HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/04/2020 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 021, 2020, MAKING AAgenda Item 6
Item # 6 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY February 4, 2020
City Council
STAFF
Perrie McMillen, Mediation/Restorative Justice Supervisor
Bronwyn Scurlock, Legal
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 021, 2020, Making Appropriations and Authorizing Transfers of 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 (CDNS). A grant in the amount of $33,803 has been awarded 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, the Restorative
Justice Conferencing Program (RJCP) and the Reflect Program for all other offenses. This amount is the
remainder of the total 2019-2020 amount of $67,612. The first portion, $33,809, was appropriated through the
2019 Annual Adjustment Ordinance. This second portion covers expenses incurred January 1, 2020-June 30,
2020. The total grant amount is being appropriated in two separate Ordinances due to changes in state law,
which affected the state grant award process. State partners were only able to guarantee half the grants funds
in 2019, and then later guaranteed the second half of the funds.
The required local match is $22,537, which is 25% of the total funding. This will be met by appropriating $5,370
in cash match funds from the CDNS operating budget previously designated for Restorative Justice Services.
No cash match funds for this grant were appropriated in 2019, so this cash match appropriation meets the
requirement. The rest of the match is in-kind, designated from the City in the form of office space for grant
funded services; $8,584 in office space was met in 2019, and the remaining $8,584 in office space will be met
in 2020. The grant period is July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. This is the third year in a 3-year cycle for the
Juvenile Diversion grant.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Restorative Justice Services and its three programs, RESTORE for shoplifting offenses, RJCP (Restorative
Justice Conferencing Program) and Reflect Program for all other offenses, has been partially grant funded
since its inception in 2000. The Council accepts, on an annual basis, grant funds from Colorado Division of
Criminal Justice to support its Restorative Justice Services program. 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 3,000 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
Agenda Item 6
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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.
The programs help young people understand how family, friends, victims, and community are harmed by their
actions and hold them accountable. The intention is that these young people will make better future decisions
and not commit the same or similar crimes. 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. 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 the community.
CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The additional grant funds in the amount of $33,803 from DCJ, Juvenile Diversion Grants, provides funding for
the continuation of Restorative Justice Services. The match requirement will be met by appropriating $5,370
from the CDNS operating budget, previously designated for Restorative Justice Services. The rest of the
match is in-kind; $17,168 (on an annual basis) is designated from the City in the form of office space provided
for grant funded services.
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ORDINANCE NO. 021, 2020
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
MAKING APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHORIZING TRANSFERS OF
APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SERVICES PROGRAM
WHEREAS, the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (“DCJ”) Juvenile Diversion fund
has awarded the City a grant in the amount of $33,803 for the continued operation of Restorative
Justice Services; and
WHEREAS, Restorative Justice Services includes the RESTORE program for shoplifting
offenses, and the Restorative Justice Conferencing Program and Reflect Program for all other
offenses; and
WHEREAS, DCJ requires a local match of $22,537, which will be met by appropriating
$5,370 in cash match funds from the Community Development and Neighborhood Services’
operating budget; and
WHEREAS, the remainder of the match is in-kind in the amount of $17,168, and
designated by the City in the form of office space for grant funded services; and
WHEREAS, the appropriation benefits public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of
Fort Collins and serves the public purpose of continuing Restorative Justice Services within
Community and Neighborhood Services; 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, 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 to be received in that fund during any fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, Article V, Section 10, of the City Charter authorizes the City Council to
transfer by ordinance any unexpended and unencumbered appropriated amount or portion thereof
from one fund or capital project to another fund or capital project, provided that the purpose for
which the transferred funds are to be expended remains unchanged; the purpose for which the
funds were initially appropriated no longer exists; or the proposed transfer is from a fund or
capital project in which the amount appropriated exceeds the amount needed to accomplish the
purpose specified in the appropriation ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS as follows:
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Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and
findings contained in the recitals set forth above.
Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated grant revenue in the
General Fund the sum of THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED THREE
DOLLARS ($33,803) for expenditure in the General Fund, Restorative Justice Services grant
project, for the Restorative Justice Services program and appropriated therein.
Section 3. That the unexpended appropriated amount of FIVE THOUSAND THREE
HUNDRED SEVENTY DOLLARS ($5,370) is hereby authorized for transfer from the
Neighborhood Services operating budget in the General Fund to the grant project for the
Restorative Justice Services program and appropriated therein.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 4th day of
February, A.D. 2020, and to be presented for final passage on the 18th day of February, A.D.
2020.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on the 18th day of February, A.D. 2020.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk