For City Council Meeting [October 26, 2021]
TO: Honorable City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Cynthia Alvarado-Crawford, Director of Community Services
Title
Request City Council to Authorize the Submission of a Grant Application with No Local Match to the United States Conference of Mayors Childhood Obesity Prevention/Environmental Health and Sustainability Awards Grant Program.
Body
BACKGROUND
The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,200 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its Chief elected official, the Mayor. This year the U.S. Conference of Mayors will award a total of $745,000 in funding to nine cities, in three populations categories; Small City (population less than 75,000); Medium City (population 76,000-250,000) and Large City (population more than 250,000). The City of Rialto falls under the Medium City category.
All member cities of the United States Conference of Mayors are eligible to receive this award, including the City of Rialto. This award aims to support programs that engage community members and promote or stimulate behavior change, in the categories of:
a) Childhood obesity prevention;
b) Environmental health and sustainability or;
c) A hybrid of both.
The City of Rialto intends to apply for the grant adopting a hybrid program in collaboration with Healthy Rialto.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Childhood obesity in our country has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Today, one in six children in our country is obese. Being overweight or obese puts kids at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases we normally see in adults. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly $150 billion annually is spent by taxpayers on health care costs due to childhood obesity. What’s truly inconceivable is that, for the first time in history, our children could have shorter life expectancies than we do. These conditions are more prevalent in communities considered “at risk communities,” because of the socioeconomic status or communities where groups considered minorities are the dominating percentage in the population.
In San Bernardino County, which includes the city of Rialto, two out of three residents are considered overweight or obese. 71% of school aged children do not meet the fitness standards. Access to unhealthy food establishments is six times greater than access to healthy food establishments. Obesity is causing a broad range of physical health problems in children that previously weren’t seen until adulthood. According to the American Heart Association. These include, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol levels. There are also psychological ramifications-obese children are more prone to low self-esteem, negative body image issues and depression.
Childhood obesity is a growing health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking. Further impacting Rialto’s fight against childhood obesity is that rates of childhood obesity are higher in African American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40% of children are overweight or obese. These two groups represent almost 80% of Rialto’s population. Also compounding the issue for the city is the fact that low-income communities have higher than average rates of childhood obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Income data for Rialto shows that approximately 50% of its citizens fall in the low to moderate income category.
The grant opportunity was brought before the Recreation and Parks Commission on October 5, 2021. It is the commission’s recommendation that the Community Services Department submit a funding proposal to bring back the Fit4Kids program, which was previously funded by CDBG and collaborate with Healthy Rialto, and Park and Community Clean-ups as part of the program curriculum. This collaboration will create a program that will have a dual focus on developing healthy habits amongst its’ participants and their families and to create an environmental consciousness through active engagement in the upkeep of their community and City. If the grant is awarded the funding will be used to help pay for program registration fees, the purchase of materials and supplies for the various types of activities as planned per the curriculum (i.e. healthy cooking activities supplies and ingredients, field trips, materials and supplies for the community clean ups, administrative costs, family planned activities etc).
The grant due date was October 22, 2021 and required a letter of support from the Mayor.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
This report is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), 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. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
Guiding Principle 4 of the City’s General Plan states:
Rialto is an Active Community. Our community will support the creation and maintenance of attractive parks, recreational facilities, and gathering places that meet the needs of our residents.
Goal 2-27 of the City’s General Plan states:
Provide a variety of park facilities that meet the diverse needs and interest of the community.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
This action does not have an operating budget impact. There is no required local match for this grant.
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:
Staff recommends that the City Council Authorize the Submission of a Grant Application with No Local Match to the United States Conference of Mayors Childhood Obesity Prevention/Environmental Health and Sustainability Awards Grant Program.