TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Oscar Ortiz, Sheriff-Coroner
REPORT BY: Rollie Soria, Sheriff’s Administrative Manager
SUBJECT: Boating Safety and Enforcement Equipment Grant FY 2026-27
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve the Boating Safety and Enforcement Equipment grant for FY 2026-27, associated Budget Amendment, establish capital assets, and authorize the Sheriff to approve all grant-related documents. (Fiscal Impact: $68,992 Revenue and Expense; General Fund; Not Budgeted; Discretionary)
[4/5 vote required]
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BACKGROUND
The Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol Unit provides full-time Lake Berryessa patrol, with increased coverage during the spring and summer months. Duties include enforcement of boating state laws and county ordinances, boating safety inspections and education, vessel accident investigations, search and rescue, emergency medical transport, special event coverage, and boating safety consultation with the Bureau of Reclamation and local resorts. The Sheriff’s Office also conducts patrols and safety checks at Lake Hennessey, a two-square mile municipal water supply, and performs frequent boating safety inspections along approximately 75 miles of Napa River Shoreline.
In an effort to reduce the cost to the General Fund, the Sheriff’s Office applied for and was awarded a $68,992 grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways. The grant will fully fund the purchase of two replacement marine engines for Patrol Boat No. 4 (Asset No. 100772) and two night-vision binoculars. Since 2018, the Sheriff’s Office has applied for this grant several times to offset costly Marine Patrol Unit equipment, securing past awards for a patrol boat, personal watercraft, and navigation equipment.
Patrol Boat No. 4 is a 2016 24’ Rogue coastal boat equipped with twin Mercury outboard engines. During a recent service call on Lake Berryessa, the starboard engine experienced a catastrophic failure. Because both engines are approaching the end of their useful service life, repairing or replacing only the failed engine would not be financially prudent. Replacing both engines will provide greater reliability, maintain balanced performance between the engines, and reduce the likelihood of additional engine-related failures.
The purchase of two night-vision binoculars will enhance the Marine Patrol Unit’s ability to safely operate during nighttime and low-light conditions. The binoculars will improve officers’ situational awareness, assist with vessel identification, and support nighttime search-and-rescue operations by helping locate persons in the water, vessels in distress, and hazards along shorelines. This equipment will improve officer safety and extend the unit’s operational capabilities after dark while having no financial impact on the General Fund.
Requested Actions:
1. Acceptance of grant agreement C26L0613 in the amount of $68,992 for the acquisition of two boat engines and two night-vision binoculars with mounting hardware.
2. Authorization for the Sheriff to execute all documents, including but not limited to applications, agreements, activity reports, payment requests, claim forms and other documents that may be required, subject to County Counsel approval.
3. Betterment of existing Capital Asset No. 100772 (Patrol Boat No. 4) current book value $0.00, increasing its value by $46,350 for the purchase of two outboard boat engines. In addition, establish two new night-vision binoculars as capital assets in the amount of $11,321 each.
4. Approval of a Budget Amendment increasing appropriations in Sheriff’s Operating Budget Capital Assets- Equipment account (1360000-55400) by $68,992, offset by a commensurate increase in State-Other Funding account (1360000-43790). (4/5 vote required)
FISCAL IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Where is it budgeted? |
If approved, it will be budgeted in Sheriff’s Operating Budget: 1360000-43790 & 1360000-55400. |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
There is no mandate to accept grant funding to purchase new boat engines or night-vision binoculars. However, the purchase of two new outboard engines for Patrol Boat No. 4 is necessary to maintain a reliable and dependable patrol boat. Replacing both engines will ensure balanced performance and reduce the likelihood of additional engine failures. The purchase of two night-vision binoculars will enhance officer safety, situational awareness, and the Marine Patrol Unit’s ability to conduct nighttime patrol, search-and-rescue, and boating enforcement operations. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
Future equipment maintenance costs will be budgeted appropriately in future fiscal years. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
If the requested actions are not approved, the Sheriff’s Office would lose the opportunity to obtain $68,992 in grant funds. Without the grant, the County would need to identify alternative funding sources to replace the failed and aging engines on Patrol Boat No. 4 and purchase the night-vision binoculars, potentially requiring the use of General Fund resources. |
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Additional Information |
Strategic Initiative: Elevate County Service and Workforce Excellence. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.