TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a contract and all necessary amendments, including term extensions, with the City of Los Angeles to receive and expend Department of Homeland Security grant funding for the 2008 Port Security Grant Program, in an amount not to exceed $4,346,342 for a period of three years; and increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the Fire Department (FD) by $1,240,333 and in the General Grants Fund
(SR 120) in the Police Department (PD) by $4,554,790. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has approved the Long Beach Police Department's and Long Beach Fire Department's grant proposals for the 2008 Port Security Grant Program (PSGP). The Area Maritime Security Committee, under the leadership of the United States Coast Guard Section Los Angeles/Long Beach (Coast Guard), selected these projects as being essential to ensure the safety and security of the nation's busiest port complex.
The Coast Guard has appointed the City of Los Angeles as fiscal agent for the distribution of these funds, requiring a formal funding agreement between the two cities. This agreement is in the amount of $4,346,342 and will be in effect for a period of three years. These funds will be used primarily for infrastructure protection and reflect DHS's overall investment strategy, in which two priorities have been paramount: risk-based funding and regional security cooperation. These PSGP funds support increased port-wide risk management; enhanced maritime domain awareness; training and exercises; and further capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from attacks involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other non-conventional weapons.
In addition, the enhanced capabilities provided by these projects offer significant benefits throughout the City and the region by improving the daily emergency response capabilities of the Fire Department and the crime prevention and apprehension abilities of the Police Department.
This grant requires, and the Port of Long Beach has agreed to provide, the necessary match from their existing Port 1 B Grant, to reimburse the Police and Fire Departments up to 25 percent of their total purchases made under this program.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Gary Anderson on August 23, 2011 and Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on July 28, 2011.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on September 6, 2011, to ensure the City can receive the match reimbursement from the Port of Long Beach before the Port 1B grant funds expire in April 2012.
FISCAL IMPACT
Federal grant revenues of $4,346,342 will offset 75 percent of program expenses. The PSGP Grant requires a 25 percent cost-share of $1,448,781, which will be provided by the Port of Long Beach through their existing Port 1B Grant for Port and Maritime Security.
The maintenance costs for the equipment acquired under this grant will be covered by future PSGP Grants. This is a policy change from the Department of Homeland Security, implemented in November 2009, to allow grant-funded maintenance for equipment purchased under previous grants. To this end, a project proposal for maintenance funds for equipment to be purchased under this 2008 PSGP Grant has been approved for the 2011 PSGP Grant (which has no match requirement). Maintenance funding will be included as project proposals in all future PSGP Grants.
As these funds are not budgeted, an appropriation increase in the amount of $5,795,123 is included in the recommendation and as noted below:
Department |
Fund |
Total |
|
Police (PD) |
General Grants (SR 120) |
$4,554,790 |
Fire (FD) |
General Grants (SR 120) |
$1,240,333 |
|
Total |
|
$5,795,123 |
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
JIM McDONNELL
CHIEF OF POLICE
ALAN M. PATALANO
FIRE CHIEF
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER