PRESENTER: Presenter
Jennifer Gates, Grants Coordinator
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SUBJECT: Title
Approval of a resolution; ratification for the submission of an application to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, Fiscal Year 2025 SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant Program on behalf of the New Braunfels Police Department for personnel and equipment costs; and authorization for the City Manager or authorized designee to act on behalf of the City in all matters related to the grant if awarded.
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DEPARTMENT: Police
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City’s adopted 2024-2029 Strategic Plan includes objectives pertaining to public safety and fiscal sustainability. As such, Staff has applied to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVCPA), Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 SB 224 (SB224) Catalytic Converter Grant Program on behalf of the New Braunfels Police Department (NBPD) to request continued support of grant-funded salary, equipment, and miscellaneous program-support costs which have been critical to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of local, regional, and State law enforcement efforts in the detection and prevention of the theft of catalytic converters, and associated street-level crimes.
Previously, staff had applied for an FY2024 MVCPA SB224 grant in March 2024, and subsequently received notification in June of a grant award that provided much-needed funding for a multitude of departmental needs, including salary costs of two officers, and contracted equipment costs for variety of fixed and mobile automatic license plate readers (LPRs) and surveillance cameras. The grant-funded officers were assigned to the Street Crimes Unit (SCU) after an associated increase to NBPD’s Strength of Force was approved by City Council on September 5, and a contract with Insight Public Sector, Inc. for LPRs and cameras was approved on October 7.
Currently, the City’s FY2024 grant term is scheduled to end on March 23, 2025, with possible extensions until a final termination date of June 21, 2025. It is the City’s intent to apply for FY2026 funding which is estimated to be available on August 1, 2025; however, the MVCPA also provided an opportunity for grant funding during the aforementioned gap period.
Therefore, City staff recently submitted a grant application to support personnel costs for two officers, a continued contract with a provider of fixed and mobile license plate readers and surveillance cameras, and miscellaneous eligible expenditures that support the program such as travel costs for staff to attend required conferences and supplies for catalytic converter etching events.
The granting agency approved funds for 100% of the total awarded amount, without a City match requirement, for the FY2024 MVCPA SB224 grant; however, there is a 20% City match requirement for the FY2025 MVCPA SB224 grant. Therefore, if awarded, staff will request that the 20% City match requirement will be incorporated into the City’s FY 2025 Adopted Budget via an associated budget amendment that will be submitted for future City Council consideration and approval.
Staff is also requesting City Council approval of a resolution, as required by the granting agency, that will authorize our City Manager or an authorized designee to act as the authorized official on behalf of the City in all matters related to this grant. The designated authorized official is given the power to apply for, accept, reject, alter, or terminate the grant on behalf of the applicant agency.
ISSUE:
The City’s adopted 2024-2029 Strategic Plan includes objectives pertaining to public safety and fiscal sustainability. Therefore, the contract described within this agenda item will support the use of awarded grant funds for eligible costs incurred by the New Braunfels Police Department.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
☐Economic Mobility ☐Enhanced Connectivity ☐Community Identity
☒Organizational Excellence ☒Community Well-Being ☐N/A
(Organizational Excellence) Considering statutory and market-based factors, continue to diversify revenue streams to support long-term fiscal sustainability of the Organization. (Community Well-Being) Continue to develop alternative public safety deployment strategies that align to call type and statutory requirements to allow for efficient use of current and future staff resources.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If approved by the MVCPA, the granting agency will reimburse 80% of eligible costs, and the 20% City match requirement will be incorporated into the City’s FY 2025 Adopted Budget via an associated budget amendment that will be submitted for future City Council consideration and approval. Therefore, sufficient funds will be available to support the cost of all activities as described above.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of a resolution; ratification for the submission of an application to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, Fiscal Year 2025 SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant Program on behalf of the New Braunfels Police Department for personnel and equipment costs; and authorization for the City Manager or authorized designee to act on behalf of the City in all matters related to the grant if awarded.