the program committee comprising the program director and project phase leaders along with
       The City of Willits program representative.
   ·   Contracts for work will only be decided after the grant has been approved.
   ·    Some outside experts may be contracted to present in the public workshops (phase 6). The
       list will be drawn up by the core program team and applications will be sought in early May
       2008 to give applicants plenty of lead time.
   ·    CALTRANS will require regular (monthly) reports on progress as part of their program
       oversight. Each project phase leader will be responsible for their respective reporting.