To: Board of Supervisors
From: Sheriff
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Supplemental Budget for Public Safety Power Shut-Off (PSPS) State Funding budget unit 1100-221801 (4/5 Vote Required)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the supplemental budget for fiscal year (FY) 2019-20 for PSPS State Funding (Attachment 1) (4/5 vote required); and
2. Delegate authority to the Auditor/Controller’s Office and County Administrator’s Office (CAO) to approve budget transfer requests to create fixed assets for the PSPS Funding budget unit 1100-221801 up to $50,000.00 for equipment and up to $100,000.00 for building improvements that meet the eligibility criteria for the PSPS Funding (see attachment 2).
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
State of California
DISCUSSION:
Investor-owned utilities (IOUs) have significantly increased the use of Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) on their energized power lines to prevent wildfires during high wind or other severe weather events. Governor Newsom and the State Legislature included $75 million one-time General Fund in the 2019 Budget Act to support state and local government efforts. This funding is targeted at protecting public safety, vulnerable populations and to improving resiliency in response to utility-led PSPS actions. The County of Humboldt was allocated $384,912.00 to support equipment purchases and to improve local preparedness and response for PSPS events.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) has received the funding and is responsible for managing the expenditures and reporting back to the state. OES has met with county stakeholders to begin the process of identifying the priority projects for this funding.
OES is requesting a supplemental budget to make the funds available to contract with engineers and electricians to assess the needs of the county for emergency power back-up. OES will continue to meet with county stakeholders to review the assessments and make decisions on how to spend the funding in alignment with funding eligibility requirements (see attachment 2) and in the best interest of the public to prepare for PSPS events.
In order to expedite preparing for future PSPS events, OES is requesting that the Board of Supervisors delegate authority to the Auditor/Controller’s Office and CAO’s office to approve any budget transfer requests to create fixed assets for the PSPS Funding budget unit 1100-221801 up to $50,000.00 for equipment and up to $100,000.00 for building improvements that meet the eligibility criteria for the PSPS Funding.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The attached supplemental budget of $384,912.00 in state funding will support equipment purchases and to improve local preparedness and response for PSPS events. There is no additional general fund allocation being requested at this time. This state funding helps to decrease the burden on the county’s general fund for preparing for future PSPS events.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by providing for and maintaining infrastructure .
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES)
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose to decline the supplemental budget for PSPS funding, however doing so would prohibit OES from being able to spend the funds to prepare the county for PSPS events.
The Board may choose to decline the request to delegate authority to the CAO’s office for increased limits to create fixed assets for this funding, however doing so will significantly slow down OES’s ability to prepare the county for future PSPS events.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Supplemental Budget for PSPS Funding 1100-221801
Attachment 2 - PSPS Funding Eligibility Requirements
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: NA
Meeting of: NA
File No.: NA