A two-year agreement between the city of Morro Bay and Project Surf Camp is ending, but the city voted to enter into a new one-year agreement with the nonprofit on May 28.

John Taylor, education teacher and local surfer, formed Project Surf Camp in the fall of 2007. The camp's mission is to help create independence and social skills for the campers while providing a safe environment in the water.

The city began partnering with the organization in 2011, and it formally recognized that support by entering into a two-year partnership agreement with the nonprofit in 2017.

In that year, Taylor told New Times, he realized that there were surf camps for kids locally but none that children with special needs could enjoy.

The new partnership will continue to waive open space rental and permit fees for the nonprofit; allow the storage of one surf camp trailer and container on city property free of charge; provide access to tap water at Coleman Park; update the list of lifeguards for the camp to use; dispose of trash bags; and post "no parking" signs in the Coleman parking lot.

According to a staff report, the park and open space rental fees would amount to $11,128 per year for the five-week camp schedule.

The agreement is for one year—from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020—because the City Council directed staff to re-evaluate and restructure the city's current partnership policy, City Clerk Dana Swanson said.

"Relationships like the one with Project Surf Camp might be a little different in the future so that we're consistent with all types of groups that want to use city facilities or services," Swanson said. "We're only recommending a one-year agreement, and during the year of this term, we're going to bring back a bigger look at partnerships as a whole." Δ