REPORT TO SHASTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

BOARD MEETING DATE:  April  18, 2017
CATEGORY:  Consent - Law and Justice-3.

SUBJECT:

Renewal agreement with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, division of Boating and Waterways

Supervisorial District No. :  All

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:  Rob Sandbloom, Sergeant, (530) 245-6075

STAFF REPORT APPROVED BY:  Tom Bosenko, Sheriff-Coroner

RECOMMENDATION

Approve and authorize the Chairman to sign a renewal agreement with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways in the amount of $584,990 to provide boating and enforcement activities on Shasta County waterways (excluding Whiskeytown Lake) for the period July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018.

SUMMARY

The annual grant application for the Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Program was submitted to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways (Boating and Waterways) in November 2016 to qualify for funding for FY 2017-2018.  This recommended agreement provides an award of $584,990 to Shasta County for the FY 2017-2018 program.  This annual agreement is a requirement under the State Boating Safety and Enforcement Financial Aid Program.  The grant amount has remained the same since FY 2006-2007.

DISCUSSION

The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Unit (BSU) currently employs one full-time Sergeant, one full-time Deputy Sheriff, and one full-time Boating Safety Officer.  In addition, the Sheriff’s Boating Safety Unit employs extra help seasonal Boating Safety Deputies and Boating Safety Officers. The Sheriff’s Boating Safety Unit patrols all the waters of Shasta County with the exception of Whiskeytown Lake. During the upcoming boating season the BSU will have eight patrol boats which are stationed on Shasta Lake, one on the Sacramento River, and one boat in Burney for primary patrol purposes. The BSU unit is majority funded by the Boating and Waterways grant which requires County matching funds in the form of personal property taxes charged on boats to County residents.  In addition to the matching funds, the State expects the participating agencies to provide, at no cost to the State, the expenditures necessary in employing, outfitting, and training personnel in basic peace officer employment.  For that reason the State does not reimburse the County for background checks, psychological testing, fingerprinting, basic enforcement training unrelated to boating, and weapons and weapon related equipment.  The State also does not reimburse for workers compensation experience insurance, general liability insurance and property insurance expenses, Information Technology services, or A-87 cost.  Expenses not paid by the grant are paid from a combination of General Fund, Prop. 172, and public safety general purpose funds.   BSU staff are trained in boating operations and procedures, including swift water training, providing skilled response to calls for service on the water and boating safety enforcement.  The majority of equipment and boats used by the BSU were purchased with Boating and Waterways funds.

ALTERNATIVES

The board could decide not to accept this grant.

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

The County Administrative Office has reviewed this recommendation.  County Counsel has approved the agreement as to form.  Risk Management has reviewed and approved this agreement. 

FINANCING

Approval of this recommendation will make available $584,990 in state grant funding for operations of the BSU in FY 2017-18. The anticipated projected Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Unit’s budget for FY 2017-2018 is $899,479 which includes $16,000 of appropriations are related to a supplemental training agreement with Boating and Waterways.  The revenue sources funding the requested operational appropriations for the FY 2017-2018 BSU budget are anticipated to be as follows: $584,990 (65.04%) Boating and Waterways grant; $124,130 (13.8%) General Fund allocation; $72,786 (8.09%) unsecured boat taxes; $36,400 (4.05%) Proposition 172 funding; $16,000 (1.78%) Boating and Waterways training agreement; and use of $65,173 (7.24%) in public safety general purpose fund balance. There is no additional General Fund impact with approval of the recommended action.