1. Office of Community and Economic Development

a. Financial Empowerment Center Planning Grant

- To ratify the grant application
- Of the Financial Empowerment Center Planning Grant 
- With the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund 
- For the period of November 1, 2019 through October 31, 2020
- In the amount of $20,000

- Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund's mission is to leverage municipal engagement to improve the financial stability of low and moderate income households by embedding financial empowerment strategies into local government infrastructure 
- There are currently four Financial Empowerment Centers (FECs) operating in Michigan
- Washtenaw County was one of fifteen municipalities chosen nationwide for the $20K planning grant
- Washtenaw County will assess the feasibility of launching a public counseling program using the FEC model over the next twelve months, which includes:
- Match Funding Benchmarks
- Securing programmatic partners
- Designing a training plan culminating in a non-profit provider(s) delivering the financial counseling services

- The FEC Model is a partnership between local government and community based organizations with distinct roles for each partner
- The County will work with other organizations interested in financial capability programming, in particular the United Way of Washtenaw County, to conduct a feasibility assessment for a Financial Empowerment Center

- Upon receipt of award:
- Authorizing the County Administrator to sign the Contract
- Authorizing the County Administrator to amend the budget
- Authorizing the County Administrator to sign delegate contracts

RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL AT BOARD

1. Sheriff’s Department

a. FY 2019 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant

- To ratify the 2019 electronic application submission
- Of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
- With the Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
- For the period of October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2022
- In the amount of $43,019

- The mission of the BJA is to provide leadership and assistance in support of local criminal justice strategies
- The JAG program was proposed to streamline justice funding and grant administration
- The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Program allows local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on local needs and conditions 
- JAG combines the previous Byrne Formula and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG); the WCSO has historically collected those dollars to fund the Street Outreach Program

- The WCSO continues to engage communities and develop neighborhood improvement strategies to address root causes of community problems
- The Community Outreach Team is the liaison between the streets, community residents and law-enforcement
- The Community Outreach Team is comprised of recently released inmates which both reduces recidivism and allows for utilization of their unique experiences to better connect with the youth of our community
- Over the years the Outreach Workers have expanded and integrated within multiple systems and use their community expertise to improve the overall effectiveness of said systems. 

- The Byrne JAG budget is in the amount of $43,019
- County match is not required for this grant 

- Upon receipt of award:
- Authorizing the County Administrator to sign the Contract
- Authorizing the County Administrator to amend the budget
- Authorizing the County Administrator to sign delegate contracts

RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL

b. Annual Secondary Road Patrol (SRP) Grant Funding

- To ratify the signature of the Chair of the Board 
- On the submission of the Secondary Road Patrol Grant
- To the State of Michigan, Office of Highway Safety Planning 
- For the period of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020
- In the amount of $186,660

- The Secondary Road Patrol program began in 1978 with 78 counties participating
- The WCSO is the primary agency responsible for providing law enforcement and traffic services on the County primary roads and local roads outside of city boundaries
- The WCSO provides the following services under the SRP Grant Program:
- Patrolling and monitoring traffic violations
- Enforcing the criminal laws of the state of Michigan
- Investigating accidents involving motor vehicles
- Investigating serious and fatal injury traffic crashes
- Providing emergency assistance to persons on or near a highway or road
- Providing traffic safety information and education programs to the public

- The WCSO is required to enter into a contractual arrangement with OHSP in order to receive funds. Funds can be spent as follows:
- Employing personnel
- Purchasing additional equipment
- Enforcing laws in State and County parks
- Providing selective motor vehicle inspection programs
- Providing traffic safety information and education programs
- The SRP, if accepted, will be directed towards personnel costs only
- The total program budget is $186,660, no county match is required

- Upon receipt of award:
- Authorizing the County Administrator to sign the Contract
- Authorizing the County Administrator to amend the budget
- Authorizing the County Administrator to sign delegate contracts

RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL

1. Finance

a. 2019 County Millage Rate for Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority

- Setting the 2019 County Millage Rate Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA)

RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL

a. 2020-2022 Budget Reaffirmation and 2023 Recommended Budget

- Reaffirming the 2020 Budget
- Reaffirming the 2021 and 2022 Budget Projections
- Approving the 2023 Recommended Budget

RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL

b. Allocation for a Coordinated Community Response to the West Willow vermin issue

- Authorizing an allocation up to $50,000
- To assist in providing a coordinated response to the vermin issue in Ypsilanti Township, West Willow Neighborhood

- Recent construction and land disturbances along the route of the Nexus pipeline within the median of Wiard Road near the intersection with Tyler Road has coincided with a significant increase in the vermin population in recent weeks
- Concerned residents voiced their concern for health and safety in a recent meeting with local officials
- At the direction of Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners district representatives, a meeting was convened with necessary representatives to investigate citizen concerns

- Washtenaw County Committed to the following:
- Restoration of the areas disturbed by the construction of the Nexus pipeline
- Distribution of durable garbage totes to neighborhood residents
- Development of educational tools to help prevent and contain further spread of the animals
- Discussion with professional firms to provide educational training and outreach
- County efforts are currently underway to:
- Hire a vendor to assess and respond to the vermin issue
- Coordinate with other municipalities to identify short-term treatment options and long-term prevention strategies that will be incorporated into the County’s response
- Coordinate with Ypsilanti Township staff to understand and support code enforcement efforts as a means of reducing and preventing habitat and food access to the vermin
- Coordinate meetings with the Nexus Pipeline operators and Waste Management to discuss the issue and request their full support in eliminating the vermin  

- This action would authorize a budget allocation up to $50,000 to continue with a coordinated community response to the vermin issue in Ypsilanti Township, West Willow Neighborhood

RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL AT BOARD

c. Complete Count Allocation

- Authorizing an allocation up to $41,000 
- To assist in providing essential resources and outreach as part of the 2020 Census process

- The U.S. Constitution mandates that everyone in the Country be counted every 10 years
- The number of persons counted has implications for how the House of Representatives is apportioned; the distribution of more than $675 billion dollars in federal funds, grants, and support to states, counties, and local communities; and demographic data used to understand local trends and conditions

- Census Day is April 1, 2020, which represents the date where counting begins for most of the country
- For each person not counted, approximately $1800 is lost to the community
- Households have three response options to the 2020 Census including online, by mail, or by phone
- The law prohibits the Census Bureau from disclosing individual responses and from providing individual response data to any government agency
- Despite those restrictions, there are many individuals in the community who may be skeptical in participating for a variety of personal reasons  
- To ensure the most accurate count of Washtenaw County, special outreach and operations are needed to reach areas and populations that are historically difficult to count
- Outreach activities may include:
- Printing of educational materials
- Social media advertising
- Translation services
- Volunteer trainings
- Advertising materials
- Establishing internet-capable computers or tablets in public locations for taking the census

- This action would authorize a budget allocation up to $41,000 to assist in providing essential resources and outreach as part of the 2020 Census process

RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL AT BOARD

Next Ways & Means Meeting
[October 23, 2019]
Board Room
220 N. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
6:30 p.m.