Title
A resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the 2021 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (“JAG”) Program Funds Sharing and Fiscal Agency Agreement between Dallas County and the Cities of Balch Springs, Carrollton, Dallas, DeSoto, Duncanville, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, Lancaster, Mesquite and Richardson; authorizing an equitable redistribution of grant funds thereby reducing Mesquite’s formula allocation to the revised amount of $31,576.76; designating the City of Dallas as the applicant and fiscal agent; and designating the Police Chief of the City of Mesquite as the responsible officer for the purpose of signing all documents associated with the grant.
Body
The United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, has announced the 2021 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The purpose of the program is to provide funds to states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and to improve the criminal justice system. Local matching funds are not required under this program. Awards are made in the first fiscal year of the appropriation and may be expended in the following three years, for a total of four years. The total value of the grant to Dallas County and its cities is $1,115,605.00. The City’s formula allocation under the 2021 JAG Program is $48,505.00.
Following a determination by the Texas Attorney General that a funding disparity exists in Dallas County again this year, staff and officials of Dallas County and the Cities of Balch Springs, Carrollton, Dallas, DeSoto, Duncanville, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, Lancaster, Mesquite and Richardson discussed an equitable distribution of funds among the respective entities. As in past years, that discussion led to a proposed reallocation of 30 percent of Mesquite’s original allocation, $14,551.50 to Dallas County, thereby reducing its allocation to $33,953.50. The other affected cities are also expected to reallocate the same percentage of their respective funds to Dallas County.
Jurisdictions certified as disparate must submit joint applications for the aggregate of funds allocated to them, specifying the amount of the funds that are to be distributed to each of the units of local government and the purposes for which the funds will be used. When beginning the JAG application process, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be completed, indicating who will serve as the applicant/fiscal agent for the joint funds. The JAG Program allows a unit of local government to use up to 10 percent of the award for costs associated with administering JAG funds.
The City of Dallas has volunteered to continue to serve as the applicant/fiscal agent and has proposed taking seven percent of each agency’s revised allocation as an administrative fee, except for the City of Dallas. The City of Dallas will contribute 12.82 percent of its revised allocation. The additional contribution from the City of Dallas will allow the maximum allowable 10 percent of the total award to be utilized for administration costs. The proposed administrative fee of $2,376.75 would further reduce the City’s allocation to $31,576.76. All affected cities must agree with the selection of the applicant/fiscal agent and the assessment of administrative fees, if any, prior to the submission of the joint application for JAG funds. The other affected cities are expected to agree to the selection of the City of Dallas as the applicant/fiscal agent, as well as the assessment of the administrative fee. As with previous years, the Mesquite Police Department intends to utilize these funds to purchase a fixed license plate reader system for the Town East Retail and Restaurant Area (TERRA) to augment existing mobile license plate readers.
Recommended/Desired Action
Staff recommends approval of the resolution.
Attachment(s)
Resolution
2021 JAG Program Funds Sharing and Fiscal Agency Agreement
Drafter
Sylvia Encinia
Head of Department
David Faaborg