Consulting firm deciphering city’s priorities
CALIFORNIA CITY — A firm hired by the city, in May, to assist with acquiring grants and other funding, has been working to gain a deep understanding of the city’s needs to better target potential funds.
The City Council, on Nov. 22, received an update from Washington-based Capital Advocacy Partners, the firm recommended by former city manager Doug Dunford.
“(We are) doing a deep dive into what the needs are,” founding partner Dana DeBeaumont said.
Among the projects the firm is working on is applying for Prop. 64 grant funds of $2 to $3 million over five years for the police and fire departments, manager Dante Moreno said.
This grant would help the departments with enforcement of marijuana tax laws to ensure the city is collecting revenue it is owed, provide more frequent inspections of marijuana facilities and enforcement of ordinances and provide for educational programs for youth about the dangers of marijuana use.
Enforcement of marijuana regulations “truly does consume my entire life,” Fire Chief Jeremy Kosick said. “We basically become the de facto cannabis police.”
More regular inspections, for which the Department would need more people, would help stop issues before they become major problems, he said.
The firm is also preparing for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant application for the Fire Department, that could be used to meet equipment needs, Moreno said.
In addition, they are working to identify community projects that could be funded through Congressional earmarks, which must be put forth by California senators. These are onetime, one-year grants for projects that could include equipment purchases or
water infrastructure, Moreno said.
The firm has also been working with the Kern Council of Governments, which allocates transportation funding in Kern County, for a strategy for local transportation projects, DeBeaumont said.
This has included looking at Kern COG’s listing of projects and looking at how to improve the priority placed on California City projects, she said.
They are also looking at state funding for road projects under the Safe Route to Schools program.
The city hired Capital Advocacy Partners on a three-year contract. The contract is for $4,000 per month, plus $4,000 to $12,500 per grant application completed by the firm. The lowest grant preparation fee is for the first grant; others would be $7,500 or $12,500, depending on the size of the application.