REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Budget Modification No. 36 to Appropriate $44,318 of Santa Clara County EMS Data Hardware Funding Grant Funds to an existing project (EMS Patient Data Care System)
Report
BACKGROUND
The provision of emergency medical services within Santa Clara County is administered by the Santa Clara County EMS Agency (SCCoEMS). In accordance with SCCoEMS Policy 309, all EMS providers in the county are required to establish and maintain an electronic patient care report (ePCR) system capable of capturing specific patient information and transferring it to the Central County Data Hub. Each first responder agency is responsible for implementing ePCR within their agency, including purchase and installation of all computer hardware and software.
On July 1, 2011 the City of Sunnyvale entered into an agreement with the Santa Clara County Emergency Medical Services Agency whereby SCCoEMS agreed to provide funding to enhance emergency dispatch and response capabilities, specifically to implement SCCoEMS Policy 309. The City Manager accepted a prior distribution of $39,692 from this grant in FY 2011/2012, appropriated by City Council to project 830660, in accordance with the policy that existed at that time (see Attachment 1).
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.1.1 A.4.4
Appropriations for capital and special projects shall be limited to the amounts contained on the Budget Resolution for each project. All modifications to project budgets require Council approval.
Council Policy 7.1.5 Donations, Contributions and Sponsorships:
The city manager may accept or reject donations, contributions and sponsorships, both solicited and unsolicited, of money, equipment and in-kind contributions to City Departments or the City in general up to $100,000, so long as they do not require a local match or obligate the City to ongoing expenses not already planned in the City’s Resource Allocation Plan. Donated funds will be expended for the specific purpose as agreed upon with the donor or for general purposes, as onetime supplements to the department’s operating budget. Donations of equipment will be considered based on program outcomes, department goals and needs, maintenance costs and replacement costs. The donor must be informed in writing if the equipment is not to be replaced.
The city manager may apply for grants of any dollar amount, but shall notify the Council when grants are being pursued pursuant to Council Policy 7.1.1 (Fiscal -Long Range Goals and Financial Policies), B.4. (Grants and Intergovernmental Assistance). The city manager may accept and appropriate grant funds up to $100,000 that do not require a local match or obligate the City to any ongoing expenses, through an administrative budget modification. Any grants of $100,000 or more, or that require a local match or obligate the City to ongoing expenses, shall require Council approval of a budget modification before funds can be expended by staff. The budget modification shall include the use to which the grant will be placed; the objectives or goals of the City that will be achieved through use of the grant; the local match required, if any, plus the source of the local match; any increased cost to be locally funded upon termination of the grant; and the ability of the City to administer the grant.
Grant funds from Santa Clara County Emergency Medical Services have external reporting requirements and fall under the federal single audit guidelines.
Sunnyvale General Plan
Goal SN-3, Safe and Secure City
Provide a safe and secure environment for people and property in the community by providing and effective public safety response, prevention and education services.
Policy SN-3.1
Provide rapid and timely response to all emergencies.
Goal SN-6, Effective Emergency Response Capabilities
Provide effective response capability for emergency medical events and other non-fire incidents that may directly endanger the lives, property, and well-being of the community.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a "project" within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
DISCUSSION
On January 12, 2016, the City was awarded additional grant funds from SCCoEMS in the amount of $24,298 to the Department of Public Safety DPS) for continued implementation of the electronic patient care report (ePCR) system (see Attachment 2). Approval of the appropriation of $24,298 in grant funding to project 830660 is requested.
In the process of preparing this report, staff determined that an additional $20,020 in grant funding was received in FY 2013/14; however, due to an oversight during a staffing transition, DPS failed to appropriate the funds to the project in FY 2013/14 and the revenue received became part of the Budget Stabilization Fund at fiscal year-end. This oversight has resulted in the need to now complete an appropriation from Reserves to project 830660 in order to correctly account for the grant funding received in FY 2013/14.
To summarize, DPS was granted SCCoEMS Trust Fund monies to implement the ePCR project as follows:
FY 2011/12 $ 39,692 Appropriated by City Council (RTC13-200)
FY 2013/14 $ 20,020 Due to an oversight, allocated to BSF
FY 2015/16 $ 24,498 Pending appropriation with this report
Total Project Funds $ 84,210
Although the total additional grant funding amount of $ 44,318 is within the City Manager’s administrative authority to accept and appropriate, this budget modification requires Council approval due to the need for a partial appropriation from the Budget Stabilization Fund (BSF).
The Division of Special Operations in the Department of Public Safety will be responsible for the management of the grant. The Bureau of Fire Services, Division of Fire Operations, will be responsible for the operational element and project oversight.
Granting Agency
The Santa Clara County EMS Agency administers the provision of emergency medical services in Santa Clara County. Collectively, the Santa Clara County Emergency Medical Services system is one of the largest in the United States.
FISCAL IMPACT
Required Local Match
None
Funding Source
It is anticipated that grant funds will cover the cost of equipment associated with the project. Staff time to implement the project will be funded by the General Fund operating budget. Grant funding received in FY 2013/14 in the amount of $20,020 will be appropriated from the Budget Stabilization Fund.
Increased Cost To City Upon Grant Termination
Staff evaluated this project in August, 2013 (RTC 13-200) and concluded that the grant allocation would be sufficient to implement and maintain the ePCR system for a period of three years. At that time, costs beyond the three-year useful life of the equipment were estimated to be $13,000 annually. It was determined that the ongoing maintenance and replacement costs would be factored into development of the DPS operating budget, as part of the equipment replacement budget for technology items. Those ongoing costs were anticipated to be absorbed within existing funds for IT equipment, resulting in minimal fiscal impact to the long term plan.
The funds contemplated by this budget modification were not anticipated when the August, 2013 RTC was written. The short term outcome of the additional grant funds is that equipment now at the end of its three year life can be replaced: however, the long-term analysis remains the same, with the expectation that some replacement and maintenance costs will be required from operating funds, with minimal long-term fiscal impact.
Budget Modification No. 36 has been prepared to appropriate SCCoEMS Agency Data Hardware Funding Grant funds in the amount of $24,298 for continued implementation of the ePCR system to an existing project, EMS Patient Data Care System. Additionally, grant funds in the amount of $20,020 received in FY 2013/14 currently residing in the Budget Stabilization Fund will be appropriated to project 830660 for implementation of the EMS Patient Data Care System.
Budget Modification No. 36
FY 2015/16
|
|
Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
|
General Fund |
|
|
|
|
Revenues |
|
|
|
|
FY 15/16 SCCoEMS Agency Data Hardware Funding Grant |
$0 |
$24,298 |
$24,298 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
EMS Patient Data Care System Project 830660 |
$33,925 |
$44,318 |
$78,243 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reserves |
|
|
|
|
Budget Stabilization Fund |
$49,995,107 |
($20,020) |
$49,975,087 |
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve Budget Modification No. 36, which will (1) appropriate Santa Clara County EMS Agency Data Hardware Funding Grant funds in the amount of $24,298 to an existing project, 830660 EMS Patient Data Care System; and (2) appropriate funds received from the same agency in FY 2013/14 in the amount of $20,020 currently in the Budget Stabilization Fund to an existing project, 830660 EMS Patient Data Care System.
Staff
Prepared by: Elaine Ketell, Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Chief Frank J. Grgurina, Director, Department of Public Safety
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Walter C. Rossmann, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Grant Award
2. RTC13-200