REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 27, 2024
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Ratification Actions in Response to American Rescue Plan Act - Subrecipient Contracts
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Ratify the Chief Executive Officer’s exercise of the authority granted by the Board of Supervisors on March 1, 2022, Item No. 32, in approving the following contracts with the subrecipients for American Rescue Plan Act funding for eligible projects in accordance with the Board of Supervisors approved Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Spending Plan:
1. Contract No. ARPA21-PRJD-047-HWD with the Hi-Desert Water District for the Waterline Replacement Project, in the not-to-exceed amount of $1,000,000, for the contract term of July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2026.
2. Contract No. ARPA21-PRJC-049-CHI with the City of Chino for the Chino Rancho Park Development Project, in the not-to-exceed amount of $1,000,000, for the contract term of December 19, 2023 through December 31, 2026.
3. Contract No. ARPA21-PRJS-042-NEE with Needles Unified School District for the Needles USD Security Improvement Project, in the not-to-exceed amount of $48,000, for the contract term of October 2, 2023 through December 31, 2026.
(Presenter: Luther Snoke, Chief Executive Officer, 387-4811)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
Focus on Recovery and Resiliency Following Major Emergency Responses such as the December 2, 2015 Terrorist Attack (SB Strong) and the Global COVID-19 Pandemic.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). San Bernardino County received a direct allocation of $423.5 million under the American Rescue Plan Act - Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (ARPA Fund) to bolster the County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact. The Board of Supervisors (Board) approved an expenditure plan for the use of these funds, known as the County Local Fiscal Recovery Spending Plan (Spending Plan), on June 8, 2021 (Item No. 121) and amended the plan on August 24, 2021 (Item No. 21). At the recommendation of the Third and Fourth District Board Offices, these projects are approved to proceed and be funded respectively by each District’s ARPA Fund. Sufficient appropriation is included in the ARPA Fund’s 2023-24 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law and established the $350 billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to distribute resources to state and local governments throughout the nation.
The County established an ARPA Team who reviews all potential projects to determine eligibility for ARPA funding and if the project and use is in accordance with the Board approved Spending Plan. When projects are deemed eligible, then the ARPA Team works with the subrecipients to determine subrecipient compliance with ARPA guidelines, and subsequently initiates the contract process. On March 1, 2022 (Item No. 32), the Board authorized the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to execute the Board-approved standard ARPA contract template with subrecipients and directed that ARPA contracts executed by the CEO be brought back to the Board for ratification within 30 days of contract execution. Monthly reporting has been provided to the Board detailing the status of ARPA contracts.
The Waterline Replacement Project is to replace existing steel pipes in the District service area with new PVC pipes to eliminate leaks, improve water quality, and increase reliability. The Project will significantly reduce water loss while ensuring sufficient capacity for the protection of Yucca Valley and unincorporated areas. Projected expenditure of $1,000,000 will fund the purchases of the new pipelines and other materials to cover the area of Hilton Drive and County Club Area in Yucca Valley. The Third District Board Offices recommended proceeding with executing this project contract with Hi-Desert Water District. This contract was executed by the CEO on February 2, 2024.
Chino Rancho Park is a 1.18-acre neighborhood park site in development on the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Phillips Boulevard in the City of Chino (Chino). Projected expenditures of $1,000,000 will be used to partially fund the construction and installation of two pickleball courts, inclusive playground, outdoor fitness stations, walking trails with benches, shade pavilion, restrooms, parking lot, open space, drought tolerant landscaping, utilities connection, and the undergrounding of communication lines. This project will increase health and safety as a way of promoting healthier living environments and improve service delivery to the residents and park users within the community. The Fourth District Board Offices recommended proceeding with executing this project contract with Chino. This contract was executed by the CEO on February 2, 2024.
Needles Unified School District has identified several security concerns. The Needles USD Security Improvements Project will have projected expenditures of $48,000 to fund the purchase and installation of keyless doors and gates, cameras, and fencing at Vista Colorado Elementary School, Needles Middle School, and Needles High School. This project will be an important step towards creating a safer and more secure school area for students, school employees and visitors. The Third District Board Offices recommended proceeding with executing this project contract with Needles Unified School District. This contract was executed by the CEO on February 2, 2024.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Julie Surber, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 6, 2024; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on February 7, 2024; Risk Management (Victor Tordesillas, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-3101) on February 7, 2024; Finance (William Walker, ARPA Project Analyst, 387-4227, Guy Martinez, ARPA Compliance Analyst, 387-5428, and Joon Cho, Chief Administrative Analyst, 387-5402) on February 5, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on February 8, 2024.