TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Approve the Application to the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant in the Amount of $5,754,871.26 for 18 Firefighters and Authorize the City Manager or the Mayor, as Applicable Under the City Charter, to Execute all Funding Documents After Legal Review, Should the Grant be Awarded to the City.
Recommended Action
Approve the Application to the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant in the amount of $5,754,871.26 for 18 Firefighters and authorize the City Manager or the Mayor, as applicable under the City Charter, to execute all funding documents after Legal review, should the grant be awarded to the City.
Background Information
The SAFER Grant program was created to provide funding to Fire Departments (and to volunteer, firefighter interest organizations) in order to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, "frontline" firefighters available in their communities.
The Fire Rescue Department has submitted a grant request to cover the salary and benefits of 18 Firefighter personnel. The personnel would staff existing and future planned Fire Rescue stations in the City. If awarded, the grant would cover salaries and benefits for the first three years. Matching funds are not required. The City would be responsible for salaries and benefits beginning in the fourth year. If awarded, the City expects to receive a total of $5,754,871.26 over the course of three years, beginning in Fiscal Year 2025. Future costs for these permanent positions will be budgeted in the yearly budget going forward.
This is a reimbursable grant, meaning the City will spend first and then request reimbursement from the granting agency. The grant application deadline was Friday, April 12, 2024. Notification of award is expected in the Fall of 2024.
If awarded, the City Attorney will review the SAFE...
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