11-05-2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes-November 5, 2007 3286 12. STATE'S ATTORNEY, Authorized to participate in COPS drua arant State's Attorney Birch Burdick submitted a request to participate in a Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) methamphetamine initiative grant. Mr. Burdick said his office and the Fargo Police Department applied for the grant and Fargo will serve as the lead agency. The application was approved by the U.S. Department of Justice in the amount of $382,533.44 with $156,614.62 allocated to the State's Attorney Office to hire a methamphetamine prosecutor for a two-year period. The county is not required to provide a local match, but will be responsible for incidental costs to cover furniture and office supplies. The county is not allowed to apply the grant funds towards existing staff, but must hire an additional staff person in order to receive the grant money. Mr. Burdick said under the grant rules he may hire a new employee to be designated as the "meth" prosecutor or designate an existing attorney as the "meth" prosecutor to fill the other position but identify the new hire as the grant attorney to track the grant funding. He is aware he must inform the new hire of the two-year time period and when the grant expires, money may not be available for continued employment. Mr. Bennett asked if this conflicts with the reduction in force policy. Bonnie Johnson, County Administrator, said the hiring documents and letter of hire will outline the time frame of the grant to ensure the employee is aware of the situation. Mr. Wagner asked if office space is available for the new attorney. Mr. Burdick said an attorney will be on military leave and this office may be used or he may temporarily use part of the conference room in Regional Child Support until additional space is available. MOTION, passed Mrs. Sorum moved and Mr. Vanyo seconded to authorize the state's attorney to participate in a COPS Methamphetamine Grant (#2007CKWX0297) and add a senior attorney position for the period authorized in the grant, contingent upon receipt of the formal grant award documentation. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. 13. JOINT DISPATCH CENTER, Authorize chairman to sian letter of intent for COPS arant matchina funds Bonnie Johnson said the City of Fargo obtained a $3 million COPS grant which will be dedicated to the Red River Regional Joint Dispatch Center to purchase a Computer Aided Dispatch/Record Management System (CAD/RMS). The grant requires a local match of $750,000. The proposal is for each of the five partners (Fargo, Moorhead, Cass County, Clay County and West Fargo) to provide 20% or $150,000 each. The sheriff will budget the money next year and Fargo will administer the grant. She said only 37 jurisdictions throughout the United States received this type of grant. Mr. Vanyo said the grant is a blessing because the funds will provide a much needed update to the CAD/RMS and because it attracted the City of West Fargo to join the regional dispatch center. West Fargo was also facing a costly update to its own dispatch system. He thanked Fargo and Sheriff Laney for their work to secure this funding. MOTION, passed Mr. Vanyo moved and Mrs. Sorum seconded to authorize the chairman to sign a letter of intent for $150,000 of Cass County local match funds for the $3 million COPS grant to be used for a new CAD/RMS at the Red River Regional Dispatch Center; and the letter be forwarded to Assistant Chief