PRESENTER: Presenter
Christopher Greenwell, Grants Coordinator
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SUBJECT: Title
Approval of a resolution of the New Braunfels City Council authorizing the submission of an application for funding under the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority Fiscal Year 2027 SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant Program; designating the City Manager or their designee as Authorized Official to act on behalf of the City in all matters related to the grant, including the execution of all required documentation; and designating Jace Hobbs, or his designee, as Program Director and Sandy Paulos, or her designee, as Financial Officer for the grant if awarded.
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DEPARTMENT: Police Department
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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 will be applying to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVCPA), FY 2027 SB 224 (SB224) Catalytic Converter Grant Program on behalf of the New Braunfels Police Department (NBPD) to request their continued financial assistance for grant-funded salaries, 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.
If awarded, the grant will provide continued funding for the personnel costs of two officers assigned to NBPD’s Street Crimes Unit (SCU), personnel costs for the crime analyst position, contract costs for the current provider of fixed and mobile license plate readers and covert cameras, software expenditure costs for the initial implementation of a real time crime center that will be integrated with the LPR’s, and miscellaneous eligible expenditures that support the program such as travel costs for staff to attend required conferences and supplies and salary costs for catalytic converter etching events.
City staff will be submitting a grant application for the salaries, annual subscriptions for software and equipment, and miscellaneous costs described above, of which the City will provide up to 20% in required matching costs that will be paid by the General Fund, and all other eligible costs will be reimbursed by the granting agency. The total amount for this initiative will be $682,440.85, with $536,012.50 being requested from the granting agency and $120,538.35 being contributed by the City as matching expenditures from the General Fund.
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. Staff also requests Jace Hobbs, or his designee, as Program Director and Sandy Paulos, or her designee, as Financial Officer for the grant if awarded.
ISSUE:
The City’s adopted 2024-2029 Strategic Plan includes objectives pertaining to public safety and fiscal sustainability. Therefore, this initiative 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 the long-term fiscal sustainability of the Organization.
(Community Well-Being) Continue to develop alternative public safety deployment strategies that align with call type and statutory requirements to allow for efficient use of current and future staff resources.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If awarded, the City match requirement will be up to 20%, and the balance of eligible costs will be reimbursed by the granting agency; the matching amount will be incorporated into the City’s FY 2027 Adopted Budget after notification of award. Therefore, sufficient funds will be available to support the cost of all activities as described above.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of a resolution; approving the submission of an application to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, FY 2027 SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant Program on behalf of the New Braunfels Police Department for costs to combat catalytic converter theft; 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, and the designation of Jace Hobbs, or his designee, as Program Director and Sandy Paulos, or her designee, as Financial Officer for the grant if awarded.