DATE: August 9, 2016
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Margaret Mims, Sheriff-Coroner
SUBJECT: Retroactive Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Fresno for the Edward
Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program FY 2016 Local Solicitation
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize Chairman to execute a retroactive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Fresno that the City will submit a joint application and act as Fiscal Agent for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program FY 2016 Local Solicitation Award from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), $64,267; and
2. Approve and authorize Chairman to execute Certification Regarding Lobbying: Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters and Drug-free Workplace Requirements; Disclosure of Lobbying Activities; and Standard Assurances.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with these actions. The U.S. DOJ Edward Byrne Memorial JAG Program has awarded Fresno County $64,267 for front line law enforcement, including the purchase of equipment with no required County match. The award period for this grant is from October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2019. The Sheriff-Coroner’s Office is recommending utilizing these funds for the Video Infrastructure Protection Program (VIPP) and for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board does not approve the recommended actions, the grant funds would be denied.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended joint application/agreement was announced by DOJ/OJP/BJA on May 16, 2016 and is retroactive to October 1, 2015. This grant is retroactive to October 2015 to be in line with the Federal Fiscal Year as mandated by DOJ/OJP/BJA. However, the funds will not be expended until after Board approval. Subsequent time for processing of the application/agreement, which includes working with the City of Fresno, delayed this item from being placed on an earlier Board date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The recommended MOU with the City will complete the process for the County to receive the County’s portion of the joint grant in the amount of $64,267. A total of $56,866 was included for this grant in the Sheriff-Coroner’s FY 2016-17 adopted budget for Org 3111; leaving an estimated remaining balance of $150,888 in Special Revenue Fund Org 1456. This fund was established to account for monies received from the U.S. Department of Justice, Byrne Justice Assistance Grant. The monies are drawn down in advance and transferred into the General Fund as JAG grant funds are expended.
DISCUSSION:
The Edward Byrne Memorial JAG program, administered by the BJA, blends the previous Byrne Formula and Local Law Enforcement Block grant programs and provides States, tribes and local governments with critical funding necessary to support law enforcement programs, including the purchase of equipment. The City of Fresno and County of Fresno must submit a joint application specifying the funding distribution to each disparate unit of local government and the purposes for which the funds will be used. The City has agreed to be the fiscal agent to submit the application and administer the joint grant.
The County has received funding through this program since 1999. The County’s FY 2016 JAG allocation of $64,267 will enable the Sheriff-Coroner’s Office to augment the ongoing VIPP to purchase cameras, radios, technical equipment, and installation costs in order to expand the functional uses of the video system for the VIPP. The remaining funding will be used to purchase explosives, miscellaneous supplies, equipment and tools in support of explosive device mitigation for the EOD unit. The EOD Unit conducts trainings on a regular basis, which requires the use of explosives to maintain the required expertise needed to work in the explosive ordnance environment.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #31, August 11, 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - MOU with the City of Fresno for JAG
CAO ANALYST:
Jeannie Z. Figueroa