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inspired by Time magazine's Person of the Year award and recognizes citizens who have generated good will and significantly enhanced Los Altos' and Los Altos Hills' • reputations as outstanding communities. Council, staff and the audience joined in the congratulations. PUBLIC HEARINGS 8. Consideration of Resolutions to Join CaliforniaFIRST Program and Authorize Sacramento County to Apply for State Energy Program Funds on Behalf of the Town of Los Altos Hills Planning Director Debbie Pedro introduced the item to Council. Council had before them two resolutions for their consideration. The first resolution would authorize the Town to join the CaliforniaFirst Program; and the second resolution would authorize Sacramento County to apply for State Energy Program Funds on behalf of the Town. Pedro provided an overview of the CaliforniaFirst Program that had been instituted by California Communities to allow property owners in participating cities and counties to finance renewable energy, energy efficiency and water efficiency improvements on their property. If the property owner chose to participate in the Program, the improvements would be financed by the issue of bonds with contractual assessments levied by California Communities on the owner's property to repay the portion of the.bonds issued to finance the improvements on that property. • Pedro reviewed the benefits to the property owner and benefits to the Town that would be realized by the Program. Pedro explained that the proposed resolution authorized payment of a set-up fee for legal procedural and technology costs associated with the CaliforniaFirst Program. Grant funding would be sought to cover the costs. If the grant funding to cover the start-up costs were not realized, the start-up costs for Santa Clara County and all the cities within the County would be $170,000. The cost to the Town would be $10,000. At that time, the Town could decide not to participate in the Program or determine if it was reasonable to proceed without grant funding. OPENED PUBLIC HEARING Peter Evans, Chair, Standing Environmental Initiatives Committee, commented that the CaliforniaFirst Program would have a beneficial impact on the Town. It would permit more residents to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes and assist the Town in achieving the Council approved goals for greenhouse gas reduction. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING Council consensus was to support the Town's participation in the Program. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Larsen, seconded by Summit and passed unanimously to approve Resolution No. 2-10 authorizing the Town of Los Altos • Hills to join the CaliforniaFirst program. 4 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes January 14,2010