PREPARED BY: MATT RODRIGUEZ DATE OF MEETING: 05/07/18
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION BY MINUTE ORDER TO RATIFY LETTER OF CONCERN TRANSMITTED TO THE WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (WCCUSD) BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON APRIL 25, 2018 OPPOSING SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER (SRO) FUNDING REDUCTIONS BY WCCUSD SCHOOL BOARD
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve by Minute Order
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2018-2021 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statement
Public Safety, Priority Oriented Policing Program, School Resource Officers (SROs), and Youth Outreach are adopted policy items under the FY 2018-21 Council Adopted Workplan, effective November 1, 2017
CEQA Compliance Statement
This is not a project as defined by CEQA.
BACKGROUND
Annual School Resource Funding (SRO) by WCCUSD
On August 1, 2017, the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) Board of Trustees adopted the FY 2017/18 WCCUSD Operations Budget, effective July 1, 2017. Contained in this budget, a total of $177,526 was appropriated to the City of San Pablo to support the funding of one School Resource Officer (SRO) from a District-wide appropriation of 15 SROs for all WCCUSD schools totaling $2,652,414.
On September 18, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution 2017-187 which approved the FY 2017/18 SRO Funding Agreement and authorized its execution with WCCUSD in the amount of $177, 526 for one SRO Officer.
Current Cost Sharing - SRO Program
SRO funding assistance to the City of San Pablo from the WCCUSD on an annual basis has been in existence since FY 2014/15 unlike the other West County cities who have received full SRO funding support from the WCCUSD since 2006. Additionally, the City’s Annual General Fund Operating Budget expends a total of nearly $450,000 annually toward our Police Department’s Priority Oriented Policing (P.O.P.) Unit which funds a total of two SRO officers and a portion of one Sergeant position for all local schools in San Pablo.
Currently, the City’s Annual GF Operating Budget earmarks budget expenses for the P.O.P. Unit which greatly exceeds the annual WCCUSD SRO funding contribution of nearly $178,000 for FY 2017/18. This represents a current 60/40 cost share between City and District resources since FY 2014/15 (excluding Departmental equipment and training costs). Any potential revision by the District to reduce SRO funding will cause an undue financial burden to local cities, like San Pablo, who have been sustaining these programs consistently on an annual basis. Any SRO funding reductions going forward, especially in the wake of increased CalPERS sustainability costs state-wide, would dramatically shift this cost-share balance to result in a budget deficit for FY 2018/19, and outlying years. In fact, an actual 50/50 cost share agreement under possible consideration by the WCCUSD Board should be increased proportionately for San Pablo to accurately reflect the 50% of the City’s budgeted P.O.P. unit costs, or $225,000 annually.
WCCUSD Board Action on April 25, 2018
In November 2017, in response to concerns voiced by the San Pablo City Council and other West County cities over the WCCUSD’s adoption of a new Positive School Climate Policy which outlined future potential reductions in annual SRO funding by WCCUSD Board, the WCCUSD Superintendent initially met with West County City Managers in January and March 2018 to reassure them that data and recommendations would be developed by WCCUSD staff in the coming months for future consideration by the WCCUSD Board, including a comparative analysis of similar school district and local law enforcement School Resource Officer funding agreements in existence throughout Contra Costa County and state-wide.
On Friday, April 20, 2018, and upon the immediate posting of the WCCUSD Board of Trustees regular meeting agenda scheduled on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, the WCCUSD Superintendent notified City Managers with a phone call of a forthcoming agenda item which outlined three proposed recommended options being presented by WCCUSD staff for policy discussion to the WCCUSD Board regarding SRO funding reductions. To date, there has been no dialogue or review of any of the proposed policy recommendations and their corresponding potential impacts to local schools and police services in West County communities, with no detailed discussion or input from West County City Managers and Police Chiefs as key stakeholders. The three proposed policy recommendations are summarized in the WCCUSD Board Agenda item F.1. (see attachments).
In response to this action by WCCUSD staff, the City of San Pablo drafted a letter outlining the City’s concern over the proposed SRO funding policy recommendations being considered by the WCCUSD Board. This letter was executed under Mayor Calloway’s signature and transmitted directly to the WCCUSD Board members and Superintendent on April 25, 2018 prior to their scheduled regular meeting.
At the WCCUSD Board meeting on April 25, 2018, representatives from all West County Cities (i.e. El Cerrito, Hercules and San Pablo), including San Pablo Police Department staff, were present to provide public comment under WCCUSD Board Agenda Item F.1. Following public comment, the WCCUSD Board did not take any formal action on the proposed policy recommendations by WCCUSD staff at this time.
City Council Ratification
The Letter of Concern transmitted by Mayor Calloway on behalf of the City Council requires formal City Council ratification approval by majority vote by minute action.
FISCAL IMPACT
None associated with this report.
ATTACHMENTS
1) Mayor Letter of Concern transmitted on 04/25/18 to WCCUSD Board of Trustees & Superintendent re: Agenda F.1. - Agenda Item F.1. - Update on the Positive School Climate Resolution and Recommendations for School Resource Officer Staffing Levels
2) WCCUSD Superintendent Memorandum dated April 20, 2018 to WCCUSD Board of Trustees re: Staffing Recommendations for School Resource Officers
3) WCCUSD Board Presentation on SRO Funding Recommendations for April 25, 2018