Title
Support authorizing the Auditor-Controller to modify the FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget to cover a deficiency in Sheriff’s Office appropriations, as follows:
a. Transfer appropriations from Corrections Operations Bureau, SHE003-001-2300-8238-6111, a total of $950,000, to Administration and Enforcement Operations Bureau, SHE001-001-2300-8242-6111 in the amount of $600,000 and $350,000 in the Sheriff’s Inmate Medical Programs, SHE004-001-2300-8237-6610 (4/5ths vote required);
b. Increase appropriations and revenues by $600,000 in the Sheriff’s Office Administration and Enforcement Operations Bureau’s various budget units as attached (4/5ths vote required); and
c. Increase appropriations by $400,000 in the Administration and Enforcement Operations Bureau, SHE001-001-2300-8242-6111 and $50,000 in the Coroner’s Division, SHE002-001-2300-8226-6111, a total of $450,000, funded by the Termination Assignment, Balance Sheet Account 3115 (4/5ths vote required).
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors’ Budget Committee support authorizing the Auditor-Controller to modify the FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget to cover a deficiency in Sheriff’s Office appropriations, as follows:
a. Transfer appropriations from Corrections Operations Bureau, SHE003-001-2300-8238-6111, a total of $950,000, to Administration and Enforcement Operations Bureau, SHE001-001-2300-8242-6111 in the amount of $600,000 and $350,000 in the Sheriff’s Inmate Medical Programs, SHE004-001-2300-8237-6610 (4/5ths vote required);
b. Increase appropriations and revenues by $600,000 in the Sheriff’s Office Administration and Enforcement Operations Bureau’s various budget units as attached (4/5ths vote required); and
c. Increase appropriations by $400,000 in the Administration and Enforcement Operations Bureau, SHE001-001-2300-8242-6111 and $50,000 in the Coroner’s Division, SHE002-001-2300-8226-6111, a total of $450,000, funded by the Termination Assignment, Balance Sheet Account 3115 (4/5ths vote required).
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Sheriff’s Office reported to the Board in December 2015 that it would need to fill 11 unfunded Deputy Sheriff positions and requested six more Custody and Control Specialist positions. The requests were approved and the Sheriff’s Office and County Administrative Office would work together to identify funding for the costs. Since November 2015 13 Deputy Sheriffs including two lateral hires were hired and nine Deputy Sheriffs retired or resigned/terminated and there are currently seven Deputy Sheriff vacancies. The Office hired eight Custody and Control Specialists since November 2015. However, three of them resigned and that left seven vacant Custody and Control Specialists as of now. The Office has processed and sent prescreening notice to 542 Deputy Sheriff applicants as of March 2016.
With various cost saving measures implemented, comprehensive analysis of each expense account, and updated projections, the Office is estimating the need for increased appropriations of $1.05 million. Of this amount, $600,000 will be funded internally by increased revenues from various resources as shown in Attachment A. The Office is requesting to fund $450,000 out of the Termination Assignment, Balance Sheet Account 3115 to cover the unbudgeted termination benefit payoffs.
The Office also request to transfer $600,000 from the Corrections Operations Bureau from the expected surplus in appropriation due to less than expected use of the contract encumbrance for inmate housing in Alameda County to the Administration and Enforcement Operations Bureaus. One of reasons of appropriation shortage in the Administration and Enforcement Operations Bureaus is that its appropriations are being used to pay for Deputy Sheriffs who are assigned to working at the Jail and newly hired Deputy Sheriff Recruits due to lack of position allocations at the Jail and filling of some of the 11 unfunded Deputy Sheriff positions which was supported by the Budget Committee and approved by the Board in December 2015. Since the approval to fill the unfunded positions, the Office has transferred five Deputy Sheriffs back to Patrol. Should had not been this action approved, the Office still would have less than bare minimum staffing level in all three Patrol Stations. The five Deputy Sheriffs are back to the Central Patrol and it is continued to deploy Patrol Deputies from the Central Station for the mid night and swing shifts to the South County and Costal Stations. Adding six more Custody and Control Specialist positions added more security and flexibility at the Jail by relieving Deputy Sheriffs from the control tower duties.
Other main reasons for the overspent expenses are 1) various contracts related to recruitment efforts; 2) uniforms and safety equipment costs for newly hired employees and replacement of old safety equipment; 3) police academy tuitions; 4) increase in technology related expenses, especially the maintenance cost of Records and Jail Management systems, TracNet which was not part of FY 2015-16 Baseline Budget; 5) maintenance and repair costs for old and deteriorating Jail facility; and 6) increased number of autopsies and related supplies expenses. Another reason for the appropriation overage is due to the unbudgeted termination benefits and vacation buyback payments. As of this writing, the termination benefit payoffs are approximately $680,000 for 30 separations from County service; the amount is expected to be more than $710,000 by the end of the fiscal year. Of this amount, $246,292 was paid to settle a case. Year to date vacation buyback payment is $114,580 which includes $24,107 for F and J Bargaining Units’ employees compare to $9,761 in the FY 2014-15.
With various overtime cost saving measures including reducing the duration of a shift and starting time of each shift, the Office is estimating $5.76 million in overtime spending which is a significant decrease compare to $7.02 million in the FY 2014-15 and $6.58 million in the FY 2013-14. The overtime budget for the FY 2015-16 is $4.85 million, $4.91 million in FY 201-14-15 and $3.39 million in FY 2013-14. If the Office had not taken all the cost-saving measures, the estimated deficiency would have been much higher.
The Office is also requesting transfer of surplus appropriations from the Corrections Operations Bureau to pay pending inmates’ medical bills in the amount of $350,000 which include $220,000 to Natividad Medical Center. There were a few significant amounts of medical bills for a few inmates with serious medical conditions which are not under the Sheriff’s Office control.
It is expected that the Sheriff’s Office would not receive all the budgeted revenues, $0.97 million less than the budgeted. Some of main reasons include 1) less than budgeted in supplemental law enforcement revenue due to unrealized service contract with the City of King; 2) over budgeted Federal COPS grant; and 3) less spending for the reimbursable contract with Alameda County.
With the estimated overage in appropriations and shortage in the expected revenues, the Office still estimates the year end General Fund Contribution would be the same amount, approximately $1.5 million that was submitted for the mid year forecast.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrative Office has reviewed this report.
FINANCING:
The Sheriff’s Office estimates it needs to increase appropriations by $1.05 million to cover year-end payroll and other critical operating expenditures. To fund this deficiency, the Office recommends using $600,000 in increased Sheriff’s Office various revenues which will be transferred into the General Fund at the end of the fiscal year with the actually expensed amounts, and $450,000 by the Termination Assignment, Balance Sheet Account 3115.
Prepared by: Hye-Weon Kim, Fiscal Manager, X3749
Approved by: Steve Bernal, Sheriff-Coroner, X3725
Attachments:
FY 16 Budget Committee Report Attachment A