For City Council Meeting [February 13, 2024]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: David Carmany, City Manager
AUTHOR: Brian Park, Fire Chief
Title
Request City Council to (1) Adopt Resolution No. 8184 amending the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget; (2) Accept the fiscal year 2020 and 2021 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) in the amount of $51,839.00; and (3) Authorize the purchase of the grant equipment (radios) pursuant to the grant documents; and (4) Authorize the City Manager to execute all documents.
Body
BACKGROUND
The California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) is the lead agency vested with the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdictions previously held within the Governor’s Offices of Homeland Security (OHS) and Emergency Services (OES).
Specifically, Cal EMA is responsible for designing and implementing homeland security initiatives and ensuring the State’s readiness is a maximum potential to respond to and recover from the effects of crises. Through these efforts, Cal EMA remains committed to the four mission areas of the HSGP - to prevent, prepare, respond, and recover.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The California Governor’s Office of Homeland Security allocates funds through the Officer of Emergency Services. Proposed projects must relate to any of the State’s priorities which are as follows:
• Interoperable communications
• Catastrophic Planning
• Medical Surge
• Citizen Preparedness
• Critical infrastructure
• Training/Equipment
• Food and Agriculture Safety
Applications for fiscal years 2020 and 2021 for the fire service were coordinated through the San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services. The City of Rialto Fire Department was awarded funds for fiscal year 2020 in the amount of $29,997 and fiscal year 2021 in the amount of $21,842.
The Fire Department received an extension of those funds through March 5, 2024, at which time the expenditure for the grant equipment is completed or the funds will be required to be returned to HSGP.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and excludes the following:
1. Continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies, personnel-related actions, general policy, and procedure making.
2. Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objectives relating to public safety through the General Plan. The acceptance of these funds through the HSGP is consistent with meeting these objectives.
Goal 5-3.1: Provide for fire personnel, equipment, and fire stations to have adequate and appropriate resources to meet the needs and serve all areas of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget
Accepting the 2020 and 2021 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) will increase revenue in the amount of $51,839.00 to be appropriated in the Homeland Security Grant Revenue Account No. 22055187-47514/212-32 and offsetting the increase of expenditures in the amount of $51,839 in Account No. 22055187-52021/212-07 for the expenditures associated with the purchase of the equipment (radios) for this grant.
This grant requires no local City match funds.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This report does not impact the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
This action does not trigger a requirement for a business license.
RECOMMENDATION
(1) Adopt Resolution No. XXXX amending the 2023/2024 Fiscal Year Budget.
(2) Accept the FY2020 & FY2021 Homeland Security Grant Program in the amount $51,839.00; and
(3) Authorize the purchase of the grant equipment (radios) pursuant to the grant documents.
(4) Authorize the City Manager or Designee to execute all documents.