Title
Adopt a Resolution to:
a. Ratify the submittal of a grant application to the State of California - The Natural Resources Agency California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and Tree Mortality Grant Program (SRAFPF & TM) grant funds of $200,000 for the Monterey County Fire Prevention and Tree Mortality Project; and
b. Approve a Grant Award from the State of California - The Natural Resources Agency California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and Tree Mortality Grant Program (SRAFPF & TM) in the amount of $200,000 for the Monterey County Fire Prevention and Tree Mortality Project; and
c. Authorize the Resource Management Agency Director or the Director’s designee to execute an agreement between the County and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and to sign and execute invoices on behalf of the County; and
d. Authorize the Resource Management Agency Director or the Director’s designee to act as the agent for the County, to execute an agreement between the County and CAL FIRE, and to sign and execute invoices on behalf of the County.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors consider and adopt a Resolution to:
a. Ratify the submittal of a grant application to the State of California - The Natural Resources Agency California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and Tree Mortality Grant Program (SRAFPF & TM) grant funds of $200,000 for the Monterey County Fire Prevention and Tree Mortality Project; and
b. Approve a Grant Award from the State of California - The Natural Resources Agency California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and Tree Mortality Grant Program (SRAFPF & TM) in the amount of $200,000 for the Monterey County Fire Prevention and Tree Mortality Project; and
c. Authorize the Resource Management Agency Director or the Director’s designee to execute an agreement between the County and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and to sign and execute invoices on behalf of the County; and
d. Authorize the Resource Management Agency Director or the Director’s designee to act as the agent for the County, to execute an agreement between the County and CAL FIRE, and to sign and execute invoices on behalf of the County.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The current procedure for processing grant applications requires approval and authorization by the Board of Supervisors prior to submittal of a grant application. The ability to act quickly when grant opportunities present themselves is critical to securing grant funds and avoids the potential of losing future grant opportunities. In the process of announcing and making grant application materials available, Grantors often do not provide the time needed to both prepare all of the grant documentation and present a completed grant application through the board report administrative review process. Due to these challenges, the Resource Management Agency (RMA) requested authorization from the Board of Supervisors for the submittal of a State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund (SRAFPF) & Tree Mortality (TM) grant application via memo on September 27, 2016 and informed the Board that in the event the grant was awarded staff would present a report to the Board to ratify the grant application submittal and authorize acceptance of the grant (Attachment A).
Grant applications were due and submitted to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) on September 28, 2016 for the Monterey County Fire Prevention and Tree Mortality Project in the amount of $200,000 (Attachment B).
The SRAFPF & TM Grant Program is administered by CAL FIRE. The CAL FIRE SRAFPT & TM Grant will provide funds that can be used for vegetation removal and mowing for approximately 198 acres of land to help prevent fire ignition and spreading near roadways and populated rural State Responsibility Area (SRA) areas.
The 2016-17 SRAFPF & TM Grant Programs received a total of $15.75 million in a one-time appropriation. TM projects are primarily focused within ten (10) Priority Counties which are allocated $11 million of the $15.75 million appropriation. SRAFPF grants are allocated the remaining $4.75 million statewide. TM grants are intended to remove hazardous trees that pose a threat to public health and safety. SRAFPF grants are intended for fire prevention projects and activities related to hazardous fuel (vegetation) reduction, fire prevention planning, and fire prevention education that addresses the risk and potential impacts of wildfire to habitable structures throughout the entire SRA area which is comprised of approximately 31 million acres of land throughout California where the State has the fiscal responsibility of wildfire prevention and suppression. The maximum request is $200,000 of which capital equipment may not exceed $100,000. A funding match by the local agency is not required.
On December 5, 2016, the RMA - Public Works and Facilities received an award letter from CAL FIRE dated December 2, 2016. CAL FIRE’s letter informed the RMA that the County’s application for the grant project entitled Monterey County Fire Prevention and Tree Mortality Project (16-BEU-0050) was selected for funding in the amount of $200,000 (Attachment C). The full agreement, which will be substantially similar to CAL FIRE’s “Terms and Conditions for Grant Agreement”, will be provided to the County via email with instructions from CAL FIRE on or about December 23, 2016. CAL FIRE’s “Terms and Conditions for Grant Agreement” are included as Attachment D.
The grant award is contingent upon receipt of final documents no later than January 31, 2017 which shall include: (1) a fully executed agreement between the County and CAL FIRE which will be substantially similar to CAL FIRE’s “Terms and Conditions for Grant Agreement”, and (2) a resolution authorizing a County signatory to execute said agreement, and authorizing said signatory to sign and execute invoices on behalf of the County. A proposed Resolution authorizing the Resource Management Agency Director or the Director’s designee to act as the agent for the County, to execute an agreement between the County and CAL FIRE, and to sign and execute invoices on behalf of the County is included as Attachment E.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of the County Counsel has reviewed CAL FIRE’s “Terms and Conditions of Grant Agreement” as to form.
FINANCING:
The grant will provide adequate financing for the project and staff anticipates there will be no impact to the General Fund. The grant does not require a County match. Additionally, staff intends to return to the Board of Supervisors to request appropriations after the Budget Committee approval.
Prepared by: Ogarita Carranza, Management Analyst II
Approved by: Benny J. Young, Interim Deputy Director of Public Works & Facilities
Approved by: Carl P. Holm, AICP, RMA Director
Attachments:
Attachment A - September 27, 2016 Memorandum to Board of Supervisors
Attachment B - County SRAFPF & TM Grant Application
Attachment C - CAL FIRE Award Letter
Attachment D - CAL FIRE Terms and Conditions of Grant Agreement
Attachment E - Proposed Resolution
(All attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board)