Title
Resolution to Accept from the Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Fire Programs and Appropriate to the Division of Fire & Rescue FY19 "Fire Programs Aid to Localities Funds" in the Amount of $475,707.00
Purpose
The Virginia Fire Programs Fund is derived from one percent of fire-related insurance coverage. Approximately 75 percent of the total fund goes directly to counties, cities, and incorporated towns within the Commonwealth as Aid to Localities ("ATL"). ATL provides Virginia cities, towns and counties with funds to pay for training, construction of training centers, firefighting equipment and protective clothing. Allocations are population-based.
ATL shall be allocated to the several counties, cities and towns of the Commonwealth providing fire service operations to be used for the improvement of volunteer and career fire services in each of the receiving localities. Funds allocated to the City may not be used directly or indirectly to supplant or replace any other funds appropriated by the City for fire service operations. ATL funds must be used solely for the purposes of training volunteer or career firefighting personnel; funding fire prevention and public safety education programs; constructing, improving and expanding regional or local fire service training facilities; purchasing emergency medical care and equipment for fire personnel; payment of personnel costs related to fire and medical training for fire personnel; or for purchasing personal protective equipment, vehicles, equipment and supplies for use in the receiving locality specifically for fire service purposes. In order to remain eligible for ATL funds, the City must report annually to the Commonwealth on the use of the funds allocated to it for the previous year and shall provide a completed Fire Programs Fund Disbursement Agreement form. The City will be responsible for certifying the proper use of the funds. If, at the end of any annual reporting period, a satisfactory report and a completed agreement form have not been submitted, any funds payable for the next year will not be paid.
Discussion:
The Fire Programs Aid to Localities funds are not a grant and require no locality match. In addition, there is no grant overview required. The funds are assigned a grant number by the Finance Department for tracking and reporting purposes only. Annual reports are generated by the Department of Finance with guidance from the Fire and Rescue Division. The funds are not required to be used within an allotted time period and may be rolled over from year to year if necessary. Veronica Kmetz, Grant Accountant in the Department of Finance will process the annual report for FY18 in order to set the disbursement of funds schedule for FY19.
The Virginia Fire Programs Aid to Localities funds are used by the Fire & Rescue Division to train career and volunteer firefighting personnel; to construct, improve or expand regional and local fire training facilities; to purchase emergency medical care and equipment for fire personnel; to support training for out of state schools and conferences; to support fire prevention education; to support fire inspectors and investigators; to purchase fire equipment; and for salaries of temporary, as-needed training instructors. These funds help the Fire & Rescue Division to serve all citizens of and visitors to the City of Hampton.
Impact:
$475,707.00 to be allocated to the City of Hampton
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve.
Body
WHEREAS, Code of Virginia § 38.2-401 establishes in the state treasury a special nonreversible fund known as the Fire Programs Funds;
WHEREAS, cities, counties, and towns providing fire service operations receive annual allocations from those funds;
WHEREAS, the amount of those funds allocated to the City of Hampton for Fiscal Year 2019 is $475,707.00; and
WHEREAS, those funds are used to support training for out of state schooling and conferences, fire training center maintenance and programs, support for fire prevention education, support of fire inspectors and investigators, purchases of fire equipment, and salaries for temporary as-needed training instructors.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia amends the Fiscal Year 2019 City Council Approved Budget, accepts from the Commonwealth of Virginia-Department of Fire Programs and appropriates to the City of Hampton Division of Fire & Rescue the 2019 Fire Programs Aid to Localities Funds, the amount of $475,707.00 and any supplemental funding that may be received for that purpose.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia authorizes the City Manager or her designee to take the necessary actions to implement and utilize those funds for any and all statutorily prescribed purposes.