HomeMy WebLinkAbout#04 - Public Safety Aid
STAFF REPORT
DATE: April 9, 2024
DISCUSSION
AGENDA ITEM: 2023 Public Safety Aid
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBMITTED BY: Dustin Kalis, Fire Chief
REVIEWED BY: Clark Schroeder, City Administrator
BACKGROUND:
The 2023 Minnesota Legislature enacted a one-time Public Safety Aid allocation payable in
2023. The one-time appropriation of $300 million is allocated among all counties, cities,
townships of a population of 10,000 or more, and Minnesota's 11 federally recognized tribal
governments. Aid amounts were calculated based on population. Lake Elmo received $553,787
in Public Safety Aid. Funds were distributed to the city on December 26, 2023.
The city must use the aid to provide public safety.
ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL:
How should the city utilize the Public Safety Aid allocation?
PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS:
A county, tribal government, city, or town with a population over 10,000 must use the aid to
provide public safety.
Eligible uses include:
• Community violence prevention and intervention programs
• Community engagement
• Mental health crisis responses
• Victim services
• Training programs
• First responder wellness
• Equipment related to fire, rescue, and emergency services
• To pay other personnel or equipment costs
An aid recipient may not use the aid toward:
• Its employer contribution to the public employees police and fire fund if the county, tribal
government, or local unit received Police State Aid under Minnesota Statutes, chapter
477C, in calendar year 2022
• Any costs associated with alleged wrongdoing or misconduct
• The purchase of an armored or tactical vehicle or substantially similar vehicle
• The purchase of tear gas, chemical munitions, or substantially similar items
• The costs of construction, reconstruction, remodeling, expansion, or improvement of a
police station, including related facilities.
o "Related facilities" includes access roads, lighting, sidewalks, and utility
components on or adjacent to the property on which the police station is located
that are necessary for safe access to and use of the building
Staff begin discussions for potential project ideas. Many of these are fire department equipment
needs that would normally be paid from the general budget or CIP funds. These are all high-level
concepts but we wanted to start having conversations with Council so we can appropriately plan
for the use of this one-time allocation.
Options include:
• Create a Fire Department Technology and Equipment Fund for payments related to the
replacement or purchase of equipment within the fire department. Initial funding would
utilize the 2023 Public Safety Aid allocation. Future revenues generally consist of
property taxes collected from levies specified for equipment, investment income, and
other miscellaneous revenues sources. It is expected that this fund is to be self-supporting
from the related revenue sources.
• Transfer $523,028 back to the Vehicle Replacement Fund to cover 2023 expenses for
Engine 1, CV3 and Boat CIP replacements.
Specific equipment and program needs:
• Comprehensive personnel and operational policy adoption program
• In-building 800 MHz radio repeater for improved radio coverage
• In-building paging system
• Station incident alerting system
• Employee wellness initiatives: sauna, wellness/fitness app
• Additional fire/rescue ballistic protection
• Replacement/upgrade of gear washer/extractor and PPE decontamination equipment
• Community Risk Reduction programs: hands only CPR training and materials, smoke
and CO alarm programs, fall prevention programing for seniors, digital fire extinguisher
training system
• Create a long-term funding source for higher dollar value equipment needs: turnout gear
and personal protective equipment, vehicle repair and equipment replacements
• Advanced medical equipment: LUCAS device, Pulse/CO oximeter, heart monitor
• Forcible entry training prop
FISCAL IMPACT:
Lake Elmo received $553,787 in Public Safety Aid. Funds were distributed to the city on
December 26, 2023. As noted above, equipment or projects that utilize funding from the Public
Safety Aid would not need to requested in future budget requests as general fund or CIP
expenditures. If a Fire Department Technology and Equipment Fund was created, an amount
would be allocated annually from the General Fund budget to support this fund.
ATTACHMENT:
• Public Safety Aid Amount
• League of MN Cities - Public Safety Aid
• MN Department of Revenue – Public Safety Aid