CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: December 14, 2016
PREPARED BY: Jennifer Ponce, OES Coordinator/Police Department
APPROVED BY: City Manager
Title
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR 2016 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANT AND BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR A DISASTER RESPONSE TRAILER, EQUIPMENT FOR TRAILER, LAPTOPS, AND FEES FOR THE CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY SERVICES ASSOCIATION (CESA) CONFERENCE
END
RECOMMENDATION(S)
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Santa Clara for the 2016 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EPMG); and
2. Recognize grant revenue in an amount of $21,300 recently made available to the City and appropriate funds for the purchase of a disaster response trailer and equipment, the purchase of eight laptops for the Emergency Operations Center, and payment of conference fees.
BODY
COUNCIL PRIORITIES, GOALS & STRATEGIES:
Ongoing Priorities
Enhancing public safety
Preserving and cultivating public trust
2016 Focus Areas
Enhancing Our Services
Improving Our Communication
Participating in Regional Initiatives
REPORT NARRATIVE:
The County Civil Protection and Emergency Services Ordinance establishes the Operation Area Council (OAC) and endows the OAC, with governing body authority, to enhance planning and preparedness for large-scale emergencies in the Santa Clara Operational Area, including by making funding allocation decisions for Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding awarded by the Unites States Department of Homeland Security to the California Office of Emergency Services (“Cal OES”) and subsequently sub-awarded to Santa Clara County (County).
Cal OES awarded the County 2016 EMPG funding in the amount of $517,005 in September 2016 for the purpose of sustaining and improving comprehensive emergency management programs.
Per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County, Morgan Hill will be reimbursed up to the amount of $21,300 following the purchase of a disaster response trailer, trailer equipment, laptops for the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and payment of conference fees. The conference is the annual California Emergency Services Association (CESA) Conference at which emergency managers from throughout the state meet to review current practices in emergency management. The announcement of these grant funds was made recently. Therefore, the EMPG grant revenue and associated expenditures were not included in the FY16-18 budget process.
The disaster response trailer will be used for both training exercises and emergency response. Grant funds will be used to purchase the necessary equipment to outfit the trailer. All equipment must be purchased via the Authorized Equipment List (AEL) mandated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The eight (8) laptops will be purchased for use by the City’s EOC team during training exercises and activations.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Inform
This grant is administered by the County of Santa Clara with funds that originate with FEMA. The City is eligible to receive the grant funding as part of the EMPG program. This staff report serves to inform the community of the City’s grant award and subsequent expenditures and activities associated with the grant funds.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS:
One alternative action by the Council could be to decline the funds to purchase a new trailer and continue to maintain and use the existing disaster response trailer. The Council could also decline the purchase of new laptops and the EOC team could continue to use the current laptops without expanding the quantity of laptops available during an EOC activation. The Council could also decide to not appropriate the funds for the CESA Conference.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION ACTIONS:
No previous actions related to this grant have been taken on this item. The City Council has accepted other EMPG grants in the past.
FISCAL AND RESOURCE IMPACT:
The City will recognize $21,300 in grant revenue towards the Homeland Security Grant account in the general fund and appropriate $21,300 in expenditures for the use of the funds. A Budget Scorecard is attached. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar City match which will be covered by the budgeted personnel costs for the city’s Emergency Services Coordinator.
CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act):
Not a Project
LINKS/ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
Budget Score Card
Memorandum of Understanding