To: Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County
Department or Agency Name(s): Sheriff’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jeff Bean, Department Analyst, 565-2003
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Boating Safety and Enforcement Financial Aid Program Agreement
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution authorizing the Sheriff to ratify and execute grant documents and future amendments with the State’s Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways to receive grant funding for provision of boating safety and enforcement services in an amount not-to-exceed $513,899 for FY 22-23. The grant promotes safety on Sonoma County’s waterways and helps augment local funding for the Marine Unit’s activities.
end
Executive Summary:
The Sheriff’s Office is seeking the Board’s approval to ratify a grant application and execute the award agreement and any other related documents with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways, Boating Safety and Enforcement Financial Aid Program; and authorization for the Sheriff to accept $513,899 for FY 22-23 to support the Marine Unit’s boating safety and enforcement activities on Sonoma County waterways, including Bodega Bay and Lake Sonoma, and portions of the Russian River, Petaluma River/San Pablo Bay, Gualala River, and coastal Pacific Ocean.
Discussion:
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit maintains primary law enforcement jurisdiction over Sonoma County’s waterways including Bodega Bay and Lake Sonoma, and portions of the Russian River, Petaluma River/San Pablo Bay, Gualala River, and coastal Pacific Ocean.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways provides financial aid to subvention grantees for boating safety and enforcement expenses. The purpose of the program is to provide financial aid to local governmental agencies whose waterways have high usage by transient boaters and an insufficient boat tax base to fully support a boating safety and enforcement program. The program is intended to augment existing local resources for boating safety and enforcement activities and is not intended to fully fund these programs.
The Sheriff’s Office has received grant funds from the Division of Boating and Waterways since 1985. Most recently, in December 2020, Sheriff’s Office staff submitted a subvention grant application and received an award of $513,899, the maximum for which the County is eligible in FY 21-22. As a grantee in the financial aid program, the Marine Unit can claim reimbursement for direct program-related costs including personnel, operations, equipment, maintenance, and administration up to $513,899. Costs related to peace officer training, weapons, and the purchase of vessels or vehicles, and one-time payments for separation or medical causes are ineligible for reimbursement. The grant will subsidize and offset approximately half of the FY 22-23 projected costs associated with providing law enforcement services on Sonoma County waterways.
Historically, Marine Unit revenue has come from the annual subvention grant from the Division of Boating and Waterways and from a contract with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide law enforcement services during the main recreation season at Lake Sonoma, including holidays, May through September. The Unit is authorized for three staff allocations: two deputies and a sergeant. The Unit uses alternate marine deputies as a pool of trained personnel available to relieve sick, vacation and training time of full-time deputies.
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SHERIFF’S OFFICE MARINE UNIT BUDGET |
FY 22-23 Requested |
|
Revenue |
|
|
Division of Boating and Waterways, Boating Safety and Enforcement Grant |
$513,899 |
|
Division of Boating and Waterways, SAVE grant |
$30,000 |
|
Army Corps of Engineers |
$190,000 |
|
Boat Tax Revenue received by County |
$181,567 |
|
TOTAL REVENUE |
$915,466 |
|
Expenses |
|
|
Salary and Benefits |
$1,059,935 |
|
Services and Supplies |
$260,028 |
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TOTAL EXPENDITURES |
$1,319,963 |
|
|
|
|
GENERAL FUND NET COST |
$404,497 |
The estimated $1.3 million in expenditures will be included in the Sheriff’s Office FY 22-23 Requested Budget, including approximately $586,064 in County support (Estimated: $181,567 Boat Tax + $404,497 General Funds). The Sheriff’s Office is the law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring and responding to calls for service on all waterways in Sonoma County, regardless whether it receives funding from the Division of Boating and Waterways. Funding from this grant assists the Sheriff’s Office in meeting its law enforcement obligations. If the County does not accept this grant funding, additional County support beyond the projected $586,064 would be needed to maintain current service levels.
This grant funding is being leveraged to support the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Marine Unit. It facilitates the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office mandated boating enforcement and safety services on waterways to the residents of Sonoma County. Additionally, it promotes fiscal responsibility by requiring the Sheriff’s Office to report quarterly to the Division of Boating and Waterways to maintain grant funding.
Over the years, there have been opportunities to increase the amount of the Agreement. Such opportunities require quick turnaround due to the limited length of boating season. Therefore, the Sheriff is also requesting authorization to execute any amendments or additional documents related to this grant, in consultation with the County Administrator and County Counsel, and under the condition that such documents have no increase to the Sheriff’s Budget net cost. The Sheriff’s Office recommends the Board adopt the resolution authorizing the Sheriff to execute the Agreement with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways, Boating Safety and Enforcement Financial Aid Program to accept $513,899 in FY 22-23 funding assistance for provision of the Marine Unit’s boating safety and enforcement services.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
Subvention grant agreements with the Division of Boating and Waterways have been approved annually since 1985, most recently Resolution 21-0197 on May 11, 2021.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$1,287,200 |
$1,319,963 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$1,287,200 |
$1,319,963 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$553,301 |
$586,064 |
|
|
State/Federal |
$733,899 |
$733,899 |
|
|
Fees/Other |
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|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$1,287,200 |
$1,319,963 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The subvention grant provides State reimbursement for Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit boating safety and enforcement expenses, not to exceed $513,899 for FY 22-23. The Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit FY 22-23 Requested Budget will include anticipated funding from two grants, a federal contract, local boat tax, and the General Fund. The estimated General Fund contribution of $404,497 is augmented by an estimated $181,567 in local boat tax revenue collected by the County in FY 21-22.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
1. Resolution authorizing execution of the Division of Boating and Waterways Financial Aid Program Agreement
2. Division of Boating and Waterways Financial Aid Program Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None