Title
Resolution authorizing an emergency appropriation in an amount not to exceed $91,194 of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for one Victim Witness Counselor in the State’s Attorney’s Office in Fund 746 ARPA Fund.
Staff Summary
• The ARPA was signed into law on March 11, 2021. On May 19, 2021 the County received $67,646,879, half of the amount the County will receive in total from the US Treasury.
• The funds can be used for needs associated with public health, to counteract negative economic impacts, provide services to disproportionately impacted communities, for infrastructure, to provide premium pay, for governmental operations in an amount equal to lost revenue, and for administrative purposes during a period from March 3, 2021 to December 31, 2024.
• The State’s Attorney’s Office requested funding for a Victim Witness Coordinator during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget process, but it was not included in the Recommended Budget due to budget constraints. The Law & Judicial Committee recommended, and the Finance & Administrative Committee concurred that this was a necessary and justified expense. Subsequently, the Special ARPA Financial & Administrative Committee approved the use of ARPA funding to fund one employee for one year for this purpose.
• As with all grant-funded employees, this employee funded through ARPA will be terminated after one fiscal year when this funding is exhausted unless another alternate source of funding is determined.
• Depending on its use, this position or a portion of it may be a direct expense under the Community Violence Interventions category. Any amount not covered under that direct category must come from the allotment for revenue replacement.
• Authority to spend appropriated funds and execute any and all agreements with partners related to this allocation and distribution of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds is delegated to the County Administrator or his designee(s).
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the State’s Attorney’s Office has identified a need for a Victim Witness Counselor for one fiscal year in the Felony Review Division; and
WHEREAS, this request was not included in the Recommended FY2022 Budget due to budget constraints; and
WHEREAS, Lake County received ARPA funds from the federal government to help support Lake County recover from and respond to the negative impacts caused by this and future pandemics; and
WHEREAS, the revenue replacement expenditure category within the ARPA guidelines can be used to offset any governmental operations expense; and
WHEREAS, the Law & Judicial and Finance & Administrative Committees recommended that $91,194 in ARPA funds be used for this purpose during the FY2022 Budget public meetings; the Finance & Administrative Special Committee on ARPA concurred; and
WHEREAS, an amount not to exceed $91,194 shall be allocated out of the expenditure category for disproportionately impacted communities or if that is determined not to be allowable, the calculated revenue replacement amount; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with budget policies, the employees will be terminated upon the expiration of the ARPA grant funding unless another alternate source of funding is determined.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that an emergency appropriation in the amount not to exceed $91,194 is hereby authorized in Fund 746 ARPA Fund in account 746-1000065-79920 (transfer to other funds) to fund costs associated with one employee for one fiscal year; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, should it be determined that the Disproportionately Impacted Communities expenditure category is not allowable, a line item transfer will be conducted to the revenue replacement category without any further approval; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the authority to spend funds in accordance with the appropriated budget and to execute any and all agreements related to the allocation of funds is hereby delegated to the County Administrator or his designee(s).
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on December 14, 2021.