Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Consider Reallocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds from the Be Well (Mobile Crisis Response) Project to the AXON (Improved Police Technology) Project.
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From: Christine Cordon, City Manager
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Darin Lenyi, Chief of Police Karla Santillan, Business Services Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Consider the approval request for reallocating ARPA funds in the amount of $1,752,568.52 from the Be Well Project (Account No. 212319) to the AXON Project (Account No. 212308).
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BACKGROUND
On October 26, 2022, the City Council approved the allocation of ARPA funds to several initiatives in alignment with federal guidelines. Among these was the Be Well Project, with an allocation of $3,364,340 to support mobile crisis response services. As of now, $1,752,568.52 remains available in the Be Well Project account.
The Westminster Police Department (WPD) oversees a comprehensive Homeless Liaison Team, which includes four officers, two case workers, and, more recently, Park Rangers assigned to monitor city parks. Additionally, the City participates in the Central Cities Navigation Center (CCNC), further enhancing its capacity to address homelessness and people in crisis. Given the effectiveness of the Homeless Liaison Team and the resources already in place, there was no longer a need to continue to contract with Be Well for services. The contract expired on April 16, 2025, and was not renewed.
WPD has utilized AXON body-worn cameras since 2010. In 2024 the City Council approved a new agreement with AXON to expand the program to include upgraded body-worn cameras, tasers, in-vehicle dash cameras, and associated video equipment with data storage. AXON remains the leading provider of this technology for law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Furthermore, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) requires law enforcement agencies to submit digital evidence through Evidence.com, AXON’s secure cloud-based platform. The OCDA holds an exclusive contract with AXON, allowing for direct backend access to Evidence.com. This integration enables seamless and secure sharing of digital evidence, particularly body-worn camera footage, between the City and the OCDA.
On March 27, 2024, the City Council allocated $1,451,500 in ARPA funds to the AXON Project. The current AXON contract was approved by the City Council on May 22, 2024 for a total of $5,251,463.32 over a 10-year term.
Staff is requesting a reallocation of the remaining $1,752,568.52 from the Be Well Project to the AXON Project, increasing the total allocation for the AXON Project to $3,204,068.52. The reallocation of ARPA funds will not impact the City’s compliance with federal funding requirements, as both projects are in the American Rescue Plan Act Intra-Agency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Westminster and the Westminster Police Department approved by the City Council on October 23, 2024 and amended on December 9, 2024. Per Federal guidelines, transfers are allowed only between projects listed within the existing MOU categories; MOUs are no longer amendable due to ARPA regulations.
FISCAL IMPACT
A budget adjustment in the amount of $1,752,568.52 is proposed to transfer funds from the Be Well Project (Account No. 212319) to the AXON Project (Account No. 212308).
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
Approving the proposed reallocation will support the effective and timely utilization of ARPA funds, while aligning with and advancing the objectives established through the original ARPA funding allocations.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
City Attorney’s Office
Christine Cordon, City Manager