City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JANUARY 10, 2023 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A GRANT APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF A 2022 URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE GRANT AWARD FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,178,500 — SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUES:
Consider a Resolution authorizing a grant application and accepting $3,178,500 from the 2022 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, approve a supplemental appropriation in the same amount, and authorize a limited term grant funded position attached to the Fire Department’s UASI program.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Adopt a Resolution (Attachment # 2) authorizing a grant application for the Department of Homeland Security’s 2022 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant in the amount of $3,178,500, or the actual award amount; acceptance of the grant award; and authorization for the City Manager to sign any and all necessary documents for this grant program; Authorize a limited term grant funded position in the Fire Department’s Office of Emergency Services of Administrative Analyst (working title of Homeland Security Planner) that will be attached to this program; and With at least five affirmative votes, and upon receipt of the grant award, authorize the CFO, or designee, to record an increase in estimated revenues in the amount of $3,178,500, or the actual amount awarded and appropriate expenditures in the same amount to the UASI Fund, Fire Department UASI Program Accounts.
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program to enhance regional preparedness in high-threat, high-density areas and provides funding opportunities every fiscal year (FY) to address the unique multi-disciplinary planning, operations, equipment, and training needs to these areas as it relates to terrorism prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.
In 2008, DHS identified the Riverside Region as a UASI-qualified area, allowing the eligibility to apply for grant funding. Due to large-scale regional threats, the cities of Ontario and San Bernardino, and the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino were identified as sub-recipients of the grant funding, with the City of Riverside appointed as agency lead. Since 2008, Riverside has led various UASI projects in the region to support the protection of communities from acts of terrorism and has successfully received over $20 million in grant funding that has been shared among the Riverside UASI agencies.
The Riverside UASI is governed by the Riverside Urban Area Steering Group (UASG), and the Authorized Body of five also known as the Urban Area Approval Authority. The UASG is comprised of the Police and Fire Chiefs and Deputy/Assistant Chiefs of the Cities of Ontario, Riverside, and San Bernardino, the County Fire Chief and Undersheriff for the County of San Bernardino, and the Emergency Management Director and Assistant Sheriff for the County of Riverside. The UASG sets the priorities and selects the regional projects which will be funded by the UASI grant. The Authorized Body of 5 is comprised of the City Managers from the Cities of Ontario, Riverside, and San Bernardino, the County Executive Officer for Riverside County, and the Chief Executive Officer for San Bernardino County. The Urban Area Approval Authority has the final decision-making authority for the Riverside UASI’s funding allocations.
DISCUSSION:
The Department of Homeland Security UASI grant has provided an application and preliminary award letter to the City of Riverside Fire Department in the approximate amount of $3,178,500 for the 2022 grant cycle. Staff is requesting that City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the grant application and authorize the acceptance of the 2022 UASI funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
If approved, the Riverside UASI and grant sub-recipients will use funding to purchase equipment for Homeland Security enhancement projects throughout the Riverside UASI region. The grant funding may also be used for regional planning, training and exercise activities, regional critical infrastructure assessments, personnel salaries, and materials to enhance community resilience.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority No. 2 Community Well-Being and Goal No. 2.6 – Strengthen community preparedness for emergencies to ensure effective response and recovery.
This item aligns with the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant has increased the capabilities and capacities of our first responder departments and emergency management agencies for over a decade increasing community trust in our emergency response efforts.
Equity – Funding provided by the Department of Homeland Security help the region plan and equip departments to respond to our diverse community including those with access and functional needs.
Fiscal Responsibility – The use of the Department of Homeland Security grant funding increases the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Metropolitan Area’s capability and capacity to plan for, train for, exercise and respond to emergencies within the region and beyond through classes and costs associated with training staff, UASI program administration, and equipment acquisition and organization of planning, training, and exercising.
Innovation – The Riverside Fire Department- Office of Emergency Management’s manages the Riverside Urban Area Security Initiative by bringing regional partners on board to build innovative capabilities throughout the two-county region.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Educating responders, individuals and community organizations thru the UASI program develops disaster resilient organizations through critical infrastructure assessments and disaster training that increases our overall community resilience.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $3,178,500. This includes the cost of the UASI Administrative Analyst (Homeland Security Planner), which is estimated to be $124,910 for FY 2023/24.
All other costs associated with the FY22 UASI grant are 100% reimbursable. Upon Council approval, revenue will be recorded in the following accounts listed below and an equal amount appropriated to expenditure accounts within the same program accounts as described in the following table.
Fund
Program
Account Number
Amount
Revenue
UASI
County/City of Riverside
9176810-331100
$1,776,000
County/City of San Bernardino
9176820-331100
$802,500
City of Ontario
9176830-331100
$600,000
Total Revenue:
$3,178,500
Expenditures
UASI
County/City of Riverside
9176810-4XXXXX
$1,776,000
County/City of San Bernardino
9176820-4XXXXX
$802,500
City of Ontario
9176830-4XXXXX
$600,000
Total Expenditures:
$3,178,500
Prepared by: LaWayne Hearn, Interim Fire Chief
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Phaedra Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Award Letter
Resolution
Federal FY2022 HSGP UASI Grant Award ● Page 3