RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AN ANNUAL COST-SHARING FEE FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FORENSIC LABORATORY

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that:

WHEREAS, the San Mateo County countywide forensic laboratory serves all law enforcement agencies within San Mateo County; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to enact a form of laboratory cost-sharing in order to finance non-discretionary increased expenses such as debt service for the newly constructed lab facility, which the County is unable to fully finance without stakeholder agency participation; and

WHEREAS, a Steering Committee composed of representatives from laboratory stakeholder agencies was convened and has engaged in a 14-month effort, with professional assistance from the consulting firm of Maximus, Inc., to analyze the cost of laboratory activities and services, and to study alternatives for the establishment of cost-sharing fees, including a comprehensive review of comparative California County-operated laboratories; and

WHEREAS, a consultant study , recommendations, and options for a cost-sharing mechanism were presented to the San Mateo County Police Chiefs and Sheriff's Association at their meeting of April 3, 2003, and were further reviewed with the Chief's Executive Committee of said Association on April 21, 2003; and

WHEREAS, based on those discussions, the Sheriff has developed options resulting in cost reductions of approximately $350,000 or 21% in the proposed countywide cost-sharing formula, and desires to present these to the Chief's Executive Committee with the goal of reaching a form of majority consensus among the cities as to the approach for cost-sharing; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary and desirable that a form of forensic laboratory cost-sharing be implemented, with an approximate total revenue to the forensic laboratory of $1,104,000, and it is desirable that the final cost-sharing plan to achieve the desired target be reached collaboratively through meetings, discussions and review of alternative funding approaches with the Chief's Executive Committee; and

WHEREAS, this Board has been presented with a report and recommendation to implement a forensic laboratory cost-sharing plan for FY 2003-04, and to authorize the Sheriff of San Mateo County to negotiate the final terms of said cost-sharing plan with the stakeholder agencies; and has examined same and desires to implement the forensic laboratory cost-sharing plan and negotiation method; and

WHEREAS, the public hearing to consider this action has been properly noticed, and all involved agencies provided copies of the proposed fees in advance, in accordance with §§ 66016 and 66018 of the Government Code; and

NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED BY THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, THAT:

A forensic laboratory cost-sharing plan, in a countywide total amount not to exceed $1,104,634, shall be implemented beginning with fiscal year 2003-04, and thereafter to continue annually unless otherwise directed by this Board; and

The Sheriff of San Mateo County is hereby authorized to meet, discuss and negotiate with stakeholder agencies the methodology of said cost-sharing plan; and

Final approval of the details of said approved cost-sharing plan shall require a subsequent public hearing before, and approval by, this Board of Supervisors prior to implementation.

The Clerk of this Board shall attest and record the approval of this Board to the resolved action thereto.

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