TITLE
The Mayor and City Council shall discuss and possibly take action on approval of a Intergovernmental Agreement between Maricopa Unified School District #No. 20 and the City Of Maricopa for the joint use of facilities. Discussion and Action.
AGENDA ITEM DESCRIPTION
History: In the days prior to Copper Sky, the City of Maricopa ran a significant number of sports and recreation programs based out of MUSD facilities at no charge to the City. At the same time MUSD was constructing many of their facilities with the City waiving permit and inspection fees. On October 7, 2008 Maricopa Unified School District (MUSD) School Board gave final approval to a facility sharing Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between MUSD and Maricopa. This Facility IGA waved fees for City usage of MUSD facilities and waved permit and inspection fees for MUSD construction. Since that time, MUSD construction has ended and the City runs a large majority of their programs out of Copper Sky. Both agencies agree an update is necessary.
Currently: MUSD and the City of Maricopa have negotiated an updated IGA to share facilities. This agreement was approved by the MUSD School Board on May 27 2015. To complete the approval process staff is now bringing forward the same document for possible approval by the Maricopa City Council. The core benefit of this facility sharing agreement is priority access, scheduling, and establishment of liability. General fees are set by each agencies respective legislative body.
COPS Grant: In June of 2013 the City of Maricopa applied for a COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) grant and was awarded funding for 3 SROs (School Resource Officers) for three years along with the requirement that we maintain employment of the officers for a fourth year. In December of 2013 the City entered into an IGA with MUSD to provide SRO services in exchange for $120,000.00 over three years starting in August of 2014. The local match for the COPS grant over 4 school years is $508,345.20. In a 50%/50% cost sharing scenario, each agency would be responsible for $254,172.60 which we have adopted as a standard of equity in our negotiations. MUSD approved $120,000 in funding in 2013 for their portion of the match. As part of the December of 2013 IGA, MUSD committed to “…apply for any grant funding available for SRO position as it becomes available” (Sec.5(b)). In April of 2014 MUSD failed to apply for the Arizona School Safety Program Grant, for which MUSD could have requested up to $337,702.06 in funding, and would likely have received half ($168,851.03). These funds, if awarded, could have been used to pay the local match for the existing COPS Grant. In order to close the gap between the $120,000 and 50%/50% standard, staff has negotiated a provision where MUSD waives all rental, utility, custodial, and security fees that would normally be charged to the City for usage of MUSD facilities for our summer and winter Volleyball/Basketball tournament usage and City summer educational camp programs. This waver, if approved by MUSD, will cover both past fees from the summer of 2014 and future usage over the remaining four year span of the SRO program. This concession has an estimated value as an in-kind contribution to the City of $103,428.67.
Benefits: The City of Maricopa and MUSD believe this agreement meets the goal of each agency while maintaining our commitment to partner in the enhancement of student safety and education. This agreement guarantees our free access to MUSD facilities in order to provide summer youth programing over the four year period. This agreement also brings the two agencies within 6% ($30,743.93) of our goal of 50%/50% funding equity. MUSD is signaling to us that the remaining variance in funding will be made up as we negotiate the continuance of the SRO program into the future. Staff looks forward to those future negotiations. Note: The above information was shared with Council in memo form dated May 21, 2015.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve this Intergovernmental Agreement between Maricopa Unified School District #No. 20 and the City Of Maricopa for the joint use of facilities.