DEPARTMENT: Government & Public Affairs
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Jeff Coyle
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S) IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT: Amendments to Master Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County
SUMMARY:
Approval of amendments to the Master Interlocal Agreement between the City of San Antonio and Bexar County to add Addenda A-8, Fire Services and Inspections, A-9, Food Services and Permitting, and A-10, Magistration. The Master Interlocal Agreement was approved by City Council on December 13, 2018 and contains agreed upon contract requirements, deliverables, and compensation amounts for multiple City and County services. This ordinance adds new addenda to the interlocal agreement related to county building inspections and permitting and City conducted Magistration services.
BACKGROUND:
Bexar County and the City of San Antonio enter into interlocal agreements to coordinate mutually beneficial services. A Master Interlocal Agreement (MILA) was developed in 2013 to consolidate agreements for services in: Animal Care, Cooperative Purchasing, Crime Lab/Medical Examiner, Platting, Vital Statistics, Fuel, Jury Pool, Library, Magistration, and Hotel Occupancy Tax Collection. The previous MILA expired in September 2018, with the exception of the Library addendum which expires in September 2019. City and County staff reviewed and negotiated a new MILA through the summer and fall of 2018 and agreed upon the removal of several services that were no longer needed and for the new agreement to include the following services: Cooperative Purchasing, Crime Lab, Hotel Tax Collection, Jury Pool, Library, Platting, and Truancy. The new MILA was approved by City Council on December 13, 2019. The MILA is a one-year agreement with four (4), one (1)-year renewals.
County staff subsequently approached the City requesting an agreement be entered into to allow the County to conduct: fire, code, life safety, and food inspections in Bexar County facilities; fire watch and fire inspections at Bexar County sponsored events on Bexar County properties; permitting of commercial, industrial, and food service building plans and in Bexar County facilities. County and City staff have also worked on an agreement for Magistration services. Acceptable provisions for these services were developed and negotiated between City and County staff. The following sections are proposed to be added to the MILA.
A. Fire Services and Inspections
Allows the County, through the Bexar County Fire Marshal, to provide: fire, code, life safety inspections in all county owned facilities within City limits and in unincorporated Bexar County; provide limited fire watch/fire inspections at County sponsored and organized events; review and permit commercial and industrial construction plans in County owned facilities, and; notifications required by the City related to the services conducted by the County under this addendum. The City shall provide: pyrotechnic permits within city limits; fire watch duties at events held in the AT&T Center; permit and inspect all one and two family residential construction plans in unincorporated Bexar County covered by non-annexation, development, and limited-purpose annexation agreements.
B. Food Services and Permitting
Allows the County to review and permit food services establishments located in unincorporated Bexar County. City will continue to conduct all inspections and issue permits for establishments and facilities within City limits.
C. Magistration
The agreement sets out obligations, responsibilities, and practices for the City and County for services provided by City Magistrates to arrested individuals located at the Bexar County Justice Intake & Assessment Center (JIAA). The City of San Antonio and Bexar County have both been providing magistration services for all arrested individuals in and around Bexar County since December 2018. This amendment will authorize City Magistrates to provide magistration of county law enforcement agencies’ arrestees. The City will provide all support services for the City’s Magistration duties, including but not limited to interpreter services. The Bexar County District Clerk’s Office will prepare all documents and orders for City magistrates review and approval for arrestees, and the County will provide video services and equipment for the City Magistrates to use during the magistration process of arrestees located at the JIAA. The County will pay $294,455 per year, prorated month to month while this addendum is in effect from May 1, 2019 to January 1, 2020.
ISSUE:
For decades the City of San Antonio and Bexar County have entered into interlocal agreements through which they provide services to each other. A MILA was developed in order to streamline this process and have a single agreement that houses several of these services. When additional opportunities for cooperation and coordination are identified and are found to be appropriate for addition to the MILA, the City and County amend the MILA to add these services. It is in continuation of City policy to work with government and community partners to provide needed services.
ALTERNATIVES:
If the amendments to the Master Interlocal Agreement are not approved the City and County could create a separate interlocal agreements for each of the proposed services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Addition of fire and food services addenda will have minimal to no fiscal impact to the City. Magistrate addition will increase revenue to the City for the services provided: $294,455 per year, prorated month to month while this addendum is in effect.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the amendments to the Master Interlocal Agreement.