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DATE: |
October 22, 2025 |
01 |
SUBJECT
Title
SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT OF GIFTS AND DONATIONS AND RATIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS AND DONATIONS EXCEEDING $5,000 TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND QUALITY AND RELATED CEQA EXEMPTION (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The County of San Diego (County) Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) periodically receives gifts and donations from organizations such as non-profit and professional associations that are interested in expanding DEHQ expertise and supporting its programs and training events by offsetting costs through both cash and non-cash donations.
During the period of January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025, DEHQ received one $36,234.48 non-cash donation from the California Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Forum Board to be used specifically for professional conferences and associated fees. The donation covered 50% of registration fees and travel costs for 30 DEHQ staff and 100% of registration fees and travel costs for three staff as speakers to attend a professional association conference for the CUPA hosted by the California CUPA Forum Board. Attendance supports DEHQ staff training in hazardous waste and materials laws and regulations.
County Board of Supervisors (Board) Policy A-112, Acceptance and Use of Gifts and Donations, permits the acceptance of donations by the administrative head of each department of the County if specified conditions are met. County Administrative Code Section 66, Acceptance of Gifts, requires Board ratification of the acceptance of such gifts and approval prior to the expenditure of the gift, if the gift exceeds $5,000.
Today’s proposed actions are to accept DEHQ’s Report of Gifts and Donations for the period of January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025, and to ratify the acceptance and expenditure of gifts by DEHQ that exceeded $5,000. Donations received during this reporting period from a non-profit and professional association were used to support DEHQ staff training.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. Find that the proposed action is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15060(c)(3) because it will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and the action is not a project as defined in Section 15378(b)(5) of the State CEQA Guidelines.
2. In accordance with Administrative Code, Section 66, Acceptance of Gifts, and Board Policy A-112, Acceptance and Use of Gifts and Donations, accept the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality Report of Gifts and Donations from the California CUPA Forum Board for the period of January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025.
3. In accordance with Administrative Code Section 66 and Board Policy A-112, ratify the acceptance and expenditure of gifts from the California CUPA Forum for the period of January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025, that exceeded $5,000.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) periodically receives gifts and donations from organizations such as non-profit and professional associations that are interested in expanding DEHQ expertise and supporting its programs and training events by offsetting costs through donations. A total of 33 staff were able to attend a training event and benefit from this donation. The partnership between DEHQ and these non-profit and professional associations helps strengthen and maximize impacts to communities throughout the region by ensuring DEHQ staff have access to continuing education sessions and professional credentialing, which benefits the County and the public it serves by enhancing technical expertise, knowledge of emerging technologies, and changes in laws and regulations to ensure consistent regulatory program implementation and compliance in all communities. Gifts and donations received are monitored and publicly disclosed in accordance with all County policies. Expenditures are internally tracked by DEHQ to ensure transparency and accountability of donations and gifts received and to provide for the equitable distribution of resources.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The proposed actions contribute to the County of San Diego’s (County) Sustainability Goals: to provide just and equitable access. The proposed actions contribute to the County Sustainability Goal No. 2 to provide just and equitable access to the County’s available resources with services to maintain fiscal stability and promote economic stability. Donations received during this reporting period from a non-profit and professional association were used to support DEHQ staff training.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with these recommendations. The Department of Environmental Health and Quality received $36,234.48 in non-cash donations for the period of January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025. These gifts and donations were used to support training and conference attendance. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
The Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) enhances the quality of life in the region by protecting public health and safeguarding environmental quality, educating the public to increase environmental awareness, and implementing and enforcing local, state, and federal environmental laws. DEHQ oversees over 40 different public or environmental health regulatory programs in the areas of food, housing, land and water quality, community health, and hazardous materials. In addition, DEHQ serves as the Solid Waste Local Enforcement Agency and helps to ensure safe workplaces for County of San Diego (County) employees.
The Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Training Conference is held by the California CUPA Forum Board annually in different locations within California. CUPA training curriculum organizers often enlist the assistance of County staff’s expertise to participate in content development, panel discussions, and continuing education session presentations. This Statewide professional association provides donations to offset the costs of staff’s involvement. DEHQ strives to send staff to attend the annual conference and other trainings that benefit the department in operations. Participating in this statewide conference demonstrates the County’s national, statewide, and regional leadership in the field. These trainings can be used to further develop new staff’s professional credentialing, enhance staff technical expertise, increase knowledge of emerging technologies, and discuss the changes in laws and regulations to ensure consistent regulatory program implementation and compliance, which benefit the County and the public it serves.
This year, 33 DEHQ staff attended the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Training Conference from March 24, 2025, to March 27, 2025, in Anaheim, Orange County, California. The meeting organizer - California CUPA Forum Board made $36,234.48 non-cash donation to cover 50% of meeting registration and travel expenses for 30 staff and 100% of meeting registration and travel expenses for three staff as speakers. This is the only donation above $5,000 received by DEHQ between January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025.
In accordance with Administrative Code Section 66, Acceptance of Gifts, DEHQ is reporting donations for the period of January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025, as shown in Attachment A and requesting ratification of the donations that exceeded $5,000. The total of all donations received is $36,234.48 in non-cash donations for registration and travel expenses for 33 staff.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT
Today’s actions involves accepting the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) Report of Gifts and Donations from organizations. These organizations are interested in expanding the DEHQ staff expertise and supporting its programs, training events and staff knowledge for the period of January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025. Additionally, it is requested to ratify the acceptance of and expenditure of gifts from the California CUPA Forum. The proposed activity is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(2) and (3). It is certain that these activities will not have a significant effect on the environment and are therefore exempt from CEQA. Furthermore, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), the proposed activities are administrative in nature and will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed actions support the Sustainability and Empower initiatives of the County of San Diego’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan by aligning services to available resources and investing in our workforce, thereby maximizing support of activities that protect public health and the environment.
Respectfully submitted,
Dahvia Lynch
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A - DEHQ Report of Gifts and Donations Over $5,000 Jan 1, 2025, to Jun 30, 2025