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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 08/21/2012 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 075, 2012, APPROPRIWITHDRAWN FROM CONSIDERATION DATE: July 17, 2012 STAFF: Perrie McMillen AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 15 SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 075, 2012, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenues in the General Fund for Police Services and Appropriating Funds from the Police Operating Budget. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A grant in the amount of $45,000 has been received from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Juvenile Diversion fund for salaries associated with the continued operation of Restorative Justice Services, which includes the RESTORE program for shoplifting offenses, and the Restorative Justice Conferencing Program (RJCP) 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 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 that repeat offenses by these youth will be reduced and the needs and concerns of the victims and affected community will be addressed. A $7,440 cash match is required and will be met by appropriating funds from the police operating budget designated for restorative justice. The total required match is 25%, so an additional $7,560 in-kind match is designated from the Eighth Judicial Probation Department. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Restorative Justice Services (RJS) has been grant funded since its inception in 2000. The Council yearly accepts grant funds from Colorado Division of Criminal Justice and other grant funding agencies to support Restorative Justice Services. The RJS programs are supported by three grants and some funds from the City. Since it began, Restorative Justice Services has provided a restorative justice alternative to more than 2,000 young people who committed chargeable offenses in the community. The objective of the RJS programs is to educate young people who have committed offenses about how others are impacted by their actions, words and behaviors. The intention is that young people, who understand how they, their families, friends and community are harmed by their actions, and who have been held accountable for the harm they caused, 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 contribute positively to a safer and healthier community. Without grant funding and the support of the City, Restorative Justice Services would not be a service available to young people and their families, the courts, law enforcement and the community. The Eighth Judicial District Probation Department donates administrative staff time (its restorative justice specialist) to help coordinate the RESTORE Program, the RJS shoplifting component. Restorative Justice Services is in the midst of gaining approval for an organizational move with Restorative Justice Services moving from Police Services to Community Development and Neighborhood Services, and merging with the Community Mediation Program. Once approved, this move will take place in the remainder of 2012, with coordinators working to merge and cross-train their respective volunteer teams. If this organizational move is approved, staff will handle the paperwork changing the department to which the grant is awarded. The grant funding agency is aware of this possible organizational move. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS The additional grant money in the amount of $45,000 from Division of Criminal Justice, Juvenile Diversion Grants, provides funding for the continuation of Restorative Justice Services. The match requirement will be met by appropriating $7,440 from the police operating budget, designated for restorative justice and a $7,560 in-kind match designated from the Eighth Judicial Probation Department. The grant period is from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. This is the second year in a 3-year cycle for the Juvenile Diversion grant. WITHDRAWN FROM CONSIDERATION August 21, 2012 -2- ITEM 15 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 shoplifting, theft and other criminal behavior by young people who have participated in the RJS programs will have a long-term positive impacts on the economic health of our community by keeping young people out of the justice system, thereby improving their future employment options and encouraging young people to not shoplift or participate in other criminal behavior. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS In RESTORE, education about the impact of shoplifting on the environment (excess packaging to prevent theft that ends up in our landfill) is part of the program, so there may be some future positive impact on the environment if fewer youth continue to shoplift. Occasionally there may be a positive impact on the environment when young people are educated about when and how their actions have an environmental impact. The programs have no known negative impact on the environment. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. RESTORE Program Information Sheet 2. The RJCP Information Sheet WITHDRAWN FROM CONSIDERATION ORDINANCE NO. 075, 2012 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUES IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR POLICE SERVICES AND APPROPRIATING FUND FROM THE POLICE OPERATING BUDGET WHEREAS, the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice has awarded the City of Fort Collins Police Services a grant in the amount of $45,000 for operating expenses associated with the operation of the Restorative Justice Services for the 2012-13 grant cycle; and WHEREAS, the Restorative Justice Service is an alternative to the traditional criminal justice system and the program seeks to hold young offenders accountable by facilitating a meeting with the offender, the victim and members of the community to determine the harm done by the crime, and how to repair the harm; and WHEREAS, the grant provides 75% of the total project in the amount of $60,000 and requires a match of 25% ($15,000), which will be funded by the City in the amount of $7,440 and available funds are currently in the General Fund Police Services operating budget for transfer to the grant project for the Restorative Justice Services, and the remaining required match of $7,560 will be an in-kind match from the Eighth Judicial District Probation Department; 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 Restorative Justice Services 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 FORTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($45,000) for expenditure in the General Fund to the Police Services grant project for Restorative Justice Services. Section 2. That the unexpended appropriated amount of SEVEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FORTY DOLLARS ($7,440) is hereby authorized for transfer from the Police Services WITHDRAWN FROM CONSIDERATION operating budget in the General Fund to the Police Services grant project for Restorative Justice Services and appropriated therein. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 17th day of July, A.D. 2012, and to be presented for final passage on the 21st day of August, A.D. 2012. _________________________________ Mayor Pro Tem ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 21st day of August, A.D. 2012. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk