To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sheriff’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jody Like, 565-2175
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) Grant - FY 2020/21
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a resolution authorizing the Sheriff to execute the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways, Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) grant agreement, and related documents, providing funding in the amount of $43,000 for the Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit to dispose of surrendered, wrecked, and abandoned recreational boats through September 30, 2022. The grant promotes navigational and environmental safety on Sonoma County waterways by removing, reducing, and preventing abandoned recreational vessels and marine debris.
B) Adopt a Resolution adjusting the Sheriff’s Office FY 2020-2021 Adopted Budget, increasing expenditure appropriations and offsetting grant revenue from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways in the amount of $13,000. (4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting the Board’s approval to execute a Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) grant agreement, and related documents, with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways; and authorization for the Sheriff to accept $43,000 for fiscal years 20-21 and 21-22 to enable the Marine Unit to dispose of surrendered, wrecked, and abandoned recreational vessels on Sonoma County waterways. Grant funds may not be used for the removal or disposal of commercial vessels.
Discussion:
The Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is available statewide to qualified local public agencies with jurisdiction over navigable waterways. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit was awarded SAVE grant funding in 2016 ($21,100), 2017 ($14,900) and 2018 ($40,000). To date, these funds have been used to remove 40 surrendered vessels and 4 abandoned vessels from Sonoma County’s waterways. Finalization of the grant requires a Board resolution authorizing execution of the grant agreement.
Background. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit maintains primary law enforcement jurisdiction over Sonoma County’s waterways: Bodega Bay, coastal Pacific Ocean, Lake Sonoma, Russian River, Petaluma River/San Pablo Bay, and the Gualala River.
Historically, problems with abandoned vessels have occurred primarily in Bodega Bay and the Petaluma River/San Pablo Bay areas. In 2011, the Marine Unit partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Cal Recycle, California Fish and Wildlife, Sonoma County Regional Parks, and the Petaluma Police Department to complete several vessel abatement projects on Bodega Bay and on the Petaluma River. Since then, the Marine Unit has continued to monitor derelict vessels and navigational hazards within the County, used prior grants for the removal of abandoned vessels, and provided assistance with abatement to other agencies as needed. Currently, fifteen vessels have been identified as potentially abandoned. Removal of abandoned vessels is complicated and time-consuming due to the process necessary to confirm abandonment and notice potential owners prior to removal. Additionally, these vessels are often sunken or partially sunken, increasing the removal difficulty.
To prevent vessel abandonment, the Division of Boating and Waterways administers a Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP) through local participating agencies, providing a path for boat owners to surrender unwanted recreational vessels free of charge. Under Harbors and Navigation Code, Section 526.1, a "surrendered vessel" is a recreational vessel that the verified titleholder has willingly surrendered to an accepting public agency under both of the following conditions: (a) the public agency has determined that the vessel is in danger of being abandoned, and therefore has a likelihood of causing environmental degradation or becoming a hazard to navigation, and (b) the decision to accept a vessel is based solely on the potential of the vessel to likely be abandoned and cause environmental degradation or become a hazard to navigation. The Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit started its Vessel Turn-In Program in 2017 and currently has 35 vessels on the waitlist.
Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) Grant. The $43,000 SAVE grant is for the Marine Unit to remove and dispose of abandoned and derelict vessels and/or to dispose of boats surrendered through the Unit’s Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP). The cost to remove abandoned boats varies depending on the unique circumstances and issues for each vessel, including the size, type (sail, engine), condition, and location/accessibility (sunk, afloat, beached, dry-storage). Actual costs of removing abandoned boats in recent years have ranged from $2,225 to $9,500 per vessel. In FY 19-20, the Unit reduced the cost of disposing boats surrendered through the Vessel Turn-In Program from $2,000 to $225 each, including both boat and trailer. Utilizing a flatbed trailer, the Unit tows the vessel and trailer to the County refuse site for disposal rather than using a contract dismantler that charges $100 per foot of vessel length. This cost reduction enables the Unit to maximize the service provided to citizens by accepting more surrendered vessels. The grant agreement #C20S0622 is ready for execution by the County. The Sheriff's Office must secure a fully executed agreement, complete the work, and submit for reimbursement by September 30, 2022.
As a condition of the grant award, the Division of Boating and Waterways requires a ten percent contribution (in this case $4,300) from the local agency receiving the grant. The contribution may be rendered in cash or through verifiable in-kind contributions which may include personnel hours and the cost of excess removal and/or storage expenses. The Marine Unit expects to contribute in-kind personnel hours. No General Funds are requested.
Appropriations needed to proceed with approved expenditures are being requested through a budgetary resolution. The Sheriff is requesting the attached Budget Resolution be approved to appropriate expenditures and offsetting revenue from DBW in the amount of $13,000 for FY20-21. The $30,000 remaining from the grant will be included in the Sheriff’s Office FY 21-22 requested budget.
Prior Board Actions:
A Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) grant for $40,000 from the Division of Boating and Waterways was approved by the Board of Supervisors on September 25, 2018 (Resolution 18-0399). A $14,900 Supplemental Grant was approved (Resolution 18-0134) on April 17, 2018, and a prior grant for $21,100 was approved (Resolution 16-0358) on September 20, 2016.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 20-21 Adopted |
FY21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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$30,000 |
|
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
$13,000 |
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Total Expenditures |
$13,000 |
$30,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
$13,000 |
$30,000 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$13,000 |
$30,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) grant provides State reimbursement for expenses incurred by the Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit to remove derelict vessels, not to exceed $43,000 through September 30, 2022. The accompanying resolution requests offsetting SAVE Grant revenue and expenditure appropriations in the Sheriff’s Marine Unit in the amount of $13,000 for FY20-21. The majority of work will be completed in FY 21-22 and will be included in the Sheriff’s Office FY 21-22 requested budget. The $4,300 in-kind match will be covered by personnel expenses already included in the budget.
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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):
N/A
Attachments:
1. Resolution authorizing execution of the Division of Boating and Waterways Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange Agreement
2. Resolution authorizing budgetary adjustments in the amount of $13,000 to the FY 20-21 Sheriff’s Office budget for the Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange grant revenue and expenditures.
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Copy of California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways Grant Agreement #C20S0622