REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF BOARD GOVERNED COUNTY SERVICE AREAS
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 28, 2023
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
SUBJECT
Title
Budgetary Actions Related to Emergency Response for the 2023 February/March Extreme Weather Event
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of County Service Area 70 - Countywide:
1. Approve use of the County Service Area 70 - Termination Benefits Reserve, in the amount of $1,500,000, for expenses related to the 2023 February/March Extreme Weather Event (Four votes required).
2. Approve budget adjustments, increasing appropriation by $1,500,000 for expenses related to the 2023 February/March Extreme Weather Event, and authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the adjustments, as detailed in the Financial Impact Section, (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, Director, 387-7906)
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.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The $1,500,000 increase in appropriation for expenses incurred in response to the 2023 February/March Weather Event (Event) will be funded by funds transferred from the County Service Area (CSA) 70 Termination Benefits Reserve.
The Event, which started on February 22, 2023, was declared a local emergency by the County Chief Executive Officer on February 27, 2023, and ratified by the Board of Supervisors on February 28, 2023 (Item No. 81). The Governor of California declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County and other affected counties on March 1, 2023. The President of the United States approved California’s Emergency Declaration on March 10, 2023, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts and provide limited direct federal assistance of up to 75 percent federal funding. As a result, the Department of Public Works - Special Districts (Department) is tracking Event costs and will pursue all available sources of funding to recover costs associated with responding to the Event.
The following 2022-23 budget adjustments are needed to provide funding and appropriation for expenditures incurred during the Event:
|
Funds Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
CSA 70 - Countywide |
|
1056651378 |
52002176 |
Street Maintenance |
Increase |
$ 1,300,000 |
|
1056651378 |
55405010 |
Salaries & Benefits - Transfer Out |
Increase |
$ 200,000 |
|
1056651378 |
40909975 |
Operating Transfers In |
Increase |
$ 1,500,000 |
|
CSA 70 - Termination Benefits Reserve |
|
1050001384 |
55305030 |
Operating Transfers Out |
Increase |
$ 1,500,000 |
|
1050001384 |
37008880 |
Fund Balance - Available Reserves |
Decrease |
$ 1,500,000 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Department staff and on-call vendors routinely perform snow removal during winter months as the need arises. On February 22, 2023, as weather reports were forecasting severe blizzard conditions for the upcoming weekend, the Department increased staff shifts and requested additional snow removal equipment to prepare for the unprecedented snowfall. After the blizzard, additional contractors were utilized as heavier equipment was needed to remove the considerable amount of snow, up to five feet in some areas. Department staff and vendors worked double shifts through March 3, 2023, until the roads were cleared and widened at a cost that was not included in the 2022-23 budget. After March 3, 2023, staff and vendors returned to normal shifts and will continue to appropriately respond to weather events and other issues as they arise.
In addition to the snow removal costs described above, the Event caused damages to at least two water systems (CSA 70, Zone J - Oak Hills and CSA 70 - CG, Cedar Glen) and two general districts (CSA 70, TV-4 - Morongo Valley and CSA 70 TV-5, Mesa). The Department is still assessing the damages for all CSAs and a portion of the $1,500,000 from the CSA 70 Termination Benefits Reserve may be used to help fund the cost of additional damages.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Vanessa Doyle, Chief Deputy Controller, 382-3195) on March 23, 2023; County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 22, 2023; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on March 22, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on March 23, 2023.