SR 12-06-2016 3J
Ci ty Council
Report
City Council Meeting : December 6, 2016
Agenda Item: 3.J
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Edward King, Director , Big Blue Bus, Transit Finance & Grants
Subject: Adoption of Resolution Authorizing Application for Grant Funds from the
California Office of Emergency Services
Recommended Action
Staff recommends t hat the City Council:
1. Adopt the resolution authorizing the application for grant funds in the amount of
$747,855 from the California Office of Emergency Services for B ig B lue B us ’ Transit
Security Improvement Project ; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to apply for the
grant, accept the grant, if awarded, and accept all grant renewals, if awarded .
Executive Summary
Funds are available to Big Blue Bus (BBB) through the Highway Safety, Traffic
Reduction, Air Quality, an d Port Security Bond Act of 2006, also known as Proposition
1B bond funds. The grant funds may be used for a variety of safety and security capital
enhancement projects. Adoption of the attached resolution is a requirement of the grant
program for eligib ility to receive Proposition 1B bond funds allocation for Fiscal Year
(FY) 2014 -15, 2015 -16, and 2016 -17.
Background
The Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality and Port Security Bond Act of 2006,
approved by voters as Proposition 1B in 2006, autho rizes grants for specified purposes
including transit system safety, security and disaster response projects. Funds may be
used for capital expenditures to increase protection against security and safety threats.
The City of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus is a designated recipient of the State
Controller’s Office Transit System Safety, Security and Disaster Response Account to
receive funds in the amount of $267,091, $267,091, and $213,673 for FY 2014 -15, FY
2015 -16, and FY 2016 -17, respectively. Proposit ion 1B funds are allocated to transit
operators by the S tate on an annual basis through the California Transit Security Grant
Program (CTSGP) for transit security purposes and managed by California Office of
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Emergency Services (Cal OES). These funds are a vailable pending the sale of bonds
by the State , in which funds may be released in different fiscal years . At this time, BBB
is claiming all remaining allocated funds in the Proposition 1B program.
Discussion
Proposition 1B funds are allocated to tra nsit operators by the State of C alifornia on an
annual basis through CTSGP for transit security purposes and managed by Cal OES.
Applications to secure funds for projects are submitted and approved annually;
however , the availability of the funds is conti ngent upon the success of the State of
C alifornia Prop 1B bond issuance. Funds are made available for disbursement to
transit operators once the proceeds from the sale of the bonds are received by the
State.
A Threat and Vulnerability Assessment (TVA) w as conducted by the Federal Transit
Administration for the Big Blue Bus in 2011. A TVA is an analysis of safety hazards and
security threats that can cause loss of life, personal injuries, property damage and
disrupt operations. It provides an analytical process to rate and consider the probability
and severity of these hazards and threats in order to determine the greatest risks to the
agency . The TVA provides a baseline to create and implement a security plan with
recommended actions aimed at reducing the risk of hazards or threats and mitigating
any consequences. As a result of the initial TVA, staff programmed and purchased
a dditional security cameras, wireless onboard cameras, enhanced gating and fencing at
the BBB yard , to provide greater protectio n against security and safety threats using
Proposition 1B funds . In addition, staff recently met with Department of Homeland
Security personnel to review progress to date and to update the 2011 TVA.
The FY 2014 -15, FY 2015 -16, and FY 2016 -17 funds would also
be used to continue BBB’s Transit Security Improvement Project, which includes
procuring vehicle collision avoidance hardware and software to be piloted on 10 of the
new buses being deliver ed to BBB in January of 2017. Funds from these Prop 1B
prog ram years will also be used to replace onboard security cameras that have
exceeded their useful life and add wireless download capability to increas e the efficient
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retrieval of digital recordings from buses.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Award of the Proposition 1B grants totaling $747,855 from the California Office of
Emergency Services for the B ig B lue B us Transit Security Improvement Project has
been included in the approved FY 2016 -17 Big Blue Bus budget in account
C410956.589000 .
Prepared By: Enny Chung, Sr. Admin Analyst - Grants
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Resolution
B. Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality and Port Security Bond Act of
2006
Reference:
Resolution No. 11008
(CCS)