REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 28, 2023
FROM
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
Allocation of Funds from the State Budget Act of 2022
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, accept and approve the following Pass Through Grant Subawards with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services that accept the allocation of funds appropriated by the State Budget Act of 2022, Assembly Bill 179, totaling $13,000,000, for the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024:
1. Pass Through Grant Subaward No. LI2022-020, for a new Fire Station Construction in San Bernardino County’s Fifth Supervisorial District, in the amount of $7,000,000.
2. Pass Through Grant Subaward No. LI2022-006, for the Hesperia High Desert Fire Headquarters project, in the amount of $5,000,000.
3. Pass Through Grant Subaward No. LI2022-024, for firefighting equipment for the Wrightwood Fire Station, in the amount of $1,000,000.
(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.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommended actions will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) has allocated $13,000,000, as appropriated by the State Budget Act of 2022, to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCFPD) for a new fire station construction in the Fifth Supervisorial District ($7,000,000); the Hesperia High Desert Fire Headquarters project ($5,000,000); and firefighting equipment for the Wrightwood Fire Station ($1,000,000). No budget adjustments are required at this time, but will either be presented to the Board of Directors for approval at a later date or included in SBCFPD’s 2023-24 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On September 6, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the State’s 2022-23 budget (Assembly Bill 179). Included in the State’s 2022-23 budget are three separate allocations to SBCFPD. These allocations will be dispersed as a Pass Through Grant Subaward through CalOES, who is administering these appropriations on behalf of the State of California. Approval of the recommended actions will allow SBCFPD to accept the allocations from CalOES.
Pass Through Grant Subaward No. LI2022-020, in the amount of $7,000,000, is for the construction of a new fire station in the County’s Fifth Supervisorial District in the Rosena Ranch area. This area has been developing quickly along the I-15 freeway, which is a major corridor for transportation in the County. This new fire station will be staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days per year by SBCFPD and will also provide office space for a County Sheriff’s Department substation. This future station will serve the communities of Lytle Creek and Rosena Ranch and is positioned to aid the cities of Fontana, San Bernardino, and Rialto.
Pass Through Grant Subaward No. LI2022-006, in the amount of $5,000,000, is for the Hesperia High Desert Fire Headquarters project. This funding will replace a fire station located in the City of Hesperia and will include administrative offices for the High Desert Division of SBCFPD. Completion of a new, larger, modern fire station will enable SBCFPD to provide expanded emergency services to the areas it serves, supporting the County and SBCFPD’s goals and objectives to operate in a fiscally responsible and business-like manner and provide for the safety, health, and social services needs of county residents.
Pass Through Grant Subaward No. LI2022-024, in the amount of $1,000,000, will be used to purchase a brush engine and water tender for the Wrightwood fire station. These emergency response vehicles will help SBCFPD firefighters fight fires in the mountain community of Wrightwood and surrounding areas. The brush engine can access areas that a traditional fire engine cannot access. The water tender allows engines that are on the scene of a fire to remain engaged in firefighting operations by providing a water supply where one is not otherwise available.
The acceptance of these Pass Through Grant Subawards will provide SBCFPD with additional resources to serve county communities and residents. Per CalOES, although there is a subaward grant period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024, there is no deadline for the use of the subaward funds.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Scott Runyan, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 17, 2023; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on March 6, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Valerie Clay, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on March 8, 2023.