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Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board:
1) Approve the Veterans Affairs Commission recommendation for utilization of the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) allocation to the Veterans Affairs Commission;
2) Approve and authorize the Health and Human Services Agency Director, or designee, contingent upon approval of County Counsel and Risk Management, to execute six (6) agreements to distribute the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Transient Occupancy Tax funds as recommended by the Veterans Affairs Commission as of January 14, 2021; and
3) Authorize the Health and Human Services Agency Director, or designee, to execute further documents relating to the Agreements, including amendments that do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the agreement, and contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: 100% Transient Occupancy Tax / General Fund.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
On March 19, 2013, the Board of Supervisors approved a recommendation to establish an annual allocation beginning with the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-14 Budget in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Revenue collected pursuant to County Ordinance Code Section 3.28.030, for the purpose of funding projects, programs, and services that directly benefit the support and recognition of Veterans in the County of El Dorado.
Legistar #13-0280, versions 1 through 7, includes the historical submission of the Veterans Affairs Commission recommendations to use TOT funding beginning August 27, 2013, for FY 2013-14. Thereafter, the Board approved the Veterans Affairs Commission recommendation for utilization of funding for FY 2014-15 on January 27, 2015; FY 2015-16 on February 23, 2016; FY 2016-17 on March 21, 2017; FY17-18 on December 13, 2018, and FY 18-19 on June 25, 2019.
Prior to July 1, 2018, Veteran Affairs (VA) had been administratively supported by the Chief Administrative Office, and funds were distributed according to the Veterans Affairs Commission Plan directly from the General Fund. Effective July 1, 2018, VA transitioned to the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) and is included in the department budget in a VA Special Revenue Fund.
The Board approved the Veterans Commission recommendation for utilization of funding for FY 2019-20 TOT funds in the amount of $265,739 on February 25, 2020.
The Veterans Affairs Commission voted on January 14, 2021, (minutes approved February 11, 2021) to allocate the FY 2020-21 TOT funds in the amount of $90,000: $55,000 to various organizations to provide support to Veterans as listed below, and $35,000 to support the Veterans Mini-Grant Program. The Veterans Mini-Grant program will be administered by the El Dorado Community Foundation to provide grants to local veteran service offices or nonprofit veteran service organizations to support their missions. Applications for funding are evaluated by the Veterans Affairs Commission. As the Fiscal Administrator of the Mini-Grant program, El Dorado Community Foundation will collect a management fee of 5%.
The funding will provide a valuable public service, in that it will help to support, train, and honor veterans and to celebrate their contributions to their county and to the people of the County of El Dorado.
If these funds are not expended in the fiscal year, the funds will roll over to the next fiscal year(s) until they are expended.
The programs that are recommended for FY 2020-21 by the Veterans Affairs Commission as of January 14, 2021, are the following:
1) Snowline Hospice of El Dorado County - $25,000
Funding is to provide veterans with hospice custodial care and medical equipment through Snowline Hospice.
2) Sierra Chaplaincy - $4,000
Funding is to provide chaplain visits to veterans in the hospital, palliative care, transitional care center, and in their homes. Sierra Chaplaincy may officiate at military funerals and provide grief counseling to surviving family members.
3) Only Kindness Inc. - $12,000
Funding is to provide supportive services and assistance to veterans, especially homeless veterans who do not meet the eligibility criteria of other funding.
4) Lake Tahoe Community College District - $6,000
Funding is to be provided to South Lake Tahoe Community College to provide books and resources at each campus Veteran Resource Center.
5) Military Family Support Group - $8,000
Funding is to Military Family Support Group and Outreach and Supportive Services to help meet the needs of veterans and/or their families in El Dorado County. These needs may include special projects, short-term financial help, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder awareness events and community outreach.
6) El Dorado Community Foundation - $35,000 including the 5% management fee. Veterans Mini-Grant Program funding is to provide grants to local veteran service offices or nonprofit veteran service organizations to support their missions.
Following Board approval, HHSA-Contracts Unit will finalize the above agreements, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, and submit to Purchasing Agent for final execution.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve and authorize this recommendation, HHSA would be unable to implement the VA Commission Plan as listed herein.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) #13-0280, versions 1 through 7, includes the historical submission of the Veterans Commission recommendations to use TOT funding beginning August 27, 2013, for FY 2013-14. Thereafter, the Board approved the Veterans Commission recommendation for utilization of funding for FY 2014-15 on January 27, 2015; FY 2015-16 on February 23, 2016; FY 2016-17 on March 21, 2017; FY 2017-18 on December 13, 2018; and FY 2018-19 on June 25, 2019.
2) 07/22/14, 14-1016 CAO- Amend. I to Agreement with El Dorado Community Foundation for distribution of TOT funds in support of Veterans Services.
3) 09/25/18, 18-1341 HHSA Funding #3330 El Dorado Community Foundation - VA Mini-Grants.
4) 06/25/2019, 19-0742 HHSA-Veteran Affairs FY 2018-19 TOT allotments
5) 11/19/2019, 19-1460 HHSA-FY2019-20 VA TOT Funds Budget Transfer Request
6) 02/25/2020, 20-0121 HHSA-Veterans Affairs FY 2019-20 TOT allotments
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This is no change to Net County Cost associated with this item. The TOT funding contribution to the Veterans Affairs Commission was approved by the Board as part of the FY 2020-21 Adopted Budget and is included in the HHSA Budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
County Strategic Plan: Good Governance
CONTACT
Don Semon, Director