MEMORANDUM

TO:                Ron Long, Assembly President

Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

THRU:           John J. Williams, Borough Mayor

                        Craig Chapman, Finance Director

FROM:          Bonnie L. Golden, Grants Manager

COPY:           Bear Creek Fire Service Area

DATE:           June 28, 2006

SUBJECT:    Ordinances 2006-19-04: Accepting and appropriating on behalf of Bear Creek Fire Service Area two fire assistance grants from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources

Bear Creek Fire Service Area (“Service Area”) submitted applications for grants under the 2006 Volunteer Fire Assistance (“VFA”) and Rural Fire Assistance (“RFA”) grant programs. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, administers these federal funds. The Borough was recently notified by DNR that two grants have been awarded to the Service Area as follows: $2,400 under the VFA program and $5,100 under the RFA program. Both grant programs require that the grant funds and matching funds be spent before December 31, 2006.

            Grant funds may be used for equipment purchases or training. The VFA grant program requires matching funds on a one-to-one basis (50%). The RFA grant program requires matching funds on a nine-to-one basis (10%). Expenditures for fire fighting equipment or training made by the Service Area during the 2006 calendar year are eligible costs under both grant programs. The Service Area has sufficient funds in its current operating budget to meet the matching requirements. The Service Area Board of Directors approved the acceptance of the grants and the expenditure of the matching funds at its meeting on June 13, 2006.

Attachments (Ordinances and Notification Letter from DNR)