Conduct Public Hearing and Authorize Application for a Grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Fiscal Year 2017 Program from the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs and Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Amount of $523,089.00 (ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS)

It is recommended that the City Council:

1.  Conduct a public hearing; and

2.  Authorize the application for a grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Fiscal Year 2017 Program from the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs and Bureau of Justice Assistance in the amount of $523,089.00.

The City of Fort Worth will apply for a grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Fiscal Year 2017 Program, which has been established by the United States Department of Justice to allow local governments to support a broad range of activities aimed at preventing crime and improving the criminal justice system.  The City of Fort Worth will apply for the grant in conjunction with the Cities of Arlington, Bedford, Hurst and North Richland Hills and with Tarrant County.  Pursuant to the application terms, the City of Fort Worth was required to negotiate with the other jurisdictions to develop a program budget and strategy.  The jurisdictions agreed to the funding distribution amounts and that the City of Fort Worth should serve as the cognizant fiscal agency for the Fiscal Year 2017 JAG Program.  The cities and county included in the application have worked collaboratively under JAG programs since 2005.  

A total amount of $523,089.00 is available to be shared among the jurisdictions listed below and will be distributed in the following manner:

No matching funds are required.  The City of Fort Worth is responsible for submitting the full grant application and will, upon receipt of the grant funds, distribute the agreed upon funding amounts to the other jurisdictions on a reimbursable basis.

In the JAG Program application, the City of Fort Worth will request the amount of $253,017.00 for equipment and training for the crime lab.  
The remaining funds, which total $3,329.00, will be applied towards indirect costs.

This year, The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Fiscal Year 2017 Program has a new requirement that the governing body be given 30 days to review the grant prior to application and that the public be given an opportunity to comment during that 30 day period.  This M&C provides for governing body review and public comment on the application for this grant.  Once the application for the grant is submitted to the Department of Justice, a follow-up M&C will accept and appropriate the grant.  

This M&C does not request approval of a contract with a business entity.