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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05051998 - D3 n �z TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 8; .�- Contra Costa FROM: Warren Rupf, Sheriff ' County DATE: April 9, 1998 SUBJECT: Creation of Centralized Program and Fund for Administration of Funds collected from County Service Area P-6 Special Tax Zone Revenues SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. AUTHORIZE the Office of the Sheriff to establish a Police Protection Services Central Administrative Base("CAB")Program as described below to centralize command and coordinate the provision of special tax funded police protection services in County Service Area P-6 with a unified response capability to ensure that the present level of police protection services will be consistently available on an as needed basis throughout the zones of County Service Area P-6 (CSA P-6) and increased police protection services provided to the extent allowed by zone funding. 2.DIRECT the Auditor-Controllerto create a Police Protection Services Central Administrative Base Program Fund("CAB Fund")and,on or about January 2 of each calendar year,to TRANSFER special tax revenues collected from all existing and future CSA P-6 zone accounts into the CAB Fund to support the CAB Program. 3. Subject to Board of Supervisors' determined annual zone special tax levies and approved Sheriffs budgets, CONFIRM the Sheriffs authority to administer the CAB Program and CAB Fund for the maintenance of police protection services and for increased police protection services as set forth in Government Code section 53978, and as provided in the special tax ordinances for police protection services in the various CSA P-6 zones. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: Undr6heriff Robert R.Henderson - RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE -,X APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): A �d eeZ�l 2;��- ACTION OF BOARD ON MAY 5, 1998 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the Sheriff-Coroner is to provide an annual report to the Board of Supervisors on the nexus between the fees and services. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS i HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT 1 TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF AYES: NOES: SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED ' _ z )TT PHIL. ATOR CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Contact:Victoria Hillis,P-6 Administrator 313-2723 Original:Sheriff cc: County Administrator Auditor-Controller BY ` DEPUTY County Counsel r FINANCIAL IMPACT No impact on the General Fund. Potential saving of administrative costs involved in disbursement of special tax zone revenues through the use of a central fund for obtaining, furnishing, operating and maintaining police protection equipment and apparatus, for paying the salaries and benefits of police protection personnel and for such other police protection service expenses as deemed necessary for the zone areas to maintain therein the present level of police protection services. BACKG&QUND/RF,ASQNS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS Purpose. The purpose of the Police Protection Services Central Administrative Base("CAB") Program described below is to provide a unified centralized response capability to meet current and possible future demands for police protection services throughout the special tax zones of CSA P-6. A central fund for revenues collected from the individual special tax zones'levies,the CAB Fund,will allow the Sheriff to purchase necessary equipment and apparatus and pay salaries and benefits to police protection personnel to maintain and increase the level of police protection services in accordance with Government Code section 53978 and the special tax ordinances approved by voters in each zone. Further, the creation of the CAB Program and CAB Fund will avoid the cumbersome, time-consuming task of taking monies out of each individual fund for the operation and maintenance of such police protection services. In addition,a centralized program and fund facilitates the provision ofa uniform standby capability to furnish police protection services for each zone based on the current needsof the CSA P-6 zone communities and to prepare for the possibility that there may be a greater need for the provision of police protection services in one or more of these communities at any given time due to particular circumstances therein requiring expedited attention. There are equipment, apparatus and personnel costs involved in both responding to incidents and in being prepared to respond when incidents arise in any of the CSA P-6 zones. The CAB Program allows the Office of the Sheriff to establish a centralized administration to purchase necessary equipment and pay for necessary personnel to provide a uniform level of standby capability to maintain and increase police protection services throughout CSA P-6 zones. History. In 1983,the Board of Supervisors formed County Service Area P-6 as a means to provide funding for zones to be established therein to maintain and extend police protection services to the unincorporated area, except Kensington Community Services District. As originally applied to new developments in East County in 1989,four zones were formed for each of four new major subdivisions in Oakley and Nest Pittsburg/Bay Point. An election was held in each of the zones to approve a special tax ordinance adopted by the Board of Supervisors for each of the zones. When the special tax for police protection services was approved by voters of each zone by mail ballot,each zone was assigned its own fund number,and revenues collected from tax levies were placed in individual zone accounts maintained by the County Auditor. In 1992,the Board of Supervisors began to form new zones in CSA P-6 for each new major and minor subdivision in the unincorporated area of the County. Each special tax election which approved a special tax for police protection services in each new zone resulted in the creation of a new fund for each zone. Approximately one and one-half years ago,the Board of Supervisors,instead offorming new zones and requiring special tax elections for minor subdivisions,decided to impose a onetime fee of$1400 to be paid by minor subdividers. There are now 52 zones in CSA P-6 and 52 corresponding zone funds. As a result,it has become very cumbersome and time consuming from an accounting standpoint to withdraw monies from each of the zone funds to provide police protection services at a similar level in the form of personnel and equipment throughout the zones in CSA P-6. The Office of the Sheriff has designed the following program to centralize administrative operations throughout the CSA P-6 zones. Police Protection Services Central Administrative Base Program The Office of the Sheriff seeks to establish a program called "County Service Area P-6 Police Protection Services Central Administrative Base Program" (CAB Program) to provide a centralized uniform administration and uniform response capability throughout the CSA P-6 zones. This program will be funded by a central account(CAB Fund)which will be created at the same time',to pay for necessary equipment and personnel to provide police protection services and a uniform response capability for all of the zones. Revenues collected by levies in current and future CSA Area P-6 special tax zones will be transferred to this central account on an annual basis (on or about January 2 of each calendar year). 2 ti The P-6 CAB Program will constitute an administrative mechanism for providing a uniform zone"on call"standby response capability and also will allow for increased police protection services to all of the CSA P-6 zones. The revenues transferred from the individual zone funds into the CAB Fund will be expended in accordance with the specifications of the zone formation Board ordinances which are based upon Government Code section 53978 (b), which provides in relevant part: "The revenues raised by this tax are to be used solely for the purposes of obtaining, furnishing,operating, and maintaining police protection equipment or apparatus,for paying the salaries and benefits ofpolice protection personnel,and for such other police protection service expenses as are deemed necessary.," Reacting to crime when it happens is a dominant theme of law enforcement. Regarding police services, it is generally the dramatic hostage stories,burglaries, and murders that make the evening news. But at least equally important is the prevention of crime,particularly for the Office ofthe Sheriff, which takesgreat pride in putting the concept of"Community Policing" into action. In order for the Office of the Sheriff to reach and exceed its high performance standards and expectations, it must utilize time,energy,and funds to give sufficient focus to both arenas. The CAB Program with its CAB Fund will do just that. The maintenance of and increased level of police protection services to be similarly provided to all of the CSA P-6 zones through the CAB Program and funded by the CAB Fund may include,but shall not be limited to, some or all of the following: Business Watch Mobile Children's Fingerprinting Post Camp LEGIT support Neighborhood Watch Crime Analysis and equipment Office of Emergency Services Program Criminalistic Laboratory Services P-6 Administrator Costs and Equipment DARE Vehicles Resident Deputy and Patrol Services Environmental Impact Reviews Security Surveys Extension of DARE into middle schools SWAT equipment Gang Mediation/Juvenile Diversion Teddy Bear Patrol Helicopter Patrol Technical Services/Communications Investigative Services Youth Programs Marine Patrol personnel/equipment In order to make the CAB Program operate most effectively,it is requested that the Board of Supervisors direct that current fund balances from all 52 individual CSA P-6 special tax zone funds be transferred to a CSA P-6 CAB Fund. It is requested that the Board of Supervisors direct that all CSA P-6 special tax zone fund revenues collected in the future from existing and future CSA P-6 special tax zone funds be transferred into this CSA P-6 CAB Fund on January 2 or the first business day of each calendar year. This consolidation will maximize the Sheriffs flexibility of response and centralize command over a single but similar program to be available and/or provided in all of the CSA P-6 zones. CONSEC UENCESS OF NEGATIVE ACTION The task of maintaining separate financial accounting for 52 zone accounts is very time- consuming. It requires substantial staff time by the Office of the Sheriff,Purchasing and the Auditor- Controller. The Office of the Sheriff has been unable to expend P-6 special tax zone revenues efficiently to provide the services described above because establishing,maintaining and monitoring a separate unique program for each of the zones, some of which are very small and produce little revenue, is not cost effective. In addition, the revenue generated by the majority of zones is not sufficient in and ofitself to provide meaningful additional service levels therein. The number of zones is predicted to increase every year,further compounding this problem and seriously limiting effective use of CSA P-6 special tax revenues. If the CAB Program and CAB Fund are not created,the Office of the Sheriff will be unable to provide,maintain and increase police protection services at as high a level as possible with a centralized program and fund. 3 OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Administration Building 651 Pine Street, 11th Floor Martinez DATE: May 15, 1998 TO: Warren E. Rupf, S)BARD oroner FROM: Claude L. Van Maistant County Administrator SUBJECT: REPORT TO THE OF SUPERVISORS ON THE USE OF P-6 FEES AND THEIR IMPACT ON SERVICE LEVELS Board Agenda Date: May 5, 1998 Agenda Item #: D.3 I need to clarify and revise the memo on this subject which I sent to you on May 8, 1998. Supervisor Uilkema indicated during the discussion with Lt. Hatchell that it would be a good idea to take a look at whether there is some correlation between the level of service and the area in which the fee is collected so Board members can tell their constituents that the basic level of service is being augmented by these collections and, if that is the case, how it is going to be used in addition to the special programs that are articulated on page 3 of your report. Supervisor Uilkema then stated that she would like a report that identifies the nexus between the fees and the service and that this report be provided to the Board of Supervisors annually. Lt. Hatchell restated what he understood to be the request by saying that the report would cover what services were provided with the funds collected from this account. Supervisor Uilkema agreed that this was what she had requested.' Please disregard any comments made to the contrary in my earlier memo. CLVM:amb BS-0505.003 cc: Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema George Roemer, Senior Deputy County Administrator Jeanne Maglio, Chief Clerk, Board of Supervisors