REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Santa Clara County Local Public Agencies Related to the Joint Funding and Operation of the Composting Education Program
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote Sustainability and Environmental Protection
BACKGROUND
The Composting Education Program is a vital initiative that directly supports the County’s waste reduction goals by engaging the community in sustainable waste management practices. Residents attend in-person classes where they are educated about home composting and are encouraged to turn food and yard waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that will benefit their gardens and landscapes. The Composting Education Program has been popular with residents in the community. In 2024, the Composting Education Program conducted 37 compost workshops, 21 events, and worked at 24 schools across Santa Clara County. This included three events with 460 attendees and four compost workshops in the City of Santa Clara, which drew a total of 82 Santa Clara residents.
The Composting Education Program has historically been funded by the Solid Waste Planning Fees (SWPF) which are assessed county-wide on each ton of waste disposed of in a landfill. In 2016, California Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) was adopted, setting goals to reduce the disposal of organic waste in landfills in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The successful implementation of the SB 1383 organics diversion programs has significantly reduced landfill disposal tonnage countywide, causing SWPF revenue to decrease. At the same time, the costs to run the programs have been increasing.
With reduced SWPF revenues and rising costs, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to the Santa Clara County Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission (RWRC) needs to find alternative funding avenues to continue providing residents access to beneficial programs. SWPF revenues alone will not be sufficient to support the future of the Composting Education Program.
The cities of Cupertino, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, and the County of Santa Clara expressed interest in continuing to provide composting education services to residents by jointly funding the cost of the Composting Education Program through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The Composting Education Program MOU was reviewed and accepted by the RWRC on August 27, 2025.
DISCUSSION
The subject MOU will ensure the ongoing operation of the Composting Education Program for participating jurisdictions that provide their respective share of costs to fund the program. The MOU’s funding will support 0.5 FTE for a Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator will collaborate with University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) staff to develop curriculum and training materials for Master Gardener volunteers to train Master Composter volunteers who deliver the training. Master composters teach composting workshops, table at public events, and present to schools and assist them with starting their own composting systems.
The MOU will fund Composting Education Program costs for the initial two years, through June 30, 2027. The MOU may be extended from July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2029, upon execution of a written amendment by all participating parties.
Below is a summary of services that will be provided under the scope of the MOU.
Educational Outreach and Workshops
• Workshop delivery - at least 20 workshops across the County, including 3-6 workshops specifically in the Central area of the county (Santa Clara).
• Community Engagement - participation in 15 community events across the County, including some in Santa Clara, such as the Eco Fair and Pomeroy Community Garden Day, as well as host six Community Composting Workdays.
• School Composting Education and Support - support at least 10 K-12 schools, 1,500 students, and installation of compost systems in up to five K-12 schools (countywide).
Technical Support and Services
• Direct Assistance - referrals, online requests.
• Resource Distribution - sale of compost bins, reducewaste.org.
Program Development and Expansion
• Regulatory Compliance Outreach - develop and expand outreach on SB 1383 requirements, organic waste recycling, food waste reduction, and curbside collection.
• Demonstration Site Operation and Enhancement
• Master Composter Volunteer Training
Cost Sharing
The Composting Education Program costs are based on population. The total amount for the term of the MOU is $233,784.77 ($116,892 in FY 2025/26 and $116,892.77 in FY 2026/27). The City of Santa Clara is 6.94 percent of the Santa Clara County population. The City of Santa Clara’s portion of the MOU is $10,199.18 for FY 2025/26 and $10,199.18 for FY 2026/27, for a total of $20,398.36 for the initial two-year term of the MOU.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonable foreseeable indirect change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of Santa Clara’s total contribution to the Composting Education Program for the initial two-year term of the MOU would be $20,398.36. The $10,199.18 contribution in FY 2025/26 is funded by SB 1383 Implementation Grant funds awarded by CalRecycle, which have been programmed into the Solid Waste Fund’s FY 2025/26 operating budget. It is not known at this time if there will be another cycle of SB 1383 Implementation Grant funding that could potentially fund the City’s $10,199.18 contribution in FY 2026/27. If there is another grant funding cycle that covers FY 2026/27 and beyond, staff will apply and designate a portion to be spent on the Composting Education Program. If grant funding is not available, a budget amendment to the Solid Waste Fund FY 2026/27 operating budget will be necessary to appropriate funds.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and the City Manager’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Santa Clara County local public agencies related to the funding and operation of the Composting Education Program on the terms presented for an initial two-year term lasting through June 30, 2027, with authority to extend on substantially the same terms for up to two additional years through June 30, 2029, in a final form approved by the City Attorney.
Staff
Reviewed by: Craig Mobeck, Director of Public Works
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. MOU