REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 11, 2020
FROM
GARY McBRIDE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title v
Future Communities Pilot Program Grant Award for the Remote Electronic Warrants Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept grant award in the amount of $297,242 from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Future Communities Pilot Program, from February 11, 2020 through December 31, 2020, for expansion of the County of San Bernardino Remote Electronic Warrants program and to ratify actions of the Chief Executive Officer of the County of San Bernardino to prepare and submit grant documents, including the Self-Assessment Form.
2. Adopt resolution to accept the $297,242 grant from the SCAG Future Communities Pilot Program for the County of San Bernardino Remote Electronic Warrants Program.
3. Approve Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SCAG that describes the responsibilities of both SCAG and the County, where SCAG will provide funding for the County’s expansion of the Remote Electronic Warrants Program from after hours and weekends to include daytime processing.
4. Designate the Chair of the Board of Supervisors or the Chief Executive Officer of the County of San Bernardino to execute the grant award documents, any subsequent non-substantive amendments necessary, and the MOU on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
5. Direct the Chief Executive Officer of the County of San Bernardino to transmit all grant award documents, amendments, and MOU in relation to the County of San Bernardino Remote Electronic Warrants Program to the Clerk of the Board within 30 days of execution.
6. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the necessary budget adjustments for 2019-20, as detailed in the Financial Impact section. (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Josh Candelaria, Director, Governmental and Legislative Affairs, 387-4821)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Future Communities Pilot Program (FCPP) grant award in the amount of $297,242 will be used to offset the cost of staff time and other expenses for expanded development of the County of San Bernardino Remote Electronic Warrants Program. This grant requires a 25 percent match, which will be funded by in-kind staff time from the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino (Court) and the County of San Bernardino. Appropriation and revenue adjustments to the Law and Justice Group (L&JG) 2019-20 budget are requested as follows:
|
Description |
Funds/ Cost Center |
Commitment Item |
Action |
Amount |
|
Local Grant Revenue |
1130002371 |
40608842 |
Increase |
$297,242 |
|
Application Development |
1130002371 |
52002450 |
Increase |
$297,242 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On November 1, 2018, the SCAG Regional Council approved opening a Call for Applications for the FCPP grant. The program is funded with $2.0 million from the South Coast Air Quality Management District Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Committee, and $1.0 million from Senate Bill 1 - The Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program (SB-1) approved in 2017. The goals of the program are to “test innovative approaches for reducing emissions-producing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) from local travel and municipal operations,” and to “improve efficiency and reduce the costs of city and county municipal services.” Pilot projects should also be replicable by other jurisdictions.
On December 13, 2018, the County Administrative Office approved the submission of the grant application through the authority delegated in County Policy 05-13, which states that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), or designee, may approve grant applications that do not legally bind the County, will not require additional Net County Cost, and do not require new or additional staffing not previously budgeted, a Board of Supervisors (Board) resolution, or other Board action. On February 7, 2019, the SCAG Regional Council approved the County’s FCPP application for the Remote Electronic Warrants Program (Program). Although the grant application did not require a Board resolution, prior to project kickoff, the SCAG Regional Council requires a resolution from the elected body in support of the project. SCAG also requires a MOU describing the responsibilities of both parties in relation to the grant. Recommendations 2 and 3 will satisfy these requirements, respectively.
The County’s proposed program is made possible by recent legislation (Assembly Bill 2710; Chapter 176, Statutes of 2018), which took effect January 1, 2019 and allows law enforcement officers to seek approval of search and arrest warrants remotely, without having to physically travel to a courthouse. An expanded program will build on an already successful program for processing warrants remotely after hours and on weekends. However, expanding the program to all hours will require significant additional technical development. L&JG Administration will manage the grant, which includes reporting and submittal of performance documentation, reimbursements, and any potential audits. The Information Services Department (ISD) will develop and implement the program, in coordination with the Court and the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, who will be the primary users of the system. L&JG Administration will pay ISD at the Board-approved rate for services rendered for technical development. The Court will host the system and review warrant requests.
Because San Bernardino County is geographically the largest in the contiguous United States, and Deputy Sheriffs (Deputies) often need to travel long distances to a courthouse, the potential VMT savings are sizable. It is conservatively estimated that the implementation of this program will save more than 150,000 miles per year, along with the concomitant reductions in Greenhouse Gas and criteria pollution emissions. In addition, this program will improve public safety by allowing Deputies to remain in the field, serving the public.
In accordance with County Policy No. 05-13, Board approval is needed for the County to accept the FCPP grant award. This item also authorizes the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer to execute any necessary grant related documents, including any non-substantive amendments and the MOU, and proceed with actions essential for achieving SCAG FCPP grant performance objectives and reporting requirements.
The MOU includes non-standard contract terms and states that the venue of any legal action shall be in Los Angeles County. The standard contract language for venue is San Bernardino County. The non-standard contract language is being presented to the Board so that it may identify and approve this non-standard contract language.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Penny Alexander-Kelley, Chief Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 28, 2020; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Lisa Lazzar, General Accounting, 382-3196) on February 3, 2020; San Bernardino County Superior Court (Alan Crouse, Deputy Court Executive Officer, Technology and Facilities, 708-8747) on January 28, 2020; Law and Justice Group (Christopher Gardner, Public Defender and L&JG Chair, 382-7650) on January 29, 2020; Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (John Ades, Captain, 387-0640) on January 28, 2020; Information Services Department (Larry Ainsworth, Interim Chief Information Officer, 388-0556) on January 28, 2020; Finance (Stephenie Shea, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919, Joon Cho, Administrative Analyst, 387-5402, Carolina Mendoza, Administrative Analyst, 387-0294, and Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 387-5005) on January 24, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Kelly Welty, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on January 30, 2020.