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Adopt a resolution approving participation in the California Department of Water Resources Statewide Flood Emergency Response Grant Program - Round Three, in the amount of $908,000, with a performance period of July 1, 2018 to December 30, 2021; and Authorize the Sheriff or his designee to take all necessary actions for the purpose of obtaining grant funding
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No __X
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No __X
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Sheriff recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt a resolution approving participation in the California Department of Water Resources Statewide Flood Emergency Response Grant Program - Round Three, in the amount of $908,000, with a performance period of July 1, 2018 to December 30, 2021; and
2. Authorize the Sheriff or his designee to take action necessary for the purpose of obtaining grant funding.
SUMMARY:
In June 2017, The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released a grant solicitation package for a Statewide Flood Emergency Response Grant Program - Round Three. This grant allocates $5 million in funding to improve local flood emergency response in California and to contribute to increased public safety. This grant is available to all California public agencies with primary responsibility for flood emergency response and coordination. The geographic scope of this grant is Statewide inside the legal Delta.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting $908,000 in funds from the California Department of Water Resources Statewide Flood Emergency Response Grant Program - Round Three. There is no matching requirement. The grant would fully fund projects in support of planning, coordination, and training and exercises, including management and administration and therefore have no impact to the County General Fund. The budget details are provided in the attached chart.
Should Solano County be awarded the grant, the Sheriff’s Office will return to the Board for approval of the grant agreement and an appropriation transfer request to recognize unanticipated revenue.
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item is nominal and absorbed by the Sheriff’s Office FY2017/18 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
For the past few years, staff from the Solano County Office of Emergency Services has been actively participating in the DWR Delta Working Group. This working group is comprised of the counties and jurisdictions that have emergency response responsibilities in the Delta. Solano County has been working with representatives from the other four Delta Counties (Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Yolo) to continue the cooperative planning to strengthen the emergency response in the Delta. DWR has offered three previous grant funding opportunities that Solano County has participated in, receiving $587,370 in 2012 for communication enhancement; $450,000 in 2014 to develop extensive maps, evacuation routes, and emergency responder training; and $131,000 in 2018 to provide flood fight material and staff training, totaling $1,168,370 in grant funds.
The Statewide Flood Emergency Response Grant Program - Round Three would allow Solano County to increase flood response readiness developing an overall Operational Area Flood Emergency Response Plan (FERP) and incorporating the recently developed Delta FERP. The projects proposed would allow for the entire County, and all jurisdictions within the County, to have maps and plans necessary for comprehensive flood planning and emergency response, to develop a truly comprehensive and standardized regional approach.
The “Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006” (Proposition 84) provides funding to improve local flood emergency response. To date, $10 million has been awarded in two solicitations for this grant and an additional $5 million is being made available for this Round Three grant solicitation. Solano County is requesting $908,000 in funding.
Eighty-six percent (86%) or $860,000 will support planning and coordination to develop local flood emergency plans, revise emergency and hazard mitigation plans, develop flood contingency maps and processes, revise and create public safety and citizen maps and provide National Incident Management System (NIMS), California Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) training.
Nine percent (9%) or $80,000 will be utilized to develop and conduct flood response exercises.
Five percent (5%) or $48,000 will be utilized for the administration and management of the grant to include the development of the grant application and project applications.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose not to authorize participation in the program; however, this alternative is not recommended as non-participation would derail the grant application approval. Additionally, this alternative is not fiscally prudent because it would result in a loss of $908,000 in revenue which would negatively impact the County’s response to emergencies and disasters.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, the Department of Resource Management, and the Department of General Services will all be consulted as contracts and acquisitions warrant.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION