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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/15/2011 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 012, 2011, APPROPRI DATE: February 15, 2011 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARYD STAFF: Perrie McMillen FORT COLLINSCOUNCIL First Reading of Ordinance No.012,2011,Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the General Fund for Police Services and for the Transfer of Matching Funds Previously Appropriated in the Police Services Program Budget. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A grant in the amount of$16,728 has been received from the Bohemian Foundation and additional funds have also been received in the amount of $3,247 from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Juvenile Diversion, for the continuation of Restorative Justice Services,which includes the RESTORE program for shoplifting offenses, and the Restorative Justice Conferencing Program for all other offenses. 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 caused 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. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Restorative Justice Services (RJS) and its two programs have been grant funded since its inception in 2000. The Council yearly accepts grant funds from the Bohemian Foundation and the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice to support RJS. The RJS programs are supported by three grants and some money from the City. Since it began, Restorative Justice Services has provided restorative justice services to more than 2,000 young people, their families and the community. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS The grant in the amount of$16,728 from the Bohemian Foundation,Pharos Fund,provides funding for the continuation of Restorative Justice Services. The funds will be used to pay salaries associated with RJS. No cash match is required. The grant period is from January 1, 2011 to December 31,'2011. The additional funds provided by the Division of Criminal Justice in the amount of$3,247,will help Restorative Justice Services meet projected expenses for the grant period of July.1, 2010-June 30,2011. The required match of$1,082 will come from prior project income. Diverting youth and young adults from the justice system relieves pressure on Fort Collins Municipal Court and the 8th Judicial District Court and saves courts personnel time and money. Reducing future thefts and other criminal behavior will have a long-term positive impact on the community. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS There is no known or measurable impact on the environment. In the RESTORE program,education about the impact of shoplifting on the environment(excess packaging to prevent theft that ends up in the landfill)is part of the program, so there may be some future positive impact on the environment if fewer youth continue to shoplift. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. February 15 2011 -2- ITEM 8 ATTACHMENTS 1. Information sheets on the RESTORE Program and RJCP. J ATTACHMENT A Restorative Justice program forWerchants, Community and Toung Shoprif-ters WHAT IS IT? The RESTORE Program provides a voluntary opportunity for youth and young adults who have shoplifted to deal with their charge in a way that is meaningful to them and the community. HOW DOES IT WORK? When a youth is referred by the Fort Collins Municipal Court or Larimer County District Attorney's Office, a RESTORE intake form is completed. The youth and a parent or guardian (if youth is under age 18) attend an arraignment,two RESTORE sessions and complete a contract, as described below. A pre and post survey is also administered as part of the program. RESTORE Session #1 has three parts and will take approximately 3.5 hours. Part 1- Speakers discuss the impact of shoplifting on the merchant community, law enforcement, the court system, families, and the larger community. They will also hear other youth speak about how shoplifting has affected them, their peers, and their families. Part 2—The youth and their parents will meet in smaller groups to talk about the incidents they were involved with and how they have been affected by this incident. This group will also include other young shoplifters, their parents, community members, and merchant representatives, and will be facilitated by RESTORE Volunteers. Part 3 - When the group sessions are complete, each youth and with his/her parent or guardian develop and sign a contract to repair the harm to the victim,the community,their family and themselves, including eight hours community service. They will also sign up for a contract completion date and time to return to Session#2. RESTORE Session #2 will take approximately one hour. About one month after Session #1, the youth will return to the RESTORE program with all of their completed contract items. They will meet with a small group of volunteers who will review the contract and verification of items completed. . BY PARTICIPATING IN THE RESTORE PROGRAM, YOUTH CAN: • learn more about shoplifting and how it affects merchants, community, families, peers • repair the harm done by the incident in a meaningful way • make choices about the consequences for their actions • have their theft charge dismissed upon successful completion of the program FEE: Cost is $50 (cash or money order made out to City'of Fort Collins: Restorative Justice). A reduced fee is available for families who qualify. A $25 administrative fee is added for rescheduling a session. ATTENDANCE AT BOTH SESSIONS IS MANDATORY. IF YOU DO NOT ATTEND YOUR SCHEDULED SESSIONS, YOU WILL BE EXPELLED FROM THE PROGRAM AND REFERRED BACK TO COURT. FOR MORE INFORMATION about the RESTORE Program, contact: Bernadette Martinez (Probation Department) 970-498-5844 xl Perrie McMillen (Restorative Justice Services) 970-566-8160 Repairing the harm of crime for victims,young offenders and community WHAT IS IT? The Restorative Justice Conferencing Program (RJCP) provides a voluntary opportunity for young people (age 10-20) who have committed misdemeanor offenses to deal with their charge in a way that is meaningful to them and the community. HOW DOES IT WORK? The Fort Collins Municipal Court or Larimer County District Attorney's Office has referred you. You will attend a court arraignment and meet with RJCP staff, who will explain the RJCP program. If you decide to participate, you will complete preliminary forms and sign up for the program. You will also be asked to take a survey, which is confidential and used for grant purposes. If you are under 18 years of age, your parent/guardian must attend the arraignment and the RJCP meetings with you. Restorative Justice Conferencing Program (RJCP) RJCP consists of three meetings, totaling 4-6 hours, and contract obligations to fulfill in between. Meeting #1 —(1-1.5 hours) You and your parent/guardian will meet with RJCP facilitators for a preconference meeting. At this meeting.you will learn more about the RJCP process and will prepare for the upcoming RJ circle. You will discuss the incident and explore your thoughts and feelings about the incident and who has been impacted by it. Your parent will also discuss how the incident has impacted the family. You will have homework to develop ideas on how to repair the harm caused by the incident. Meeting#2—(2-3 hours) You and your parent/guardian will meet with the victim/victim representative, other offenders (if there are any), community representatives and the RJCP facilitators in a face-to-face meeting. The discussion will focus on who has been harmed by the incident, how they have been harmed, and what can be done to repair the harm. The circle will develop a contract to address repairing the harm caused by the incident. The contract will include a minimum of 20 restorative hours for you to fulfill. Meeting#3 — (1 hour) You and your parent/guardian will return for a follow-up interview with RJCP staff and/or volunteers when your contract obligations are complete (usually about a month). You must bring written verification of all contract items to this interview. You will review your understanding of the harm done by the incident, and any experiences you have had or things you have learned through the process. Other participants from the circle will be invited to attend the interview, and may or may not be present. You will also complete the survey taken at the court arraignment. If all contract items are complete and verified, you will have completed the program. BY PARTICIPATING IN THE RJCP PROGRAM,YOU CAN: • learn more about your offense and how it affected the victim, community, your family, yourself • repair the harm done by the incident in a meaningful way • make choices about the consequences of your actions • have your charge dismissed upon successful completion of the program FEE: Cost is $50 (cash or money order to: City of Fort Collins—RJ). We do NOT accept checks. A reduced fee is available for families who qualify. FOR MORE INFORMATION about the RJCP Program, contact: Mary-Claire Geiss or Perrie McMillen (970) 416-2290 ORDINANCE NO. 012, 2011 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR POLICE SERVICES AND FOR THE TRANSFER OF MATCHING FUNDS PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED IN THE POLICE SERVICES PROGRAM BUDGET WHEREAS,The Bohemian Foundation has awarded the City of Fort Collins Police Services ("Police Services") a grant in the amount of$16,728 for salaries associated with the continued operation of the Restorative Justice Program (the "Program"); and WHEREAS,the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice has awarded Police Services a grant in the amount of$3,247 for the grant period of July 2, 2010 through June 30, 2011; and WHEREAS, the Program is an alternative method to the traditional criminal justice system, providing services to more than 1,800 young people; and WHEREAS, the Program facilitates a meeting with the young offender, the victim, and community members to discuss the harm caused by the young offender and to find meaningful ways for the young person to repair that harm; and WHEREAS,the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice grant requires a cash match of$1,082 which will be met by appropriating funds from prior program income; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the City Charter permits the City Council 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 to be received during the fiscal year; and WHEREAS, City staff has determined that the appropriation of the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice grant funds as described herein will not cause the total amount appropriated in the General Fund to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received in that fund during the fiscal year; and WHEREAS,Article V, Section 10,of the City Charter authorizes the City Council to transfer by ordinance any unexpected and unencumbered amount or portion thereof from one project to another project,provided that the purpose for which the transferred funds are to be expended remains unchanged. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated revenue in the General Fund the sum of NINETEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS ($19,975) for expenditure in the General Fund for continuation of the Restorative Justice Program. Section 2. That the unexpended appropriated amount of ONE THOUSAND EIGHTY- TWO DOLLARS ($1,082) is authorized for transfer from the Fort Collins Police Services prior project budget in the General Fund to the Police Services grant project for the Restorative Justice Program and appropriated therein. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 15th day of February, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 1st day of March, A.D. 2011. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 1 st day of March, A.D. 2011. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk