Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout20143924.tiff RESOLUTION RE: APPROVE AMERICORPS FIXED AWARD SERVICE LOCATION AGREEMENT AND AUTHORIZE CHAIR TO SIGN -COLORADO YOUTH CORPS ASSOCIATION WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and WHEREAS, the Board has been presented with an AmeriCorps Fixed Award Service Location Agreement between the County of Weld, State of Colorado, by and through the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, on behalf of the Department of Human Services, and Colorado Youth Corps Association, commencing January 1, 2015, and ending December 31, 2015, with further terms and conditions being as stated in said agreement, and WHEREAS, after review, the Board deems it advisable to approve said agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, that the AmeriCorps Fixed Award Service Location Agreement between the County of Weld, State of Colorado, by and through the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, on behalf of the Department of Human Services, and Colorado Youth Corps Association be, and hereby is, approved. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Board that the Chair be, and hereby is, authorized to sign said agreement. The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted by the following vote on the 22nd day of December, A.D., 2014 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WLD COUNTY, COLORADO ATTEST: d sv ;,,k, r1 (NS-7" (�c,d?m,,rt_Jet �. Douglas ademach r, Chair Weld County Clerk to the Board •ara Kirkmey r, Pro-Te BY: f J_ I , •,, D-• t y Clerk to the Boar.j 16 r '+iw P. Conway APPROV AS TO FORM: ®`NI,�_ ike Freem County Attorney William F. Gar Date of signature /-Co15' 2014-3924 CC il56 I/,y HR0085 MEMORANDUM DATE: December 18, 2014 2- G tiNTY _ TO: Douglas Rademacher, Chair, Board of County Commissioners FROM: Judy A. Griego, Director, Human -L(.6, RE: AmeriCorps Fixed Award Service. ocatio Agreement between the Weld County Department of Human Services' Youth Conservation Corps (WCYCC) and the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) Enclosed for Board approval is the AmeriCorps Fixed Award Service Location Agreement between the Weld County Department of Human Services' Youth Conservation Corps (WCYCC) and the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA). This Agreement was reviewed under the Board's Pass-Around Memorandum dated December 12, 2014, and was approved for placement on the Board's Agenda. CYCA was awarded a Fixed AmeriCorps grant continuing Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) funds for the next three (3) years beginning January 2015. CYCA included WCYCC in a statewide AmeriCorps application in effort to streamline fully accredited Youth Corps in Colorado. WCYCC is eligible to receive up to $110,578.54 per year of federal funds. An additional estimated $110,000.00 will be generated by WCYCC through collaborative grant initiatives and project fees to successfully implement the program serving 30 Weld County youth between the ages of 17 and 24. Cornerstone project sponsors include Weld County, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), CYCA and the City of Greeley. Additional project sponsors, such as Colorado Water Conservation Board and Great Western Trail, are contingent upon approved grant funding. Each youth is provided with a living stipend as well as an opportunity to earn up to $2,775.00 Education Award to be used toward post secondary education within seven years of successfully completing an AmeriCorps term of service. Education Awards arc fixed and based on individual terms of service enrollments. WCYCC will serve 14 youth at 300 hour terms, 5 youth at 450 terms and 11 youth at 900 hour terms of service. The term of this Agreement is January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 6510. 2014-3924 4,ERIC0ga AmeriCorps Fixed Award Service Location Agreement * between Colorado Youth Corps Association and Weld County Youth Conservation Corps cOL0RA� January 1, 2015 — December 31, 2015 This is a contract between the Colorado Youth Corps Association("CYCA") and Weld County Youth Conservation Corps ("Service Location") for the Service Location to serve in the AmeriCorps Fixed Award Program ( "Youth & Veterans for Colorado") under grant# 13ESCHO00 10002 ("Grant") managed by CYCA. The term of this agreement is January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the terms hereof. Colorado Youth Corps Association Responsibilities: During the term of this Agreement, CYCA will: 1. Serve as liaison to Serve Colorado, the Corporation for National and Community Service ("CNCS") and/or the National Service Trust; 2. Provide an AmeriCorps Resource Guide and regular updates to the Service Location on policy and procedure changes; 3. Conduct an orientation for the Service Location's Administrators and other designated staff, either via conference call or in person; 4. Provide training and technical assistance services to the Service Location as reasonably necessary, including, but not limited to emails, site visits, annual training, phone assistance and the provision of materials including an annual calendar/schedule; 5. Review AmeriCorps documentation and operations to ensure the Service Location is meeting AmeriCorps compliance policies and procedures as understood by CYCA; 6. Provide the Service Location with a template Progress Report and a schedule of report due dates; 7. Compile all Service Location progress reports into a Master Progress Report submission to the State Commission by the required deadlines; 8. Enroll and exit all members in My AmeriCorps within 30 calendar days to ensure compliance with the "30 day rule," provided the Service Location emails fully-signed and completed forms to CYCA within 20 calendar days of enrollment/exit; 9. Remit payment to the Service Location for invoiced dollars within 5 days of receiving funds from Serve Colorado. Page 1 of 8 //SD (T&/sue) #70/`1-392r�1 /01/.202-/P7I /-/P 00�� 10. In the event a Service Location displays a pattern of one or more areas of concern as listed in the CYCA Service Location Corrective Action Policy, CYCA will work with the Service Location to develop a Corrective Action Plan to resolve any challenges faced in managing the "Youth & Veterans for Colorado" Fixed Award grant. Service Location Responsibilities: (the latest reference for AmeriCorps Provisions. Regulations and Policies can he found at: hnpsJ/egrants.cns.,gov/provisions/Final 2014AneeriCorpsGrantProvisions 20140618.pdT During the Term of this agreement, the Service Location will: 1. Remain an accredited member of CYCA in good standing with dues filly paid; 2. Adhere to the 2014-2015 AmeriCorps Provisions, Regulations and Policies, as they may be amended from time to time, including but not limited to requirements regarding implementing grievance and drug policies and listing AmeriCorps as a national partner in appropriate literature and materials; 3. Return the signed/dated Service Location Agreement and signed/dated Service Location Corrective Action Policy to CYCA prior to enrolling members into the "Youth &Veterans for Colorado" Fixed Award grant. 4. Designate a Service Location Administrator to oversee the project, serve as program liaison, attend an annual orientation and participate in conference calls as necessary throughout the program year. Service Location must immediately inform CYCA of any staff changes and conduct adequate in- house orientation for new staff to ensure the new staff person can manage the program until the next regularly scheduled CYCA training session; 5. Complete all CYCA forms and reporting requirements within required timelines, including but not limited to: enrollment and exit forms; Progress Reports; requests for data by CYCA; 6. Enroll up to 30 Members between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Your slot breakdown is as follows: 0 Full-Time (1700 hour) members 11 Half-Time (900 hour) members 0 Reduced-Half Time (675 hour) members 5 Quarter Time (450 hour) members 14 Minimum Time (300 hour) members Slot changes are not permitted. Service Locations requiring additional slots should contact CYCA for availability. 7. Ensure that each member provides appropriate documentation of US Citizenship, US national or lawful permanent resident alien status (as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 12591 and 45 CFR § 2522.200), retain copies of such documents in the member file, and maintain a consistent practice of making a record of the documents reviewed for each member; Page 2 of 8 8. Ensure each member certifies on his/her Enrollment Form that he/she has earned a high school diploma or equivalent or agrees to obtain a high school diploma or equivalent prior to using the Education Award; 9. Ensure that each member signs/dates a Member Service Agreement (as defined in the Provisions, Regulations and Policies) before commencement of service. If a member is under 18 years of age a parent or guardian must also sign the agreement; 10. Conduct a National Service Criminal History Check on all "Youth & Veterans for Colorado" Fixed Award grant AmeriCorps members and relevant staff as outlined in CYCA's "Memo on National Service Criminal History Checks" dated 10/30/2014. Criminal background checks must be done through CNCS approved registries and must include the state the individual resides at the time of application and the state in which the member will serve. All programs are required to conduct FBI background checks through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on all covered individuals. 11. Ensure all member enrollments and exits are in compliance with the "30 day rule"— fully signed and completed Enrollment and Exit Forms must be emailed to CYCA within 20 calendar days of enrollment/exit to ensure they are approved by CYCA within the 30 calendar day timeframe, including first day of enrollment. The date the member signs their Enrollment must be on or prior to their official enrollment date. If the member's official enrollment date is different than their signature date, please write the official enrollment date on top of the form. Otherwise the member will be enrolled on the date they signed the form; 12. Conduct an AmeriCorps Orientation for all members at the beginning of their service. The orientation must include: background information on the community being served; member rights and responsibilities; standards of conduct; AmeriCorps prohibited activities; requirements under the Drug Free Workplace Act; suspension and termination of service; grievance procedures; sexual harassment; other non-discrimination issues; AmeriCorps 101 including an overview of AmeriCorps history and operations; "Youth & Veterans for Colorado" Fixed Award grant Performance Measures; and other relevant Service Location policies. Maintain copies of the Orientation Agenda and sign-in sheets to document topics covered and member attendance; AmeriCorps prohibited activated include: At no time while acting in an official capacity as an AmeriCorps member may a Member: 1. Engage in activity that is illegal under local, state, or federal law. 2. Engage in activities that pose a significant safety risk to others. 3. Engage in any AmeriCorps prohibited activities that include: a. Attempting to influence legislation b. Engaging in partisan political activities or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office c. Engaging in religious instruction d. Conducting worship services e. Providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship Page 3 of 8 I Constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship g. Maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship. h. Engaging in any form of religious proselytization i. Organizing or engaging in protests,petitions, boycotts, or strikes j. Assisting, promoting. or deterring union organizing k. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements I. Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political candidates, political platforms, proposed legislation, or elected officials m. Provide a direct benefit to a business organized for profit, a labor union, a partisan political organization, a non-profit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 except that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative n. An organization engaged in the religious activities described above, unless Corporation assistance is not used to support those religious activities o. Conducting a voter registration drive or using Corporation funds to conduct a voter registration drive p. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services q. And such activities as the Corporation may prohibit. AmeriCorps members may not engage in the aforementioned activities directly or indirectly by recruiting, training, or managing others for the primary purpose of engaging in one of the activities listed above. Individuals may exercise their rights as private citizens and may participate in the activities listed above on their initiative, on non-AmeriCorps time, using non- Corporation funds. Individuals should not wear the AmeriCorps logo at any time while doing so. 13. Conduct and keep a record of at least a midterm and end-of-term written evaluation of each member's performance for Full and Half-Time members and an end-of-term written evaluation for less than Half-Time members. the end-of-term evaluation should focus on such factors as: whether the member has completed the required number of hours; whether the member has satisfactorily' completed assignments; and whether the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service. Evaluations must be signed and dated by the member, his or her Crew Leader, and by a staff member with program oversight responsibilities. Service Locations should perform, sign and date these evaluations on the member's last day of service. 14. Maintain a file on each member to include a completed checklist provided by CYCA in the 2015 Resource Guide and all other required documents. Ensure effective security measures are in place so that only authorized persons have access to member files and records. 15. Maintain accurate time records for each member; Page 4of8 16. Ensure adequate hours of service are performed prior to submitting exit paperwork to CYCA; 17. Time records should clearly differentiate between education, training and service activities and clearly show attendance at an AmeriCorps member orientation. Time and attendance records must be signed and dated by the member, their Crew Leader and by a staff member with program oversight responsibilities. Ensure that the total hours recorded on the member's Exit Form and final evaluation are equal to total served on timesheets. Unsigned timesheets will not count towards a member's hours; 18. Establish standard procedures for tracking education, training and service hours for all members in the "Youth & Veterans for Colorado"Fixed Award grant. Ensure that no more than 20 percent of the aggregate all member service hours arc spent in education and training activities. 19. Ensure that each member registers on My AmeriCorps (https://my.americorps.gov) prior to completing the program and has a working email address; 20. Ensure sufficient opportunity within Service Location's operations for enrolled members to successfully and compliantly complete required number of hours in their term of service and become eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award; 21. Submit all requests for Compelling Personal Circumstances in writing within 10 days of the member's requested exit date. Please provide a narrative outlining the situation, a rationale for a Personal Compelling Circumstance, and submit the member's letter of resignation for review. These materials will be submitted to Serve Colorado for approval as per their outlined process. If a Compelling Personal Circumstance is granted by Serve Colorado then CYCA will notify the Service Location and approve exiting the member; 22. Track all Performance Measure data and achieve outcomes in the Performance Measures listed below. The Service Location is required to submit performance measure data on Progress Reports submitted to CYCA and should strive to achieve maximum output in their individual performance towards these measurements to the best of their ability: EN4: At-Risk Eco-Systems Output: 1,000 acres of parks or public land improved Tracked: Project accomplishments uploaded into CID Outcome: Project results will last more than 3 years for 85% of the acreage, thereby reducing maintenance costs. Tracked: Project sponsor evaluations EN5: At-Risk Eco-Systems Output: 140 miles of trails or rivers improved and/or created Tracked: Project accomplishments uploaded into CID Outcome: Project results will last more than 3 years for 85% of trails/waterways,thereby reducing maintenance costs Tracked: Project sponsor evaluations Page 5of8 EN!: Energy Efficiency Output: 1,000 housing units weatherized or retrofitted to improve energy efficiency Tracked: Corps will log completion of retrofits at the conclusion of each low-income home installation. Outcome: 1,000 units will have an average of$363 each in lifetime savings based on exact retrofits per home. Tracked: Members will utilize Weatherization Wired database to capture installation accomplishments. Energy savings calculations will be based on Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency formulas as well as industry-recognized assumptions about daily average use of the installed measures. O12: Employment Output: 104 Economically Disadvantaged national service participants who are unemployed prior to their term of service receive job training or other skill development services. Tracked: Members self-attest to individual income eligibility and employment status at beginning of service. Outcome: 79 (75%) of Economically Disadvantaged national service participants that secure employment during their term of service or within one year of finishing the program. Tracked: Letter from employer, pay stub, or member self-attestation will be used to verify post- corps activities. 23. Upload the service hours of members into the OnCorps database on a monthly basis at minimum; and these hours will be uploaded no later than the 10` of the following month. 24. Service Location may invoice CYCA for up to 20% of their total allowable funds in January; and then may not invoice CYCA again until the January invoice amount correlates to the dollar value of member hours actually served. 25. With the exception of the January invoice, Service Locations may not invoice CYCA for a larger dollar amount than correlates to actual member hours served at the Service Location. 26. Service Location shall supply documentation for any additional information CYCA may request to support the reimbursement requests. 27. Implement any recommended changes as the result of site visits/file reviews and/or a Service Location Corrective Action Plan or submit a written plan to CYCA addressing how issue(s) will be corrected; 28. Bear full and sole responsibility for any findings or recommendations should there be instances of noncompliance as determined by the CYCA, Serve Colorado. CNCS and/or the National Service Trust, including making payments on demands for recovery of Education Award funds or Fixed Award operating costs based on allowable member service hours; if CYCA receives a financial penalty due to findings at the Service Location, this penalty charge will be transferred to and paid by the Service Location. 29. Honor the commitments made to each member, including issuance of earned education awards and/or administrative compensation for service within the member's defined term of service as outlined in the member's signed contract; and Page 6 of 8 30. Ensure that records are maintained sufficient to establish that each member is eligible to participate and that the member successfully completed all requirements. EAP files should be retained for a period of at least three years from the end of CYCA's contract period with Serve Colorado. 31. Service Location is responsible for maintaining compliance with all other applicable AmeriCorps rules and regulations. Amendments to this Agreement: This agreement may be changed or revised only by written consent by both parties. Modification and Termination: CYCA maintains the right to terminate this Service Location Agreement at any time if it determines in the reasonable exercise of its sole discretion that the Service Location is not adhering to the requirements set herein. Absent emergent circumstances, CYCA will attempt to resolve issues through verbal and written communication based on the Service Location Corrective Action Policy prior to termination. Notice of termination shall be in writing to Corps Directors and give 15 days notice before becoming effective. No new members can be enrolled after notice of termination is issued. CYCA may, in its sole discretion, give the Service Location an option to consent to modification of this Service Location Agreement in lieu of termination. The Service Location acknowledges that CYCA is receiving funding for this program from Serve Colorado. If CYCA receives notice that Serve Colorado is cancelling the funding CYCA is reliant upon for this program, then CYCA may immediately terminate this contract. Page 7 of 8 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed the Agreement with all attachments hereto of Exhibit A, constitutes the entire understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and may not be changed or modified except as stated in last two paragraphs of the original agreement. n AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED THIS Q? DAY OF DECEMBER, 2014. C ia ATTEST: :41) BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Weld County Clerk to th- 't: a WELD COUNTY, C• ORADO BY: _ .t►�� .'� � :crrl'1/41 ��1!` Deputy Clef to the.;oa Barbara Kirkm:yer, Cha r Pro-Tem DEC 21 7,6114 114 APPROVED AS TO FUN :I ' '/ APPROVED AS T UBSTANCE: Controller Ele d Official or De rtmen Head APPROVED AS TO FORM: N/A Director of General Services County Attorney Col do Yout o s As ociation (CYCA) ( ) ott Segerstro xecutive Director of CYCA Kate Klitgaard, Associate Director of CYCA Page 8 of 8 Sag"I396?f Hello