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Authorize the County’s contribution of $250 from the General Fund contribution allocated to District 5 to benefit the Joy Graham Bowling Program, a program that provides special needs students with life building skills and activities
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
Supervisor Thomson requests that the Board of Supervisors authorize the County’s contribution of $250 from the General Fund contribution allocated to District 5 to benefit the Joy Graham Bowling Program, a program that provides special needs students with life building skills and activities.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Justification:
This year marks the 26th year of the Joy Graham Bowling Event. Joy Graham started this event years ago for the purpose of involving students with special needs in an activity that they would not normally be able to attend due to their various physical and intellectual challenges. The students were from school districts in Northern Solano County.
This year in 2020, the Joy Graham Bowling Program is expecting over 275 middle school and high school-aged participants from Fairfield-Suisun, Travis, Vacaville, and Travis School Districts. This event is special not only to the students, but also for the opportunity it gives them to bowl, with the aid of bumpers, wheelchair ramps, and/or lighter weight balls if needed. Bowling is a great recreational activity that can potentially be continued with family and friends. This is a wonderful community outing for the students to build their life skills. These include socializing with peers, practicing communication skills, and money skills. Students have a chance to visit with old friend and teachers as well as socialize and build new friendships with other members of the special needs community.
Guidelines for Grant Funding Requests:
During the 2019/20 budget hearings, the Board appropriated $25,000, $5,000 to each supervisorial district, to allow Board members to support community service programs. The Board directed County Counsel to provide guidelines on how to recommend funding for qualifying agencies or programs. The guidelines are as follows:
1) Each supervisor must submit the proposed expenditure to the County Counsel and the Auditor/Controller for initial review.
2) The Board must approve the expenditure by a majority vote.
3) The Board must determine that the expenditure is for a public purpose.
4) The Board may authorize an expenditure of public funds to a nonprofit organization so long as the County retains ultimate control over the exercise of judgment and discretion of the intended program.
5) To ensure accountability, all expenditures are subject to periodic audit by the Auditor/Controller; and
a) If the recipient provides an activity, program or service (“activity”), it shall provide an activity report within 30 days of the activity that states the number of persons attending (if applicable) or participating activities carried out, feedback from participants (if applicable) and benefits of the activity. The recipient’s failure to provide a report may result in its being considered ineligible for future funding.
b) If the recipient is purchasing property or making improvements, it shall use the funds for only the specified purposes and allow representatives of the county to inspect and/or audit the purchase or the contractor’s performance, the facility or the portion improved with the funds and/or the records pertaining to the expenditures. The recipient shall retain for inspection and audit purposes any and all books, receipts, documentation and other records of the expenditures for three (3) years from date of receiving funds.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This expenditure is included in the District 5 FY2019/20 Adopted Budget. The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the District 5 FY2019/20 Adopted Budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to authorize this expenditure. However, this is not recommended as this item is consistent with Board policy.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
This report was prepared in coordination with the County Administrator’s Office, County Auditor-Controller’s Office and County Counsel.