The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/07/2014 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 124, 2014, APPROPRAgenda Item 2 Item # 2 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY October 7, 2014 City Council STAFF Perrie McMillen, Restorative Justice Program Coordinator Beth Sowder, Neighborhood Services Manager SUBJECT Second Reading of Ordinance No. 124, 2014, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the General Fund and Transferring and Appropriating Funds from the Community Development and Neighborhood Services Operating Budget for the Restorative Justice Program. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on September 16, 2014, appropriates grant money to fund Restorative Justice Services within Community Development and Neighborhood Services. A grant in the amount of $56,192 has been received from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Juvenile Diversion fund for 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. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. First Reading Agenda Item Summary, September 16, 2014 (w/o attachments) (PDF) 2. Ordinance No. 124, 2014 (PDF) Agenda Item 7 Item # 7 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY September 16, 2014 City Council STAFF Perrie McMillen, Restorative Justice Program Coordinator Beth Sowder, Neighborhood Services Manager SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 124, 2014, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the General Fund and Transferring and Appropriating Funds from the Community Development and Neighborhood Services Operating Budget for the Restorative Justice Program. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to appropriate grant money to fund Restorative Justice Services within Community Development and Neighborhood Services. A grant in the amount of $56,192 has been received from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Juvenile Diversion fund for 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. Required cash match is 25% or $18,730. This will be met by appropriating $11,170 in funds from the Community Development and Neighborhood Services operating budget designated for restorative justice. In addition, $7,560 cash match is designated from the Eighth Judicial District Probation Department in the form of donated staff time of the Probation restorative justice specialist. The Probation staff co-coordinates the RESTORE Program with the RJS program director. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Restorative Justice Services and its two programs, RESTORE for shoplifting offenses, and RJCP (Restorative Justice Conferencing 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 and other grant funding agencies, to support Restorative Justice Services. Since it began, Restorative Justice Services has provided a restorative justice alternative to more than 2,450 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, victim 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 ATTACHMENT 1 Agenda Item 7 Item # 7 Page 2 community. Addressing the needs and concerns of crime victims and community members also has a positive effect of the overall health and safety of the 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, crime victims, the courts, law enforcement and our community. The Eighth Judicial District Probation Department donates administrative staff time (their restorative justice specialist) to help coordinate the RESTORE Program, the RJS shoplifting component. Restorative Justice Services was under Fort Collins Police Services until January 2013, when the programs made an organizational move to Community Development and Neighborhood Services. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS Financial The additional grant money in the amount of $56,192 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 $11,170 from the Neighborhood Services operating budget, designated for restorative justice and a $7,560 match designated from the Eighth Judicial District Probation Department. The grant period for is from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. This is the first year in a 3-year cycle for the Juvenile Diversion grant. Economic Diverting youth and young adults from the justice system relieves pressure on the courts saving 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 impact 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 There is no known or measurable impact on the environment. 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. - 1 - ORDINANCE NO. 124, 2014 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND TRANSFERRING AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM WHEREAS, the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice has awarded the City of Fort Collins Community Development and Neighborhood Services (“CDNS”) a grant in the amount of $56,192 for salaries associated with the continued operation of the Restorative Justice Program (the “Program”); and WHEREAS, the Program is an alternative method to the traditional criminal justice system, providing services since its inception to more than 2,450 young people who committed chargeable offenses in the community; 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 grant period for this award is from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015; and WHEREAS, the grant requires a 25% grant match of $18,730 where the City’s cash match of $11,170 will come from 2014 CDNS operating funds for Restorative Justice and the remaining $7,560 match requirement will come from in-kind services by 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 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: - 2 - Section 1. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated revenue in the General Fund the sum of FIFTY SIX THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED NINETY TWO DOLLARS ($56,192) for expenditure in the General Fund for continuation of the Restorative Justice Program. Section 2. That the unexpended appropriated amount of ELEVEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY DOLLARS ($11,170) is hereby authorized for transfer from Community Development and Neighborhood Services operating funds in the General Fund to the grant project for Restorative Justice Services and appropriated herein. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 16th day of September, A.D. 2014, and to be presented for final passage on the 7th day of October, A.D. 2014. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 7th day of October, A.D. 2014. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk