Consent 1.Q.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 10/13/2009
- TITLE
- Approval of Domestic Violence Unit & Victim Witness Assistance Sub-Grants
- PRESENTED BY:
- Brent Brooks
- Department:
- Legal
Presentation:
PROBLEM/ISSUE STATEMENT
Since July 2000, the City Attorney’s Office has annually applied for, and been successfully awarded, federal Violence Against Women Act monies through the Montana Board of Crime Control in the form of sub-grants. These sub-grants help fund positions within the City Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit and Victim Witness Assistance Program, which together provide statutorily-mandated services to victims of violent crime including domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, simple assault and violations of protective orders. The Montana Board of Crime Control has awarded the full amount requested for both grants and awaits our acceptance of these monies.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED
The Council may:
- Accept the grants, continuing the state-supported funding of these positions; or
- Decline the grants, which would force the General Fund to provide all the support for these state-mandated positions.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
• The total amount of the sub-grant awards from the Board of Crime Control for FY 2010 are:
• $38,000.00 (partial funding for the Victim Witness Assistance Program Director position), and
• $52,000.00 (partial funding for the Domestic Violence Dedicated Prosecutor position).
Without this grant funding, the City would have the burden of fully funding these important positions in order to maintain the staff and materials necessary to fulfill statutorily-mandated services to victims of violent crime under MCA sections 46-24-101 through 46-24-212 (2009).
Each year the Montana Department of Justice, Board of Crime Control grant award amounts have been estimated into the fiscal year budget. The City’s match for the Victim Witness Assistance Program grant totals $34,483.13 which is a hard match (cash). For the Domestic Violence Unit grant the City’s match is $39,493.89, of which $34,602.89 is a hard match (cash) and $4,891.00 is a soft match (in kind expenses such as office space, and other operating expenses).
• $38,000.00 (partial funding for the Victim Witness Assistance Program Director position), and
• $52,000.00 (partial funding for the Domestic Violence Dedicated Prosecutor position).
Without this grant funding, the City would have the burden of fully funding these important positions in order to maintain the staff and materials necessary to fulfill statutorily-mandated services to victims of violent crime under MCA sections 46-24-101 through 46-24-212 (2009).
Each year the Montana Department of Justice, Board of Crime Control grant award amounts have been estimated into the fiscal year budget. The City’s match for the Victim Witness Assistance Program grant totals $34,483.13 which is a hard match (cash). For the Domestic Violence Unit grant the City’s match is $39,493.89, of which $34,602.89 is a hard match (cash) and $4,891.00 is a soft match (in kind expenses such as office space, and other operating expenses).
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Mayor and City Council approve the acceptance of the Domestic Violence Unit and Victim Witness Assistance Program grants as awarded by the Montana Department of Justice, and the Board of Crime Control.