TO: City Council DATE: May 12, 2025 DEPARTMENT: Police Department
PREPARED BY: Neil Cervenka, Police Chief
PRESENTER: Neil Cervenka, Police Chief
AGENDA TITLE: Receive Report and Consider Adoption of City Council Resolution Authorizing City Manager to Execute a Contract with the County of Mendocino for a Two-Year Contract for Reimbursement of Social Services Liaisons Salary and Benefits (Reimbursed Amount Not to Exceed $500,000)
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Resolution approving contract for two Social Services Liaison’s for the next two years.
BACKGROUND
The Fort Bragg Police Department implemented the Care Response Unit with a state grant. That grant will expire and was not offered again. This leaves a funding shortfall for two Social Services Liaisons. After a presentation to the Measure B Committee, an offer to reimburse the City for the two positions was approved. The County Board of Supervisors approved this recommendation as well. The maximum allowable reimbursement to the City will be $500,000 until June 30, 2027.
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
In 2022, Fort Bragg Police Department was awarded a grant from the Behavioral Health Justice Intervention Services Project through the California Department of Healthcare Services. This grant has funded two Social Services Liaisons as well as a grant from the Youth Opioid Response program. Both of these grants have or will soon end. A third Social Services Liaison is funded for several years by a grant from Prop 47.
In an effort to minimize impact on the General Fund for these important positions, a request was made to the Measure B Mental Health Treatment Act Citizens Oversight Committee to fund the two Social Services Liaison positions for two years until other funding becomes available. The committee approved the request on November 20, 2024 and forwarded it to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, who approved the request on January 7, 2025.
Using Measure B funds, Mendocino County has agreed to reimburse the City of Fort Bragg the cost of salary and benefits for two Social Services Liaisons up to $250,000 per year for the next two years, not to exceed $500,000 total, unless other funding is secured by staff during that time.
FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE
The CRU program is fully funded through grant sources. Secured grant funding—including the Measure B Grant—will cover all personnel costs from June 2025 through June 30, 2027. No budget amendment is required, as the total grant reimbursement for the CRU program is $361,181 for FY 24/25.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
Not applicable.
STRATEGIC PLAN CONSISTENCY
Goal 5B: Identify strategic partnerships to share investments and costs.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Not applicable.
COUNCIL REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Receive report.
AGENDA ITEM NO. 8E
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT