HomeMy WebLinkAboutFin Measure C - Wildfire Prevention Fund____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: October 6, 2025
Disposition: Resolution 15463
Agenda Item No: 5.g
Meeting Date: October 6, 2025
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Finance
Prepared by: Paul Navazio
Finance Director
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: MEASURE C - WILDFIRE PREVENTION FUND
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2025-26 SUPPLEMENTAL
BUDGET APPROPRIATION FROM MEASURE C, WILDFIRE PREVENTION FUND
(242)FUND BALANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,108,319 TO SUPPORT ONGOING
WILDFIRE PREVENTION EFFORTS
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing supplemental fiscal year (FY)
2025-26 budget appropriations of $1,108,319 from the available Measure C – Wildfire Prevention Fund
(242) fund balance to support ongoing wildfire prevention efforts.
BACKGROUND:
Measure C is a Countywide Parcel Tax approved in 2020 to provide funding dedicated to Wildfire
Prevention, with five focus areas:
1) Defensible Space and Home Hardening
2) Vegetation Management
3) Evacuation Route Improvements
4) Public Education
5) Grants (Resident Support)
Annual funding allocations are approved by the Marin Wildfire Prevention Agency (MWPA) Board and
allocated programmatically as follows:
•Core Program (60% of revenue) – projects and budgets require MWPA Board approval; funding
is provided on a reimbursement basis to the City of San Rafael to support programs within the
San Rafael “zone”, which includes Marinwood and nearby Community Service Areas.
•Defensible Space Program (20% of revenue) – funding is provided to the City of San Rafael for
specific activities focused on defensible space inspections and helping residents achieve risk
mitigation on their property.
•Local Program (20% of revenue) – this represents discretionary funding provided to local
jurisdictions and can be used on any activities identified by the local jurisdiction, provided
alignment with the objective of the tax measure. For the City of San Rafael, most of these funds
support the City’s ignition reduction programs, staff, and small and responsive projects.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
Overall, the City of San Rafael accounts for approximately 24% of Measure C revenues and directly
controls the implementation of approximately $3.9 million for use as prescribed within each program
category. This agenda item has been prepared to authorize the reappropriation of Measure C – Wildfire
Prevention Funds approved in prior fiscal year(s), for specified purposes, to support FY 2025-26 activities
consistent with the programmatic funding allocations provided by the MWPA and in alignment with
various City plans.
ANALYSIS:
The City’s approved FY 2025-26 budget provides budget appropriations supported by new Measure C
funding allocations totaling $3,946,917, to include the Program ($1,728,173), Defensible Space
($920,919), and Local programs ($1,297,824).
City Council action is requested to authorize supplemental FY 2025-26 budget appropriations in the
amount of $1,108,319, representing funding approved in prior year(s) to support ongoing wildfire
prevention program activities, as follows:
Core Program activities $ 10,000
Defensible Space Program activities $ 734,000
Local Program activities $ 364,319
Total Supplemental Budget Appropriations $ 1,108,319
This level of supplemental budget appropriations would augment the funding approved as part of the FY
2025-26 budget, based on an analysis of priority needs and staff capacity to implement increased wildfire
prevention activities. At the time of the development and adoption of the FY 2025-26 Budget, the Wildfire
Prevention Division did not have adequate staff capacity to implement more programmatic work than was
originally budgeted. Subsequently, now being fully staffed, the City can implement more programming
activities than originally anticipated. For example, vegetation management efforts have expanded beyond
immediate areas around homes and now will include plans to treat large portions of areas with historic
fire activity, including acreage on San Rafael Lincoln Hill. Another example is the City’s ability to distribute
more funding to property owners to request grant funds up to $7,500 to replace their wood shake roofs,
which could support all 70 single family residences and about 15 HOA managed parcels which need to
replace wood shake roofs.
Many large wildfire mitigation projects and costs occur May-October, spanning the fiscal year. This makes
budgeting on a fiscal year challenging and often results on budgets rolling over between fiscal years.
Additionally, the timing of the MWPA workplan and budget cycle is not aligned with the City’s process,
posing challenges in assure accurate appropriations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The staff recommendation would authorize fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 supplemental budget appropriations
of $1,108,319 from available Measure C – Wildfire Prevention Fund (242) fund balance to support
increased wildfire prevention program activities, consistent with prior budget authorizations and overall
Measure C program objectives.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter:
1.Approve the recommended resolution.
2.Adopt resolution with modifications.
3.Direct staff to return with more information.
4.Take no action.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing supplemental fiscal year (FY)
2025-26 budget appropriations of $1,108,319 from the available Measure C – Wildfire Prevention Fund
(242)fund balance to support ongoing wildfire prevention efforts.
ATTACHMENT:
1.Resolution
RESOLUTION NO. 15463
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2025-26 SUPPLEMENTAL
BUDGET APPROPRIATION FROM MEASURE C, WILDFIRE PREVENTION FUND
(242) FUND BALANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,108,319 TO SUPPORT ONGOING
WILDFIRE PREVENTION EFFORTS
WHEREAS, the City Council approved Resolution No. 15421 adopting the fiscal
year (FY) 2025-26 budget; and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 15421 provided authorization to carry-forward
encumbered appropriations from FY 2024-25 and reappropriate these funds in FY
2025-26 to be used solely to pay for the remaining portion of commitments stemming
from executed contracts and purchase orders, as of June 30, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 15421 further provided that authorization to carry-
over unencumbered FY 2024-25 appropriations supporting capital projects and one-
time operational expenses for which contracts or purchase orders were not executed as
of June 30, 2025, would be subject to future City Council action; and
WHEREAS, staff has reviewed and analyzed available unencumbered FY 2024-
25 budget appropriations within Measure C – Wildfire Prevention Fund (242) that were
approved for specific programs and operational initiatives, and for which funding is
needed to support workplan activities within the current fiscal year;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the San Rafael City Council, that
Resolution No. 15421 approving the citywide budget and Capital Improvement Budget
for FY 2025-26 is hereby further amended to authorize supplemental budget
appropriations totaling $1,108,319, representing carry-over of available unencumbered
FY 2024-25 appropriations within Measure C - Wildfire Prevention Fund (242) to
support ongoing workplan efforts.
I, LINDSAY LARA, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing
resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a special meeting of the
Council of said City on Monday, the 6th day of October 2025 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Bushey, Hill, Kertz & Mayor Kate
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Llorens Gulati
LINDSAY LARA, City Clerk