Benicia Police Chief Andrew Bidou is hoping his department will be awarded one of Solano County’s substance abuse prevention program grants.
During its single vote Tuesday on multiple items on its consent calendar, the Council gave Bidou authorization to submit an application for the grant.
Benicia has been successful since Fiscal Year 2004-05 in getting the grants in the past, with the help of the Youth Action Coalition that provided matching funds and has been the city’s representative in county efforts to reduce substance abuse.
The police department has managed the money received from the county grants, Bidou said.
But the Solano County Health and Social Services Department’s Health Promotion and Community Wellness Bureau has changed the application method, he told the Council earlier in a report about the matter.
In the past, the bureau offered the grants on a noncompetitive basis so agencies could use the money for policies and programs that prevent abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
However, the county has changed its application to a competitive grant program that uses a “request for proposal” format, and the focus has shifted to focus on environmental policy and programs.
This year, Solano County expects to award a total of $607,000 in a total of seven contracts, Bidou wrote. Proposals are due July 28, and will be evaluated by Aug. 18. Benicia may hear as early as Aug. 25 whether it has been awarded a grant, and the anticipated grant starting date would be Jan. 1, 2015.
If Benicia Police gets the grant, the money would underwrite the department’s programs to reduce abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in Fiscal Years 2015-16, and the city would have the potential for annual renewal of the award for up to three years.
No matching funds are required.
According to Joann Epperson, request for proposals coordinator for Solano County’s General Services Department., the county is accepting proposals from corporations, non-profit organizations individuals and public agencies.
Applications will be judged on their capacity and qualifications to accomplish their proposed alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse prevention program, their ability to identify and target at-risk populations and the services needed by those people, and to provide documentation that results are linked to work performed in the program.
Applicants must be clear about their proposed budget that outlines how the grant money would be spent, and the project must be in alignment with the county’s own goals of addiction prevention.
Mayor Elizabeth Patterson proclaimed Aug. 5 the 31st “National Night Out,” a crime and violence prevention event led by Benicia Police Department and Neighborhood Watch organizations.
Patti Baron, Benicia Police Department’s volunteer coordinator, described how Benicia’s event is organized in conjunction with the city’s various Neighborhood Watch groups.
“The Police Department depends on active neighborhoods and neighbors,” Baron said. “Neighbors want to be involved. It’s a great partnership.”
She said during National Night Out, city officials, members of the Benicia Emergency Response Team (BERT) and representatives of the Benicia Police and Fire departments caravan to the parties that are organized by the Neighborhood Watch groups.
Residents who want to organize a Neighborhood Watch in their areas may call Baron at 707-746-4268 or email her at pbaron@ci.Benicia.ca.us..
She said she then would help set a first meeting during which she’ll describe how crime has declined in Benicia, give residents tips about crime prevention and trends in lawbreaking, and explain how a Neighborhood Watch group works.
In other matters decided Tuesday, the Council denied a claim by Jeffrey Cooper, who said he drove over a metal plate cover that damaged his vehicle. City Attorney Heather McLaughlin wrote July 10 that the metal plate was marked by traffic cones Nov. 22, 2013, when Cooper drove over it.
“The claimant had ample space to drive around the metal plate, but somehow still drove over it despite the cones placed around the area,” she wrote.
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