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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10221985 - 1.52 TO: '' ' BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 1 Contra FROM: Gary T. Yancey, District Attorney Costa DATE: October 9, 1985 County SUBJECT: Request to Increase the District Attorney's Revolving Fund SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve request and authorize an increase in the District Attorney's Revol- ing Fund from $1,900 to $2,500. II. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There will be no additional cost to the county if this request is approved. Funds are currently being spent at the requested increase level. Sufficient funds are allocated in Budget Unit 40242 Services & Supplies accounts to fund the cost of the business transactions discussed herein. III. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND: The Petty Cash Fund for Superior Court Operations in Martinez which is set at $150 in cash and $250 in a checking account is grossly inadequate to handle the day-to-day business transactions that occur in dealing with the prosecution of criminal cases in that office. It is often necessary in prosecuting criminal cases to bring witnesses in from out-of-county and out-of-state and to pay the entire travel, food and lodging costs of these witnesses who . may be required 'as witnesses from .one to several days. Many of these people do not have the money to pay for their living expenses and then seek reimbursement. We must be ready in every case to advance them the cash to pay the cost of their living expenses. We have an open purchase order with a local motel to house the witnesses but have had to install a daily cash per diem plan to pay their daily food costs. Each witness who is in need of funds is advanced the cash on a daily basisto pay for the cost of their food. This plan was placed into effect to control costs. Prior to its adoption, we would arrange to subsist witnesses at either their motel or a nearby restaurant. We set a daily limit on food costs with the vendor but discovered that they were unable to control spending by witnesses. To avoid cost overruns which we felt obligated to pay, we instituted the new program of advancing cash to each witness on the basis of a prescribed meal rate. Since this program went into effect, we have been able to control food costs. We formerly permitted witnesses to make telephone calls from their motel rooms. Because of abuses, we now inform the tel operator that we will not be responsible for these costs. When it is tified, e will reimburse CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT:_L_ YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REC MENDATIO BOARD M ITTEE APPROVE OTHER 0 SIGNATURE(S) ACTION OF BOARD ON ct0 Er 22 , APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUS (ABSENT --- ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: County Administrator ATTESTED October 22', 1985 Auditor-Controller r PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF District Attorney SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382/7-83 BY DEPUTY witnesses for long distance telephone charges. It is also necessary on some cases, to book witnesses into a different motel. Once in awhile witnesses will agree to travel by car at their own expense provided they are reimbursed immediately upon their arrival. We need immediate cash on hand for all of the reasons stated above. During the months of July, August & September 1985, we averaged $740 per month in disbursements from the Petty Cash Funds in the Martinez Office. Of this amount, it was necessary to use an average of $392 per month from the Special Investigative Petty Cash Fund to meet our financial obligations. Most of this money was disbursed directly to witnesses to pay their daily food expense costs. We should not use the Special Investigative Petty Cash Fund for this purpose on a continuing basis because we could easily deplete the fund and not have money available at a time when a confidential investigation must be conducted. When we have sufficient advance notice of a witness' arrival and need for cash, we process a request through the Auditor-Controller's Office. However, due to personnel reductions in that office, there are only several days a week that a hand walked request can be processed. This procedure is expensive in staff time and clerical time and is only utilized in a dire need basis. In addition to paying the costs of bringing witnesses in to testify, we occasion- ally have a witness who must be protected under the provisions of the State Witness Protection Program. When we have a witness covered under this program, it is not uncommon to have advance cash to the witness on a daily or weekly basis to pay their food, lodging and transportation costs. Our increase in Sexual Assault prosecutions has created a heavier demand on this office for cash disbursements when it is necessary to bring witnesses in from distant locations, many of whom do not have the means of paying their own expenses and then .seeking reimbursement. The District Attorney's Revolving Fund will consist of the following Petty Cash Funds in the -amounts as indicated if the District Attorney's request is approved: At If Present Increased Concord Branch Office Petty Cash Fund $ 100 $ 100 Martinez Superior Court Operations Petty Cash Fund 150 400 Checking Acount 250 600 Richmond Branch Office Petty Cash Fund 150 150 Criminal Investigation Petty Cash Fund 300 + or - 300 + or - (maintained by D.A. Executive Secretary) Criminal Investigation Checking Account 950 + or - 950 + or - (maintained by D.A. Executive Secretary) $1,900 $2,500 V. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: Failure to approve this recommendation will result in added costs to the county because it would then be necessary to resume our former practice of having witnesses eat at a designated restaurant. We also would not be able to respond to a number of immediate cash needs of our witnesses. It would be necessary to resume our former practice of transporting witnesses instead of advancing money to them to take a taxi or bus. This will reduce the availability of some of our criminal investigators and investigator aides. We may not be able to provide protection to a key witness under the State Witness Protection Program because of our failure to advance immediate cash to the witness. y r 1 . FUND REVOLVING INCREASE APPRVD 2. DISTRICT ATTORNEY n