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Sheriff’s Office recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign a budget transfer increasing the Sheriff’s Office expenditures to reimburse agencies who provided law enforcement mutual aid during the Caldor Fire in the amount of $4,750,000 with offsetting Federal and State revenue in the amount of $4,275,000 and $475,000 respectively (4/5 vote required).
FUNDING: FEMA and CalOES Disaster Funding.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In August 2021, the Caldor Fire began in Omo Ranch and moved rapidly into Grizzly Flats lasting approximately 2 months. During that time the Sheriff’s Office utilized onsite resources consisting of nearly 15,000 hours of overtime to assist with evacuations, road closures, and additional patrol units in the evacuated areas. Given the magnitude of the evacuation area and the duration of the fire, additional agencies were requested to provide mutual aid.
In total, over 40 agencies sent staff to assist with the Caldor Fire. The cost to these agencies totaled nearly $4,750,000 and they are seeking reimbursement for costs from EDSO. Each entity has submitted an invoice and associated backup that was verified first by EDSO staff and then submitted to FEMA for review. FEMA has reviewed all documents and obligated over $6,600,000 toward the County’s Emergency Response of the Caldor Fire, including the mutual aid payments of $4,750,000 and Sheriff’s Office overtime and purchases in the approximate amount of $1,850,000. For the County to receive these funds, proof of payment must be provided to FEMA. Therefore, once the budget transfer is complete, the Sheriff’s Office will immediately process the mutual aid requests and supply payment documentation to FEMA so that offsetting revenue can be received in a timely manner.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve this budget transfer causing the Sheriff’s Office to use the current operating budget to pay mutual aid costs leading to other needs to not be fulfil...
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