To: Dale K. Weighill, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: Prosecutor David Leyton
title
RE: Approval of a grant award from the Michigan State Police, in the amount of $133,417.20, to provide for investigating and prosecuting cases involving automobile theft and related offenses; there is a match requirement of $88,944.80; the budget for this grant is attached
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Authorization to accept a grant award from the Michigan State Police Auto Theft Prevention Authority.
BACKGROUND:
The Automobile Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA), a division of the Michigan State Police, provides grants to county prosecutors and sheriffs to assist with the investigation and prosecution of cases involving automobile theft and related offenses. The Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office has relied on this grant for the partial funding of its Auto Theft and Fraud Prosecution Unit for the past 35 years.
DISCUSSION:
This grant provides 60% funding for the salaries and fringe benefits of those assistant prosecutors and secretaries assigned to the grant, minus longevity and post-retirement costs. As has been the practice for the past several years, our staffing and budget will be comprised of four (4) assistant prosecutors each of whom will contribute 25% of their time toward this project and two (2) secretaries each contributing 25% of their time. This formula is intended to be the equivalent of one full-time prosecutor and one part-time secretary which is how this grant used to be set up years ago. This staffing arrangement is intended to allow us some flexibility so the staff can switch to other priorities day-to-day as necessary. In addition to salaries and fringes, this grant will also cover Michigan Bar Association dues for one APA, miscellaneous office supplies, copier costs and a landline office phone. The total grant award for FY2025 is $133,417.20. The required 40% local match is already in our budget and covers the partial costs of four (4) APAs and two (2) secretaries already on staff.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
None. This grant is comprised of staff already employed in our office.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
As stated above, the total award for this grant for allowable salaries and fringe benefits and the various office operation expenses is $133,417.20 which represents 60% of the salaries and fringes of one APA and half of a secretary (not including longevity and post-retirement benefits) and 100% of the other costs (State Bar membership dues, offices equipment & supplies, etc.). The remaining $88,944.80 of the overall project cost is absorbed by the prosecutor’s general fund budget for salaries and fringes including longevity and post-retirement benefits.
A budget amendment is attached to align the budget to the final award amount.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
None.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
None.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
The ATPA grant money advances the priority of safe communities by adding resources to address auto thefts, title fraud and violent crimes such as carjackings. These grant funds also tie into the County’s value of service by giving us more resources to provide prompt, efficient and competent service to victims of crime while at the same time helping secure the County’s financial stability by providing funds that otherwise would have come from the County’s general fund.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
WHEREAS, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney has relied upon grant funding from the Auto Theft Prevention Authority, a division of the Michigan State Police, for the past 35 years to help with personnel and other costs related to its auto theft and fraud prosecution activities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney to authorize accepting a grant from the Auto Theft Prevention Authority, a division of the Michigan State Police, in the amount of $133,417.20, for the equivalent partial funding of one APA and one part-time secretary for the period commencing October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, with required matching funds of $88,944.80 coming from the Prosecutor’s general fund budget, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documentation being on file with the official records of the October 2, 2024 meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board), the Prosecuting Attorney is authorized to sign the grant agreement on behalf of Genesee County, and the Chief Financial Officer is directed to record the attached budget amendment.