Agenda Item # 4
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
07/09/2013
Agenda Report # 04
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: 2014 Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP) Request for Funds ?
Priority Project
INITIATED BY: District Attorney/Victim-Witness Assistance Program
Recommendation: Approval is requested to submit an application and if approved
accept a $77,860 grant for the District Attorney?s Victim-Witness Assistance
Program from the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council FY14 Budget to
provide funding for Sexual Assault Victim Services in the Chattahoochee
Judicial Circuit and specifically in Chattahoochee County, Harris County,
Marion County, Talbot County and Taylor County from January 1, 2014 to December
31, 2014. Authorization is also requested to amend the Multi- Government
Grant fund by the award of the grant.
Background: In July of 1989, the Office of the District Attorney began
operating a Crime Victim Assistance Program. In October of 1992, the Crime
Victim-Witness Assistance Program was awarded the first Crime Victim Assistance
Grant, thereby broadening the program for the provision of basic services. In
July of 1995, additional funds were received from the 5% Crime Victim Surcharge
Fund, thus allowing the program to expand services to provide services to all 6
counties within the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. Grant allocations since
that time have allowed the program to sustain minimum numbers of employed
advocates and as of June 2013, the office has a staff of 5 full-time victim
advocates and 1 part-time victim advocate.
Analysis: If approved, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will allocate
$77,860 to the Muscogee County Government to provide support to the DA
Victim-Witness Assistance Program to fund two Sexual Assault Victim Advocate
positions for the grant year of January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014.
The total amount of $77,860 represents the operating budget for one full-time
victim advocate with benefits and one part-time victim advocate with benefits
and limited mileage throughout the year.
Grant Funded Sexual Assault Victim Advocates
- VICTIM ADVOCATE #1 (Full-Time):
? Salary - $30,000
? FICA/Medicare - $2,295
? Life Insurance - $120
? Retirement - $5,700
? Health ? $5,650.00
- VICTIM ADVOCATE #2 (Part-Time): *
? Salary - $20,500
? FICA/Medicare - $1,568
? Life Insurance - $82
? Retirement - $3,895
? Health ? $5,650.00
*Advocate #2 has a 68.33% time commitment to this grant. The other 12.67% is
currently paid by a VOCA grant.
TRAVEL:
? Mileage ? 4,247 miles @ .565 per mile - $2,400
Financial Considerations: The grant-funding total is $77,860 and there is no
cash match or In-Kind match requested for this grant.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: There will be no annual fiscal
impact as a result of awarding this grant.
Legal Considerations: Georgia Law requires that the District Attorney provide
extensive services, information and notification to crime victims.
(O.C.G.A.-17-17-1) The District Attorney is solely and directly responsible for
complying with this law as mandated by the Crime Victims? Bill of Rights.
Recommendations/Actions: Authorization is requested to submit and if
approved, acceptance of a grant in the amount of $77,860 from the Georgia
Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, to provide funding to the DA
Victim-Witness Assistance Program in order to create 2 Sexual Assault Victim
Advocate position to provide services to sexual assault/abuse victims within
the outer 5 counties of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit.
A RESOLUTION
NO._____
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, ON BEHALF
OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND, IF APPROVED, TO ACCEPT A SASP GRANT OF $77,860
FROM THE GEORGIA CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL ALLOCATED IN THE FY14
BUDGET, TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE DA VICTIM-WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CREATING
TWO SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM ADVOCATE POSITIONS IN THE CHATTAHOOCHEE JUDICIAL
CIRCUIT FROM JANUARY 1, 2014 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND AMEND THE
MULTI-GOVERNMENTAL FUND BY LIKE AMOUNT.
WHEREAS, the District Attorney is requesting the acceptance of an SASP Grant in
the amount of $77,860 to be allocated to the FY14 Budget from the Criminal
Justice Coordinating Council to 2 sexual assault victim advocate positions
which would provide services to sexual assault/abuse victims within the
Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit; and,
WHEREAS, the funding will be used to maintain one full-time and one part-time
Sexual Assault Victim Advocate position along with benefits and mileage; and,
WHEREAS, the District Attorney will continue to supervise the operation of the
Victim-Witness Assistance Program in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit from
January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
That the City Manager is hereby authorized to submit and if approved,
accept a grant of $77,860 from the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating
Council allocated in the FY14 Budget to provide funding to the DA
Victim-Witness Assistance Program to create and staff two Sexual Assault Victim
Advocate positions in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit which will extend over
a twelve month period beginning January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia,
held the _________ day of _____________ 2013, and adopted at said meeting by
the affirmative vote of ____________ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor McDaniel voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_____________________________
_________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council , Mayor
Attachments
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