Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

A. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to approve and execute Modification 1 (Modification) to Agreement 17SB-0D-11-16-01-103 (Agreement) between Broward County and the State of Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), for Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), for the purpose of extending the Agreement end date from March 31, 2018, through September 30, 2020, and increasing the grant amount from DEO by $1,689,962 from $2,097,670 to $3,787,632; authorizing the County Administrator to execute amendments, subject to approval of the same by the Office of the County Attorney; and authorizing the County Administrator to take all administrative and budgetary actions needed to implement the Agreement and all amendment.

ACTION:  (T-10:50 AM)  Approved.
 
VOTE: 7-0.  Commissioner Holness appeared telephonically and voted in the affirmative.  Commissioners Geller and LaMarca appeared telephonically but were inaudible during the vote.
 

B. MOTION TO ADOPT budget Resolution No. 2018-043 providing revenue within the CSBG Fund for Family Success Administration Division, Community Action Agency, in the amount of $1,728,962, including $1,689,962 from DEO and $39,000 of County match, for the period of October 1, 2016, through March 31, 2019, for the purpose of providing services having an impact on poverty in Broward County.

ACTION:  (T-10:50 AM)  Approved.
 
VOTE: 7-0.  Commissioner Holness appeared telephonically and voted in the affirmative.  Commissioners Geller and LaMarca appeared telephonically but were inaudible during the vote.

Agreements and amendments with external agencies as well as budget modifications require Board approval. The DEO increased funding in this Modification exceeds the dollar amount of the authority previously delegated to the County Administrator.

This action extends the existing CSBG Grant Agreement for two-and-a-half additional years, with funding through March 31, 2019, at approximately the same budget level as the current Agreement, allowing the County to continue to provide services to minimize poverty.

The Board approved Agreement 17SB-0D-11-16-01-103 at its meeting on January 24, 2017 (Item No. 10).

THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE FAMILY SUCCESS ADMINISTRATION DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.

This item supports the Board's Value for "Approaching human services collaboratively and compassionately with special emphasis on the most vulnerable," and the Goal to "Effectively advocate and acquire municipal, state and federal financial support to equitably address the health and human services needs of the entire community, through a truly coordinated system of care." CSBG funding will effectively impact activities to minimize poverty in Broward County.

The Board of County Commissioners designated as the Community Action Agency (CAA) for Broward County is eligible to receive awards of the CSBG funding to facilitate activities that impact poverty; in furtherance of program goals, the CAA utilizes an approach focused on self-sufficiency case management for low-income residents, specifically those whose households income are at, or below, 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. Case managers and customers work together to set goals, and access services needed to become self-sufficient, including: employment skills, case management, emergency financial assistance, educational programs, training, books, tools, childcare, food vouchers and bus passes. CSBG-related programming is coordinated with programs funded by other federal revenue, including Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which the County also manages, as well as state and local funding, using a detailed work plan negotiated with the DEO.

The current CSBG Grant Agreement is funded for an eighteen-month period at an annual level of approximately $1,398,000 through March 31, 2018. That amount does not include any of the surplus funds from the prior CSBG grant period that ended December 31, 2016. The Modification carries forward to this Agreement $332,770 from that surplus. In addition, the Modification adds $1,357,192 for the period of April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019. While the Modification extends the Agreement period through September 30, 2020, the last eighteen months are as yet unfunded and will require subsequent modifications, when the exact amount of federal funding is known by DEO.

Since the Modification anticipates continued operation at the same level, it does not include any changes to the grant work plan or annual performance goals.

This Modification will be in the State of Florida’s format, and the state will sign last following the County. The Modification will be reviewed by the Risk Management Division and approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney prior to approval and execution by the County Administrator.

Ismael A. Martinez, Director, Family Success Administration Division, (954) 357-5003
Natalie M. Beasley, Assistant Director, Family Success Administration Division, (954) 357-6403