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Chief Administrative Office, Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Accept a grant award under the California Fire Safe Council’s County Coordinator Grant Program to fund the El Dorado County Fire Safe Coordinator Project, in the amount of $114,781.51 and with a term of April 15, 2024 to December 31, 2024; and
2) Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to execute any grant-related documents including, but not limited to, the grant agreement, amendments for term extensions and increases to grant funding, requests for payments, reports, and all other associated documents necessary to secure the grant funds and implement the approved project.
FUNDING: California Climate Investment Program funds through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The California Fire Safe Council (CA FSC) is responsible for administering the statewide County Coordinator Grant Program with funding provided through the State, by and through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as part of the California Climate Investment Program. The purpose of this Grant Program is to educate, encourage, and develop countywide collaboration and coordination among various wildfire mitigation groups, with funding provided to counties to hire a County Coordinator position. The primary goals include building a census of all active wildfire mitigation groups, analyzing the gaps in countywide wildfire resiliency and emergency preparedness and developing recommendations to fills those gaps, and developing mechanisms to improve program related outreach and coordination efforts.
On March 12, 2024, the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience (OWPR) submitted an application to the CA FSC for this Grant Program to fund a full-time County Fire Safe Coordinator position dedicated to accomplishing these goals through organizing, facilitating, and participating in outreach activities to educate members of the public on fire prevention, defensible space, home hardening, and other fire safety activities and projects.
On April 12, 2024, OWPR received notification from the CA FSC of the award of this grant in the amount of $114,758.51 with a term of April 15, 2024 through December 31, 2024, with no local matching funds required. Key activities under this grant include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Attending regional and local fire safe council meetings;
• Participating in fire safe council committees such as grants and public outreach;
• Creating or enhancing public outreach materials and efforts, including video segments, social media, and written materials to provide education on Firewise Communities, fire safe councils, defensible space, and other fire prevention topics;
• Assisting with the coordination and engagement of fire safe councils and communities throughout the County’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Update Project; and
• Coordinating the development and long-term oversight of the CWPP project tracking dashboard
A portion of this work was previously completed under a contract with the El Dorado County and Georgetown Divide Resource Conservation District (RCD); however, given the continued evolution of OWPR and both the increasing number of current and prospective associate fire safe councils and Firewise Communities, staff determined that this work would be more appropriate and effective with a permanent position staffed within OWPR.
OWPR is in the process of recruiting for this position and anticipates filling it in the coming weeks. The Board’s acceptance of this grant would allow OWPR to fully fund the position as early as May 21, 2024, the effective date of the Grant agreement.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to accept this grant funding and therefore, forfeit the $114,781.51 in available funding for this project. As the allocation for this coordinator position was previously approved by the Board on April 2, 2024, OWPR would still fill the position, but would need to identify alternative funding to cover the approximate period of May through December 2024. Funding beyond December 2024 has been included in a separate grant program and staff will return for a separate item in the near future for the Board’s consideration.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
The Board has previously taken the following actions related to this CA FSC Grant Program and fire safe coordinator position:
• August 21, 2021 (File No. 21-1184) - The Board authorized the Chair to sign a letter of support for the RCD to apply on behalf of the County for the 2021 CA FSC County Coordinator Grant Program.
• February 1, 2021 (File No. 21-1967) - The Board accepted the 2021 CA FSC County Coordinator Grant Program and authorized the Chair to sign the grant agreement and an agreement with the RCD to implement the El Dorado County Fire Safe Coordinator Project.
• April 2, 2024 (File No. 24-0422) - The Board approved Resolution 047-2024 amending the Authorized Personnel Allocation, adding four (4) full time equivalent (FTE) positions, including 1 FTE Administrative Analyst I/II position to fill the OWPR Fire Safe Coordinator role under this grant program.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no increase to Net County Cost associated with the acceptance of this grant and there are no local matching funds required. These grant funds will be included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Recommended Budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Safe and Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Tom Meyer, Program Manager
Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience