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Proposal for the City of Santa Ana, CA Page 6 These specializations allow RCS to focus on every aspect of municipal fees and be the best at what we do. We are confident in our project time estimates and do not respond to RFPs when the project workload exceeds our capacity. We have suggested new fees that are not common practice throughout the state and have challenged and removed municipal fees that were not defensible. We have assisted municipalities in streamlining their fee-based processes. All RCS principals are knowledgeable in fund accounting, department structures, and municipal services. We stay current on pending financial and legal issues that challenge municipalities. All principals are comfortable speaking with city staff at all levels, drafting reports and resolutions, and presenting to the public, stakeholders, and City Council members. RCS principals perform all studies in a professional and expedient manner and do not rely on junior staff to perform these vital tasks with our clients. We also don’t rely on status memos because we will often be at City Hall to tell you how the project is going in person. Rick Kermer, a Partner, was one of the founders of RCS. Rick used his CPA and audit experience to build cost allocation, user fee spreadsheets, and software that passes rigorous analysis and reporting accounting standards. Rick’s work is the foundation of all the fee study work offered today. He is now semi-retired, taking only a handful of projects each year. Eric Johnson, the President, has streamlined and perfected the process of CAP and User Fee Study engagements. With over 30 years and hundreds of completed studies, Eric has created a superior process that demands little city staff time while obtaining maximum results. Eric quickly understands complex city services and how to calculate fees for them. He relates well with elected officials because he responds with candor and brevity. If you speak to any of Eric’s prior or current clients, they will tell you how easy the process was. Scott Thorpe, a Principal, joined RCS in 1985. Before that, he spent 13 years in the cities of Chula Vista, Covina, Anaheim, and Brea, serving in various roles within the city manager’s offices. Scott performed user fee studies for several years, transitioning to development impact fees when AB 1600 was enacted. He has written articles laying out the fundamentals of impact fees, and his work has generated tens of millions in fee revenues for cities. Chu Thai, Vice President, joined RCS after 22 years of municipal experience. As a budget manager and finance director, Chu has successfully coordinated user fee increases, impact fee increases, utility rate increases, and tax ballot measures. His experience helps clients avoid the unseen perils that jeopardize municipal projects. After project completion, Chu leaves behind well-documented reports and spreadsheets for City staff. His career has focused on improving cities’ financial stability and implementing operational effectiveness and efficiencies in local government. Gregory Brown, a Vice President, is the newest team member of RCS. However, he has already performed development impact fee studies for a dozen different cities and districts. Gregory spent 20 years working in small business before joining the RCS team. He was City Council 27 – 8 11/7/2023