REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Budget Modification No. 49 to Appropriate $54,413 of Santa Clara County EMS Data Hardware Funding to an Existing Project (EMS Patient Data Care System)
Report
GRANT SUMMARY
The delivery 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 and Council appropriated a prior distribution of $39,692 from this grant in FY 2011/2012 (RTC No. 13-200). An additional $20,020 was distributed in FY 2013/14, and $24,498 in FY 2015/16 which funds were appropriated by Council in FY 2015/16 (RTC No. 16-0532).
A total of $84,210 has been appropriated by City Council and the City Manager to Project #830660, in accordance with the existing policy at the time that the funds were granted. On April 3, 2018, the City received a fully executed Agreement from the County of Santa Clara allocating an additional $54,413 to this project. This funding will be used as follows:
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1. Purchase ePCR hardware |
25 iPads @ $1100 each |
$ 27,500 |
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2. Purchase Software |
ImageTrend Fire RMS Year 2* |
$ 25,000 |
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3. Purchase one workstation |
for Casual EMS Coordinator |
$ 2,000 |
This grant funding will enhance the Department of Public Safety’s ability to meet the City’s goals and policy as follows:
• 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.”
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.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.1.5 Donations, Contributions and Sponsorships:
The City Manager may apply for grants of any dollar amount, but shall notify the Council when grants are being pursued. The City Manager may accept and appropriate grants funds up to $100,000 that do not require a local match or obligate the City to ongoing expenses, through an administrative budget modification. Any grant that falls outside these parameters require Council approval of a budget modification to appropriate grant monies before funds can be expended by staff. Such a budget modification shall include the use to which the grant would be placed; the objectives or goals of the City which 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.
This grant does not meet all of the above criteria due to the increase costs to the City upon grant termination (see discussion below) and it may not be administratively appropriated by the City Manager; therefore, a budget modification is required. Grant funds from Santa Clara County have external reporting requirements and fall under the federal single audit guidelines.
Pursuant to Sunnyvale Charter Section 1305, at any meeting after the adoption of the budget, the City Council may amend or supplement the budget by motion adopted by affirmative votes of at least four members so as to authorize the transfer of unused balances appropriated for one purpose to another, or to appropriate available revenue not included in the budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(4) in that is a fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
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. Replacement and ongoing operating costs for grant-funded equipment will be funded first by available project funds and then by the General Services Fund/Technology and Communications Sub-Fund operating budget.
Required Local Match
None
Increased Cost to City Upon Grant Termination
Staff evaluated this project in August, 2013 (RTC No. 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 existing equipment can be replaced or upgraded with these funds; however, the long-term analysis remains the same, with the expectation that some replacement and maintenance costs will be required from the DPS operating budget and transferred into the General Services Fund/Technology and Communications Sub-Fund, with minimal long-term fiscal impact. (A detailed spending plan for the project can be found in Attachment 2.) It is anticipated that the County will enter into a new countywide agreement for EMS services, thus ending any future funding of this project.
Budget Modification No. 49 has been prepared to appropriate Santa Clara County EMS Data Hardware Funding in the amount of $54,413 for purchase of ePCR equipment to an existing project, 830660 EMS Patient Data Care System.
Budget Modification No. 49
FY 2017/18
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Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
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General Fund |
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Revenues |
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FY 2017/18 SCCOEMS Agency Hardware Funding Grant |
$ 0 |
$54,413 |
$54,413 |
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Expenditures |
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Project #830660 EMS Patient Data Care System |
$84,210 |
$54,413 |
$138,623 |
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve Budget Modification No. 49 to appropriate $54,413 of Santa Clara County EMS Data Hardware Funding to an Existing Project (Project Number 830660, EMS Patient Data Care System)
Staff
Prepared by: Elaine Ketell, Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Chief Phan S. Ngo, Director, Department of Public Safety
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. MOU - Santa Clara County EMS
2. Project 830660 Spending Plan