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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 06/15/2021 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 080, 2021, MAKING S Agenda Item 5 Item # 5 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY June 15, 2021 City Council STAFF Perrie McMillen, Mediation/Restorative Justice Supervisor Adam Stephens, Legal SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 080, 2021, Making Supplemental Appropriations for the Restorative Justice Services Program. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to appropriate grant revenue to fund Restorative Justice Services within Community Development and Neighborhood Services. The City has received a grant in the amount of $67,612 from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice Juvenile Division fund for the continued operation of Restorative Justice Services, which includes the RESTORE program for shoplifting offenses, the Restorative Justice Conferencing Program (RJCP), and Reflect Program for all other offenses. No match is required. The grant period is July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Restorative Justice Services and its three programs (RESTORE for shoplifting offenses, Restorative Justice Conferencing Program (RJCP), and Reflect Program for all other offenses) has been partially grant funded since its inception in 2000. The Council yearly accepts grant funds from Colorado Division of Criminal Justice to support Restorative Justice Services. This grant helps fund youth referred to the program from the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Since it began, Restorative Justice Services has provided a restorative justice alternative to more than 3,200 young people who committed chargeable offenses in our community. Restorative Justice is an alternative method of holding a young offender accountable by facilitating a meeting with the offender, the victim/victim representative, and members of the community to determine the harm done by the crime, and how to repair the harm. By identifying and repairing the harm caused by the crime, Criminal Justice Officials are optimistic repeat offenses by these youth will be reduced, and the needs and concerns of the victims and affected community will be addressed. The programs help young people understand how family, friends, victims, and community are harmed by their actions and hold them accountable for the harm they caused. The intention is that these young people will make better future decisions and not commit the same or similar crime again. Reducing future criminal behavior and keeping young people out of the justice system, both contribute positively to a safer and healthier community. Addressing the needs and concerns of crime victims and community members also has a positive effect on the overall health and safety of the community. As part of the programs, youth and families are referred to appropriate community resources based on needs identified during program participation. Without grant funding and the support of the City, Restorative Justice Services would not be a service available to young people and their families, crime victims, the courts, law enforcement and our community. Agenda Item 5 Item # 5 Page 2 CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS The grant funding for 2021-22 in the amount of $67,612 from Division of Criminal Justice, Juvenile Diversion Grants, provides funding for personnel to support the continuation of Restorative Justice Services. Funds are distributed to the City on a reimbursement basis, and no local match is required. If adopted, these funds will be appropriated in the City’s General Fund. -1- ORDINANCE NO. 080, 2021 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SERVICES PROGRAM WHEREAS, Restorative Justice Services (“RJS”) and its three programs, RESTORE for shoplifting offenses, Restorative Justice Conferencing Program, and Reflect Program for all other offenses, have been partially grant funded since RJS’s inception in 2000; and WHEREAS, the City Council accepts grant funds from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice annually to support the continuation of RJS; and WHEREAS, the grant funding for the 2021-2022 year is in the amount of $67,612; and WHEREAS, this grant helps fund youth referred to the program from the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s office, and WHEREAS, without grant funding and the support of the City, RJS would not be available to youth and their families, crime victims, the courts, law enforcement and our community; and WHEREAS, since its inception, RJS has provided a restorative justice alternative to more than 3,200 youth that have committed crimes in the City; and WHEREAS, these programs hold young offenders accountable by helping them to understand how family, friends, victims, and members of the community are harmed by their actions; and WHEREAS, no matching funds are required for this grant; and WHEREAS, City staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager or their designee to accept the grant award and comply with the conditions of the post-award agreement and any State requirements associated with the receipt of the grant; and WHEREAS, this appropriation benefits the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Fort Collins and serves the public purpose of holding youth accountable and helping them to make better future decisions, ultimately reducing recidivism, keeping youth out of the justice system and continuing to build a safer and healthier community; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9 of the City Charter permits the City Council, upon recommendation of the City Manager, to make supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total amount of such supplemental appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received during the fiscal year; and -2- WHEREAS, the City Manager has recommended the appropriation described herein and determined that this appropriation is available and previously unappropriated from the General Fund and will not cause the total amount appropriated in the General Fund to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received in that fund during any fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That the City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager or their designee to accept the grant award and comply with the conditions of the post-award agreement and any State requirements associated with the receipt of the grant. Section 3. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated grant revenue in the General Fund the sum of SIXTY-SEVEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED TWELVE DOLLARS ($67,612) for expenditure from the General Fund for the Restorative Justice Services program. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 15th day of June, A.D. 2021, and to be presented for final passage on the 6th day of July, A.D. 2021. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 6th day of July, A.D. 2021. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk