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Home My WebLink About1/17/2007 - STAFF REPORTS - 5.B. i o�pALMspR CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT DATE: January 17, 2007 NEW BUSINESS SUBJECT: ACCEPT 2006 FIREFIGHTER STAFFING FEDERAL GRANT (SAFER) FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager BY: Blake G. Goetz, Fire Chief SUMMARY The City Council will consider adopting Minute Order No. Accepting a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant for partial funding of three (3) Firefighters under the "2006 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant". RECOMMENDATIONS: 1, Adopt Minute Order No. Acknowledging the City's Commitment under the SAFER Grant, to accept the partial funding of three (3) Firefighters under the 2006 Staffing, for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and accept partial funding from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to offset the City's matching portion on a 50/50 basis for the five year grant performance period to mitigate the impacts on fire and rescue services at the Spa Resort and Casino development project. 2. Adopt Resolution No. , Approving Amendment #4 to the Allocated Positions and Compensation Plan adopted by Resolution No 21612, adding three (3) Firefighter positions. STAFF ANALYSIS: On June 8, 2005, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 21285 authorizing the Fire Chief to apply for the 2005 SAFER Grant. The Fire Department was not awarded the grant in 2005 so the Fire Department reapplied for the same grant in 2006. The Fire Chief requested the assistance of Congresswoman Mary Bono to help secure this very competitive grant. Congresswoman Bono and her staff lobbied for the SAFER Grant with the US Department of Homeland Security this past summer, with a successful outcome. ITEM NO. �2_� City Council Staff Report January 17, 2007 -- Page 2 SAFER Grant On September 29t", 2006 the Fire Chief was informed by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Grants and Training that the 2006 grant application was one of forty four (44) (out of 1750 applications) that had been approved for funding. The grant authorizes funding for three (3) new firefighter positions at the downtown fire station for a total of$310,500 over four years. The purpose of the SAFER grant is to award grants directly to volunteer, combination and career fire departments to help the departments increase their cadre of firefighters. The SAFER Grant is a five-year grant to assist fire departments in paying a portion of the salaries of newly hired firefighters. These newly hired positions must be in addition to authorized and funded active firefighter positions. Grantees must do everything in their power to maintain the number of authorized and funded positions as declared at the time of the application plus the awarded new firefighter positions throughout the period of performance (18 Firefighters). Grantees that fail to maintain this level of staffing risk losing all or a portion of their grant. This grant requires the recipient to match an increasing proportion of the salary over a four-year period; in the fifth year of the grant, the recipient must absorb the entire cost of any positions awarded as a result of the grant. The Fire Chief, supported by the City Manager, recommend that City Council accept this grant to allow for three (3) new firefighters assigned to the downtown truck company; increasing the staffing on that unit from two to three firefighters. This recommendation is consistent with the highest priority staffing recommendation that was made in the Standards of Response Cover and Deployment Analysis by CityGate Associates, LLC in March 2005. Adding a third firefighter to Truck 441 will allow them to initiate immediate fire and rescue activities without having to wait for an outlying engine company to arrive. The downtown district is a high-risk, high fire probability area that requires a greater concentration of firefighters to deal with the fire and rescue issues associated with a commercial center. FISCAL IMPACT: The SAFER grant will pay the City up to $103,500 for each approved firefighter position over the course of the five year grant period. The Federal payment schedule is as follows: Year One: 90 percent of the actual cost or$37,260 per firefighter Year Two: 80 percent of the actual cost or $33,120 per firefighter Year Three: 50 percent of the actual cost or $20,700 per firefighter Year Four: 30 percent of the actual cost or $12,420 per firefighter Year Five: No Federal share—all costs borne by grantee City Council Staff Report January 17, 2007 — Page 3 SAFER Grant The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has agreed to "match" the City's portion of the grant on a 50/50 basis for the five year grant period. This matching grant from the Tribe is in addition to, and independent of the Special Distribution Fund (SDF) that the fire department already receives. This SAFER Grant match from the Tribe is intended to mitigate the impacts on fire and rescue services as the Spa Resort and Casino Master Plan Project is developed. Hence, the Tribal contributions for this grant match will be credited toward any environmental impact requirements imposed on their project development. Cost Sharing Analysis: Estimated City Estimated SAFER Grant Cost Tribal Cost Contribution Total First Year $71,972 $71,972 $111,780 $255,724 Second Year $99,034 $99,034 $ 99,360 $297,428 Third Year $135,124 $135,124 $ 62,100 $332,348 Four Year $163,127 $163,127 $ 37,260 $363,514 Fifth Year $199,361 $199,361 0 $398,722 TOTAL $668,618 1 $668,618 1 $310,500 $1,647,736 City costs include proposed new salaries, 3% COLA's, step increases, overtime to maintain daily^sta�19- firefighters, and benefits. A� Funding for these positions is available in the current fire partment budget for the remainder of this fiscal year (salary savings). The Fire Chief and Finance Director will budget for the additional employee costs beginning in fiscal year 2007/08. The Tribe has agreed to pay the city their portion of the grant match on an annual or quarterly basis. 7 Blake'GoeM Fire Chief David H. Ready, Cit agar Attachments: Agua Caliente Agreement Letter Mary Bono Letter to DHS Proposed Minute Order Proposed Resolution AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIW TR16AL PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT January 11, 2007 ' p HAND DELIVERED AND FAXED xc4 ;I1t�C"i Blake G. Goetz, Fire Chief CITY OF PALM SPRINGS 300 N. El Cielo Road Palm Springs CA 92262 RE: SAFER GRANT Dear Chief Goetz: It is my pleasure to advise you that the Tribal Council, at their meeting of January 9, 2007, approved a 50% participation in the City's matching obligation for the "2006 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant." The Tribe's participation will be in accordance with the table contained in your DRAFT Staff Report (attached) for the January 171h City Council Meeting. This obligation is independent of any funds distributed through the Special Distribution Fund of the Tribal/State Compact and is intended as a credit toward any mitigation measures identified through the Environmental Assessment for the Spa Resort Casino Expansion Master Plan. The Tribal Council is pleased to assist the City of Palm Springs in this important public safety enhancement. This effort continues the Tribe's and City's long and successful commitment to work together on a Government-to-Government basis. Please contact me if you require any additional information. VJ trul yours, Tho as J. Davis, AICP Chief Planning & Development Officer AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS TJD/jb C: Tribal Council Gary Stopp, Chief of Staff Michelle Carr, Staff Attorney Congresswoman Mary Bono, 44th Congressional District Mayor Ron Oden, City of Palm Springs David Ready, City of Palm Springs 650 EAST TAMGUITZ CANYON WAY, PALM SPRING$, CA 92262 T 760/325/3400 F 760/326/6952 AGUAGALIFNTIE.ORG COMMITIEG 'CC�ypp WASHINGTON OFFICk ENERGY AND COMMERCE 465 CANNON HOUSE OIFICG Buryuin�o _ WASHINGTON,DC 20516 (202)225-5230 suncOMMITfEEs, F..J202)225-2961 COMMERCE,TRADE AND ? GISMICT 01 fIcu GONsuMEH PROTECTION TO/En:a TAN.W I' CANNON WAY ENERGY AND AIR QUALITY .��ffl��ry1��y}.p M SNE"9 t"'•L" �n� PALM7 5151 3 2 9-1 0 Al2L"[ ENVIRONMENT AND of yy'' ryL� b6G132o-1 WG HAZARDOUS MATERIALS (tl onF re5pN AT the �I lifteb �}dteC FAX (760)39o-059u HEALTH �rGLL++VV 77 LLkJ`44,TuJTT]] VV``` �`y+J awls aGV Lµ 4.w 16DD EAST FOOHIo,.AIINue 45tt-Biptritt, California SUITE 301 HEMET,CA 325AA (951)650-2312 September 1, 2006 Fnx(961)552-2552 Tracy A. Henke, Assistant Secretary Office of Grants and Training Preparedness Directorate U.S, Department of Homeland Security 810 7th Street,NW Washington,DC 20531 Dear Tracy A. Henke, As the Congressional Representative from the 45th District of California and a resident of Palm Springs, California, I wholeheartedly endorse the City of Palm Springs Fire Department's "Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Grants" (SAFER)Application for 2007, The facts are clear- the City of Palm Springs Fire Department deserves and needs this grant in order to meet the demands of residents,tourists, employees, and businesses alike. In order for the City of Palm Springs Fire Department to be in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association(NFPA) 1710 and provide a more efficient fireground operation, at least one new firefighter position each shift(3 total)is needed to engage in fire combat and rescue operations. The additional firefighters will increase the safety of the community by decreasing response time and aiding with search and rescue assignments. The current firefighter staffing of two firefighters on the engines and trucks does not meet the needs of our community. The SAFER Grant is needed so the Palm Springs Fire Department can meet the NFPA standards, Aside from being home to an International Airport and a U.S. Customs facility, the City of Palm Springs is home to up to 80,000 residents during the winter months and annually is the destination of over 1 million tourists. Moreover, the city is threatened each year by forest fires and fire protection is extremely important throughout desert area. The population and its proximity to potential fire-related conditions merit a SAFER grant. The members of the City of Palm Springs Fire Department are excellent examples of selfless public servants. They are an integral part of our community and I am thankful for their hard work. Sincerely, MATtY 130N Member of Congress MINUTE ORDER NO. ACKNOWLEDGING THE CITY'S COMMITMENT UNDER THE SAFER GRANT, TO ACCEPT THE PARTIAL FUNDING OF THREE (3) FIREFIGHTERS UNDER THE 2006 STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE (SAFER) GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, AND ACCEPT PARTIAL FUNDING FROM THE AUGA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS TO OFFSET THE CITY'S MATCHING PORTION ON A 50/50 BASIS FOR THE FIVE YEAR GRANT PERFORMANCE PERIOD TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS ON FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES AT THE SPA RESORT AND CASINO DEVELOPMENT PROJECT I, James Thompson, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that this Minute Order, Acknowledging the City's Commitment under the SAFER Grant, to accept the partial funding of three (3) Firefighters under the 2006 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and accept partial funding from the Aqua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to offset the City's matching portion on a 50/50 basis for the five year grant performance period to mitigate the impacts on fire and rescue services at the Spa Resort and Casino development project was adopted by the City Council of the City of Palm Springs, California, in a meeting thereof held on the 17th day of January, 2007. James Thompson, City Clerk RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS APPROVING AMENDMENT 44 TO THE ALLOCATED POSITIONS AND COMPENSATION PLAN, ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION 21612 WHEREAS, an Allocated Positions and Compensation Plan was adopted June 7, 2006 for the 2006-07 fiscal year by Resolution No. 21612; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to amend said Allocated Positions and Compensation Plan. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS DOES HERESY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. That the Allocated Positions and Compensation Plan for positions in the City Service for fiscal year 2006-2007 is hereby amended as follows: SECTION 2. Additions Department # Positions Classification Unit/Range Fire 3 Fire Fighters F/40 Total authorized positions 2006-2007 as previously approved 473.75 Total authorized positions 2006-2007 as amended (Amendment # 4) 476.75 ADOPTED THIS 17th day of January, 2007, David H. Ready, City Manager ATTEST: James Thompson, City Clerk Resolution No. Page 2 CERTIFICATION STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss. CITY OF PALM SPRINGS ) I, JAMES THOMPSON, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that Resolution No. _ is a full, true and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs an by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: James Thompson, City Clerk City of Palm Springs, California