CC MEETING: April 16, 2024
DATE: April 9, 2024
TO: Erin Rinehart, City Manager
FROM: Roberto Arredondo, Chief of Police
Marc Guy, Assistant City Manager
Title
Consider A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement Between The City Of Carrollton And The City Of Dallas, As Fiscal Agent, And Various Other Texas Cities Providing For The FY 2023-24 Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program Award Agreement.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and to improve the criminal justice system. As of 2005, JAG combines two granting resources, the Byrne Formula and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) programs, with a single funding mechanism that simplifies the administration process for grantees.
The procedure for allocating JAG funds is a formula based on population and crime statistics in combination with a minimum allocation to ensure that each state and territory receives an appropriate share. Traditionally, under the Byrne Formula and LLEBG Programs, funds were distributed 60/40 between state and local recipients. This distribution will continue under JAG.
The City of Carrollton is considered a Dallas County city for the purposes of administrative governance. With regard to Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) fund distributions, Dallas County is designated to receive 30 percent of the funding allocated to cities certified as falling into a “disparate funding allocation” category. Carrollton has again been certified as falling into this category, and as such must share allocated funding with Dallas County. Certification by the Attorney General’s Office, using the “disparate funding allocation” model, is based upon the fact that a city receives a higher funding allocation than the county, while the county incurs more than 50% of the costs for prosecution and incarceration of UCR Part I crimes against persons.
The allocation process for the 2023 JAG calls for only one of the entities in the shared funding agreement to act as the fiscal agent for all. As a result, the City of Dallas will again be acting as the fiscal agent and will charge a seven percent (7%) administration fee. The allocation process will require two separate agreements with accompanying resolutions for fund sharing, one with Dallas County and the second with the City of Dallas.
Each year the Carrollton Police Department has decided to use the JAG-allocated funding on equipment, software or supplies that further the criminal justice programs in the City. Under the 2023 program, CPD intends to use this allocation to purchase components for a SWAT rifle- resistant shield.
Staff has prepared a resolution to authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement between the City of Carrollton, the City of Dallas, as fiscal agent, and Dallas County to make an application for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant for the year 2023.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The action to approve a resolution authorizing an agreement for shared funding does not in itself create any financial obligations for the City of Carrollton. With approval of the resolution, the City can proceed with an application for the JAG funds allocated to the City.
If the City accepts the JAG grant funding, the City will not be required to provide any matching funds. There will be no negative financial impact to the General Fund budget of the City.
The following chart depicts the amount of funds allocated to the City of Carrollton, the required amount of matching funds from the City of Carrollton, the funds that will be shared with Dallas County and the City of Dallas administration fee.
2023
JAG Funds Allocated to the City $ 16,012.00
Less - Dallas County Allocation (30%) $ 4,803.60
Less - City of Dallas Administrative Fee (7%) $ 784.59
City of Carrollton Matching Funds $ 0.00
Final Carrollton JAG Allocation $ 10,423.81
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY:
The impact of this project seeks to sustain the community’s quality of life through the improvement of public and officer safety.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION/ACTION DESIRED:
Staff recommends that City Council approve a resolution and authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the City of Dallas, as fiscal agent, and Dallas County for the FY 2023-24 Byrne Justice Assistance Grant.