REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 15, 2022
FROM
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - California Southern Region Direct Grants Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
1. Approve grant application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in the amount of $500,000 for the California Southern Region Direct Grants Program award associated with a hazardous fuels reduction project.
2. Accept the California Southern Region Direct Grants Program award from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in the amount of $500,000 for a hazardous fuels reduction project.
3. Adopt resolution, as required by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, related to the California Southern Region Direct Grant Program award of $500,000 that:
a. Finds that the Board of Directors approved the grant application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for California Southern Region Direct Grants Program funds on March 15, 2022.
b. Certifies that the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District has or will have sufficient funds to operate and maintain the hazardous fuels reduction project.
c. Certifies that funds under the jurisdiction of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District are available to begin the hazardous fuels reduction project.
d. Certifies that the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District will expend grant funds prior to March 30, 2025.
e. Authorizes the Chief Executive Officer or the Fire Chief/Fire Warden to proceed with the following actions on behalf of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
i. Execute and submit documents associated with the application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
ii. Act as signatories for grant reimbursement claims, performance reports, and other documents required to administer the grant.
iii. Approve any non-substantive grant amendments, subject to County Counsel review.
iv. Approve any grant amendments to extend the term of the grant award/performance timelines, subject to County Counsel review.
4. Direct the Fire Chief/Fire Warden to transmit documents identified in Recommendation No. 3 to the Secretary of the Board of Directors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Dan Munsey, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, 387-5779)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
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 and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of these actions will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The $500,000 grant award from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Southern Region Direct Grants Program will be used by the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCFPD) to fund a hazardous fuels reduction project. No matching funds are required for acceptance of this funding. The budget associated with this grant award will subsequently be submitted for approval by the Board of Directors (Board) as needed.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
CAL FIRE’s San Bernardino Unit has been allocated Direct Award Grant funds through CAL FIRE’s Community Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Program. This is a new program through CAL FIRE that provides Direct Award Grants for fire prevention projects and activities in and near fire threatened communities. This grant focuses on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. Funded activities include hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education.
On February 3, 2022, SBCFPD received notification of an allocation from CAL FIRE’s San Bernardino Unit of a Direct Award Grant in the amount of $500,000. CAL FIRE offered SBCFPD the Direct Award Grant based on SBCFPD’s ability to develop and implement projects that help achieve the goals of CAL FIRE’s Community Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Program and CAL FIRE’s 2019 Strategic Plan. Although this is a Direct Award Grant and the awarding of the funds is guaranteed, the CAL FIRE Direct Award Grant requires that SBCFPD submit an application for the project(s) which the grant will fund, accept the Direct Award Grant, adopt a resolution, and submit the resolution and associated documents related to the grant application and acceptance of the award.
The grant award of $500,000 will be used by SBCFPD on a hazardous fuels reduction project that consists of Chipping Days/Vegetation Management/Roadside clearance for Lake Arrowhead (and surrounding areas), Crestline, Running Springs, Waterman Canyon, Angelus Oaks, Oak Glen, Wrightwood (and surrounding areas), and Mt. Baldy. All project and activity work related to the grant must be completed by March 30, 2025.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Scott Runyan, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 18, 2022; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on February 23, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Diana Atkeson, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on February 25, 2022.