PRESENTER: Presenter
Jennifer Gates, Grants Coordinator
Body
SUBJECT: Title
Approval of an amendment to the FY 2024 Budget - Grant Fund to incorporate expenditures and revenue as awarded by the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, Fiscal Year 2024 SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant Program for the New Braunfels Police Department; and approval for the purchase of two grant-funded vehicles from Caldwell Country Chevrolet, including auxiliary expenditures for upfitting of the vehicles.
Header
DEPARTMENT: Finance
Body
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
New Braunfels’ City Council strategic priorities include using a variety of funding sources for operational and capital needs. As such, on March 25, 2024, the City Council ratified an application submitted by staff to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVCPA), Fiscal Year 2024 SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant Program to request funding on behalf of the New Braunfels Police Department (NBPD) for costs associated with the detection and prevention of catalytic converter theft in Texas.
The original application was submitted for a total amount of $686,748 to support personnel costs of two officers to be assigned to NBPD’s Street Crimes Unit (SCU), including the officers’ base salaries, fringe benefits, uniforms and issued equipment, and vehicles, and for the purchase and installation of license plate readers. On March 28, the MVCPA Board met and issued a grant award to the City for the full requested amount, and at the conclusion of the meeting, the Board also offered the opportunity to all awardees to submit a negotiation for additional eligible costs.
City staff subsequently submitted a request for a total of $913,399, supporting the original application as well as additional eligible costs including personnel and equipment costs required to host catalytic converter engraving events for the public, and miscellaneous costs such as program supplies and travel expenses for City staff to attend MVCPA meetings and events. As with the original application, the granting agency provides funds for 100% of the total amount therefore, there is no City-match requirement.
The negotiated application was approved by the granting agency for the full requested amount on June 27, with a grant term that is retroactively effective to March 24, 2024. On March 25, City Council had provided authorization for the City Manager or authorized designee to act on behalf of the City in all matters related to the grant award. As such, the following budget amendment to the City’s FY 2024 Budget is now recommended for City Council consideration.
Budget Amendment - Grant Fund
FY24 MVCPA SB224 Grant:
Increase Revenue
• State: $913,399
Increase Expenditures
• Salaries: $134,858
• Fringe: $56,308
• Overtime: $72,000
• Other Purchased Services: $84,500
• Travel and Reimbursement: $5,000
• Vehicles, Safety Equipment, and Other Equipment: $472,705
• Tools, Parts and Equipment: $88,028
Staff also requests approval for the purchase of two grant-funded Chevrolet Tahoe PPV, and all associated upfitting to make the vehicles ready for operation. The vehicles are currently in stock at Caldwell Country Chevrolet and available to be purchased for a total of $97,210 using a BuyBoard cooperative contract. Upfitting will include the purchase and installation of equipment such as lights, computers, racking, cameras, and graphics, to be provided by several vendors, including FarrWest Specialty Vehicles, LCRA, MobileSpike Technologies, Nationwide Applications, and others for a total approximate cost of $77,000. All aforementioned expenditures are supported by an assortment of City contracts and cooperative agreements, thereby fulfilling competitive procurement requirements.
As applicable, additional grant-supported expenditures and staffing requirements such as an increase to NBPD’s Strength of Force will be brought to Council for future consideration and approval.
ISSUE:
The City’s adopted 2024-2029 Strategic Plan includes objectives pertaining to public safety and fiscal sustainability. Therefore, the proposed budget amendment and requested procurement described within this agenda item will support the acceptance and use of grant funds for a variety of eligible personnel and equipment costs incurred by the New Braunfels Police Department during the City’s Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
☐Economic Mobility ☐Enhanced Connectivity ☐Community Identity
☒Organizational Excellence ☒Community Well-Being ☐N/A
Considering statutory and market-based factors, continue to diversify revenue streams to support long-term fiscal sustainability of the Organization.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The granting agency will provide reimbursement of all awarded costs; there is no City-match requirement. The above budget amendment will recognize the grant related revenues and allow the related necessary expenditures out of the Grant Fund for FY 2024.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of an amendment to the FY 2024 Budget - Grant Fund to incorporate expenditures and revenue as awarded by the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, Fiscal Year 2024 SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant Program for the New Braunfels Police Department; and approval for the purchase of two grant-funded vehicles from Caldwell Country Chevrolet, including auxiliary expenditures for upfitting of the vehicles.