USVI Public Records

Document text

1 FISCAL YEAR 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTED BY DARYL D. JASCHEN DIRECTOR VIRGIN ISLANDS TERRITORIAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY Submitted to SENATOR NOVELLE E. FRANCIS, JR. CHAIRMAN Senate Committee on Finance Frits E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room, St. Croix June 24, 2025 2 | P a g e OPENING COMMENTS 2 3 Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr., Chairman of the Committee on Finance and all other senators 4 present, legislative staff and those in the viewing and listening audience, good afternoon. 5 6 I am Daryl D. Jaschen, Director of the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency 7 (VITEMA). Present with me today are Mr. Ovid J. Williams, Assistant Director; Mr. Winston 8 Simon, Deputy Director of Administration and Finance; Ms Nadia Fearon, Deputy Director of 9 Human Resources and Labor Relations, Mr Bruce Kelly, Deputy Director of Operations, and Mrs. 10 Florecita Brunn, Deputy Director Grants Management. Thank you for this opportunity to present 11 VITEMA’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget. 12 13 VITEMA’s mission is to save lives and to protect property through preparedness, exercises, 14 prevention, and mitigation. The Agency is comprised of six main divisions: Administration and 15 Finance, Grants Management, Planning and Preparedness, Operations, Logistics, and Public 16 Information. 17 18 VITEMA has oversight of the 9-1-1 emergency communications center and the VI Office of 19 Homeland Security Fusion Center. The Fusion Center is 100% federally funded. Our daily 20 operations include two (2) 9-1-1 Emergency Communication Centers (ECC), one (1) in each 21 district, three (3) Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs), one on St. Croix in downtown 22 Christiansted, one on St. Thomas just East of the Cyril E. King airport runway, and one on St. John 23 just across from the Myra Keating Smith Community Health Center, and a homeland security 24 Fusion Center located on St. Thomas. 25 26 In Fiscal Year 2026, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) is 27 expected to receive $5,940,457.00 from the General Fund to carry out its operations. 28 29 3 | P a g e 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Personnel Services will cover about sixty-one (61) positions at a cost of $3,279,113.00 This 38 amount represents 55.20 percent of the budgeted amount. This translates to fifty (50) filled 39 positions and eleven (11) vacant positions. Fringe Benefits total $1,610,108.00, which is 27.10 40 percent of the total. To cover the several types of supplies needed for the agency, $83,056.00 is 41 slated for this purpose, which is 1.40 percent of the budget. Other Services and Charges is 42 projected to cost $575,691.00, including $250,000.00 in Miscellaneous items for Disaster 43 Recovery Contingency and Generator Maintenance Agreement. This represents 9.69 percent of 44 the total and covers Professional Services, Travel, Rent, Repairs & Maintenance, etc. Utility 45 Services (Electricity and Water) is budgeted at $392,489.00. This amount is 6.61 percent of the 46 total. Funding for Volunteer Rescue organizations on St Thomas, St Croix, St John and Water 47 Island is budgeted with the OMB and is release based on successful submission to VITEMA of 48 annual requirement reflecting the organizations good standing. Over the past three years, St Croix 49 Rescue has not received any funding. 50 FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION DIVISION 51 Administration and Finance is the division responsible for managing the financial resources of the 52 agency. As such, the division supports all other divisions through the General Fund appropriation. 53 Administration and Finance enters requisition and payments into the Government’s financial 54 system (ERP) on behalf of the divisions. Additionally, requisitions and payments are approved 55 along with adjustments vouchers. Finally, Federal cash drawdowns through the Payment 56 FY 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET PERSONNEL SERVICES $3,279,113 FRINGE $1,610,108 SUPPLIES $83,056 OTHER SERVICES $575,691 ULILITIES $392,489 TOTAL 5, 940,457 4 | P a g e Management System (PMS) are facilitated by Administration and Finance for both Public 57 Assistance and Hazard Mitigation which are both under the Office of Disaster Recovery. 58 Finance and Administration Accomplishments 59 • In FY 2024, a State of Emergency (SOE) was declared due to St. Croix water quality 60 compromise relative to the potable water system. Administration and Finance was tasked 61 with making payments to approximately five (5) vendors who participated in the water 62 voucher redemption program. After 12 months of coordinated effort, VITEMA completed 63 reconciliation of all vouchers with vendors. The task encompassed compiling hundreds of 64 invoices for the respective vendors and entering those invoices in the ERP to process those 65 payments. Payments were also processed for vendors who provided ancillary services as 66 part of this effort. 67 • VITEMA continues to process our payments timely and is up to date, with no received 68 invoices past 90-days. 69 Emergency Services Fund 70 The Emergency Services Fund is supported by a $2 (two dollar) surcharge on communication 71 lines, which is authorized by the New & Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 72 and by Act. No. 7981 enacted January 5, 2017, which amended Title 33 VI Code, Chapter 3, 73 Section 58 Subsection (c). Additionally, by subsection (f) of the same Act VITEMA receives 40 74 percent of the monies (0.80 cents of the $2.00) collected from the emergency services surcharge 75 while the Department of Health and VI Fire and Emergency Medical Services receives 30 percent 76 each (0.60 cents of the $2.00). For VITEMA, this amounts to approximately $1 million dollars 77 annually, and by FCC regulation, VITEMA can only use those funds for maintaining and 78 improving the 9-1-1 system, to include cyber security measures, and must account for 100% use 79 of the funds annually. 80 81 82 83 84 5 | P a g e FEDERAL GRANTS DIVISION 85 Category FY 2026 FY 2025 Variance Personnel Services $930,344 $1,000,654 ($70,310) Fringe Benefits $452,887 $472,708 ($19,821) Supplies $92,307 $206,820 ($114,513) Other Services $2,772,596 $2,312,393 $460,203 Capital Outlay $0.00 $818,925 ($818,925) Indirect Cost $74,382 $136,782 ($62,400) Total $4,322,516 $4,948,282 ($625,766) 86 The federal grants support all divisions within VITEMA, as well as other government agencies 87 that support the Department of Homeland Security's mission of protecting our borders. For FY 88 2026, VITEMA will manage federal grants totaling $4,322,516, representing a 12.65% decrease 89 from the FY 2025 budget request. The amount for personnel services is $930,344, which reflects 90 a reduction of $70,310 due to the reclassification of Operation Stonegarden overtime projection 91 for VI Police Department personnel to other services and other personnel reduction costs. The 92 fringe benefits total $452,887, reflecting a decrease of $19,821, primarily due to the 93 reclassification of fringe costs for Operation Stonegarden's VIPD overtime to other services and 94 reductions in other personnel cost. 95 Personnel and fringe cost support 16.3 positions at VITEMA, of which 7.9 are filled and 8.4 are 96 vacant. The current vacancies in the FY 2026 federal grants budget represent $417,032 in salary 97 and $207,716 in fringe benefits. Grant funds available for supplies total $92,307; grant funds 98 available for other services total $2,772,596; and indirect costs total $74,382. The variance 99 between the FY 2025 and FY 2026 budget requests reflects a 10% decrease for the Emergency 100 Management Performance Grant and the Homeland Security Grant that occurred in the last quarter 101 of FY 2024. As of this testimony, the Department of Homeland Security has not released the FY 102 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to states and Territories. 103 6 | P a g e As reported in national news and congressional committee hearings, changes to the Federal Grant 104 Programs are forthcoming, particularly with FEMA grants. The most significant impact to 105 VITEMA is anticipated to be to our 16.3 individuals on staff funded through federal grants. This 106 represents $1,383,231 annually and may vanish in FY2026 or FY2027, with little or no notice, as 107 FEMA redefines grant funding eligibility and expects states and Territories to absorb these costs. 108 From a payroll perspective, this represents approximately $53,201 every pay period. 109 Grants Accomplishments: 110 • VITEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant is dedicated to enhancing physical and cyber security, 111 as well as other security measures, for nonprofit and faith-based organizations at high risk 112 of terrorist or extremist attacks. In FY 2024, VITEMA awarded a total of $1,052,207 to 113 nine (9) nonprofit and faith-based organizations. We presently have three (3) grants open 114 and distributed a total of $2,042,372 for the fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024. The 115 Department of Homeland Security awarded a second round of funding in FY 2024; 116 however, to date, this award has not been received by the awarded sub-recipients from 117 DHS. As of this testimony, states and Territories have not received the FY 2025 Notice of 118 Funding Opportunity for applicants to apply. 119 Grant Challenges: 120 • Availibilty of Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (Bric) federal grant 121 dollars to complete existing projects. 122 • Continued staffing of VITEMA personnel funded by Federal Grants, if funding eligibiity 123 rules change to reduct or eliminte ability to fund personnel. 124 OPERATIONS DIVISION 125 Operations Accomplishments: 126 • In April 2025 VITEMA’s 911 Emergency Communications Centers unveiled the Text to 127 9-1-1, one of its Next Generation 9-1-1 features. This enables individuals to communicate 128 with 9-1-1 centers in the USVI via text. This capability is extremely critical in times when 129 an individual cannot place a voice call to the 9-1-1 center because of safety concerns, 130 7 | P a g e connectivity issues, or a member of the deaf and hard of hearing community. The cost to 131 implement text to 9-1-1 were borne by the telecommunications providers (Liberty, One, T- 132 Mobile) and by VITEMA through its Emergency Service Fee funds. 133 Operations Challenges: 134 • As we are working diligently on-board and train 9-1-1 ECC Operators, VITEMA’s 135 overtime cost continues to increase for Emergency Communication Center Operators. In 136 FY 2024, overtime cost for VITEMA’s 9-1-1operators was $291,861.04. For FY 2025, as 137 of May 2025, our current overtime cost is $202,574.46. At this rate, we are projected to 138 surpass the budgeted allotment for this line item. Reduction in overtime costs are directly 139 related to successfully filling and retaining dispatch operators. For FY 2026, the recent 140 ratification of the Collective Bargaining agreement with salary increases will go a long 141 way in reducing our high overtime costs. 142 • Completion of furniture replacement for 9-1-1 ECC on St Thomas. Over $100,000 has been 143 obligated to new furniture for our dispatchers on St. Thomas and is anticipated to be 144 completed in FY 2026. 145 • Renewal with a Five (5) Year maintenance contract totaling $1,739,873.17 dollars for the 146 9-1-1 ECC Computer Aided Dispatch / Record Management System (CAD/ RMS). The 147 current system, originally placed in service seven years ago through Spillman / Motorola, 148 was funded by the Public Finance Authority at a cost of $3,755,847 dollars and included 149 maintenance support from May 14, 2021, through December 31, 2025. This system 150 supports the 9-1-1 system for VI Police, VI Fire and Emergency Medical Services, the 151 Bureau of Corrections, and VITEMA. Effective December 31, 2025, the contract expires 152 with Motorola. In FY2026 the maintenance fee presented in the new draft contract is 153 $578,908.61 which includes hardware upgrades and then goes to $290,241.14 annually for 154 the remaining four years. Currently there is no GVI funding source for this maintenance 155 contract. 156 157 158 8 | P a g e PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS DIVISION 159 Planning and Preparedness Accomplishments: 160 • During Fiscal Year 2025, VITEMA proudly achieved full Emergency Management 161 Accreditation Program (EMAP) accreditation, receiving official notification in October 162 2024 followed by a formal recognition ceremony in January 2025, making VITEMA the 163 first fully EMAP-accredited emergency management agency in the U.S. territories. It cost 164 approximately $45,000 in applications fees and assessor engagements over a four-year 165 period. FEMA provided at no cost, technical assistance with staff to assist in program 166 development, planning, and self-assessment. There is an annual fee of $5,000 to EMAP for 167 program support and access to Continuous Administrative Compliance Process (CACP) 168 software. VITEMA achieved accreditation is no additional staffing. 169 • The Planning & Preparedness Division achieved a notable 97% rating in our KPI for 170 training VITEMA personnel on core competencies within one year of their start date. 171 • The division significantly exceeded our education event KPI target by conducting 132 172 public, private, and non-governmental organization outreach activities against our annual 173 goal of 122, representing a 108% achievement rate. 174 • The Planning and Preparedness Section has successfully planned and supported all 10 175 tabletop (TTX) and functional exercises territory-wide with partner agencies, fully meeting 176 our annual KPI target for this critical metric. 177 Planning and Preparedness Challenges: 178 • A significant challenge facing the Planning & Preparedness Division is the uncertain future 179 of tsunami and earthquake program funding, with potential reductions in traditional federal 180 grant streams that have historically supported our community education and preparedness 181 initiatives. This funding instability threatens our ability to maintain the momentum we've 182 built in tsunami awareness and earthquake preparedness programs, particularly the 183 innovative outreach campaigns that have proven so effective. The current FY 2025 grant 184 has not been released from the federal government. 185 9 | P a g e • The division also has limitations in achieving our 100% training completion target due to 186 the restricted availability of advanced ICS 300 and 400 courses, which are VITEMA 187 agency requirements but currently only offered once per year in the Territory. These 188 training programs are 100% federally funded. 189 LOGISTICS DIVISION 190 Logistics Accomplishments: 191 • VITEMA has successfully maintains its ten (10) 100kw emergency power generators. Four 192 are located on St Croix and have been used this past year to support emergency power 193 requirements for the Department of Human Services, Department of Health, the Bureau of 194 Motor Vehicles, and the Bureau of Information Technology. Currently all four generators 195 are available for emergency response purposes, with priority to government congregate 196 shelters. Additionally, VITEMA prepaid for $8,000 to fill the emergency generator at St 197 Croix Complex school. Another four generators are on St Thomas and have been used this 198 past year for the Department for Human Services and VI Lottery for emergency power 199 generation. Currently all four generators are available for emergency response purposes. 200 • VITEMA successfully maintains its six (6) light set / generator units with 2 on St Croix, 2 201 on St Thomas and 2 on St John. The units have been used continuously throughout the 202 years to provide safety lighting for nighttime events with government agencies at no cost. 203 Logistics Challenges: 204 • For almost seven years, VITEMA Hazard Mitigation Wind Retrofit project at St Croix 205 Hermon Hill has been in the design phase. Currently it is at 30% design and waiting for 206 FEMA review and approval before proceeding to 60% design. As of June 2025, $1,482,373 207 has been spent on design development. In May 2025 VITEMA successfully completed the 208 Federal Consistency Determination with DPRN. VITEMA needs to proceed with progress 209 on this project and obligate funds as soon as possible as it will be subject to cancellation 210 by FEMA. 211 • St. Thomas EOC Repair - Repairs under the FEMA Public Assistance grant of $1.4 million 212 has commenced. An additional $999,201 from insurance proceeds brings the total to $2.4 213 10 | P a g e million of which $140,000 is cost share sources from HUD CDBG-DR funds. A Notice to 214 Proceed for phase 1 (roof work) has been issued, and the contractor has been mobilized 215 and has completed the roof repairs. VITEMA is currently in Phase 2, designs are 216 completed and pending for final approvement from Public Assistance to move forward to 217 the bid phase. 218 • In December 2024, VITEMA ended the use of its two (2) mobile EOCs after 22 years of 219 service. For the past two years VITEMA has applied for federal funding through Delegate 220 to Congress Stacy Plaskett Federal Community Project Funding (CPF) program at the 221 Department of Homeland Security Committee on Appropriationg. This year VITEMA 222 requested $1.6 million dollars for two (2) mobile EOCs and supporting communications 223 packages. There is 25% ($525,000 dollars) local match included if awarded. 224 • Tsunami Warning Siren Repair – Repairs under two FEMA Public Assistance grants (one 225 for STT District and one for STX District) were completed in August 2022 for $1.6 million 226 dollars (90% federal, 10% territorial) and the grants have been closed. The GVI funded 227 $90,000 in FY2024 for additional repairs to the 17 sirens on St Croix. Currently, and 228 additional $90,000 in Federal funding from the EMPG grant is identifed to repair and 229 maintain the 27 tsunami sirens on St Thomas, St John, and Water Island. Prior to awarding 230 that contract, additional work, unrelated to the Irma/Maria damages, has been contracted 231 for $37,000 and the vendor will be mobilizing to complete the work by the end of July 232 2025. 233 • Vehicles: The agency is currently in the process of purchasing four (4) new vehicles. These 234 vehicles will be purhcased using the Emergeency Management Perfomance Grant (EMPG) 235 and will support the of programmatic deliverables. 236 HUMAN RESOURCES & LABOR RELATIONS DIVISION 237 Since the appointment of our new Deputy Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations in 238 late September 2024, the agency was able to resume addressing several longstanding matters. 239 These include the resolution of the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) Hearings, the 240 conclusion of the contract negotiations, and the start of key internal Organizational Reviews. 241 Additionally, the agency has resumed critical functions such as resubmitting expired Personnel 242 11 | P a g e REquistion Forms(PRFs) for approval as well as initiating the posting and interviewing process 243 for several vital positions. 244 VITEMA has 77.2 funded positions of which 51.53 is classfied and 25.67 are exempt. Currently, 245 there are 60.9 positions are funded by the General Fund; 45.23 positions are filled and 15.67 is 246 vacant. From a federal perspective, the agency has 16.3 positions; 6.3 positions are filled and 10 247 positions are vacant. Please see the chart below for additional information. 248 249 General Fund Federal Fund Filled: Filled: Classified: 35.15 Classified: 4.5 Exempt: 14.67 Exempt: 4.0 Total: 49.82 Total: 8.5 Vacant: Vacant: Classified: 10.08 Classified: 1.8 Exempted: 1.00 Exempted: 6.0 Total: 11.08 Total: 7.8 Filled: 49.82 Filled: 8.5 Exempt: 11.08 Exempt: 7.8 Total GF Positions: 60.90 Total Fed Positions: 16.3 GF 60.9 FF 16.3 TOTAL 77.2 250 Human Resources and Labor Relations Accomplishments 251 • New Hires (6): 252 o 3 Emergency Communication Center Operators 253 o 1 Assistant Director 254 o 1 Administrative Officer II 255 o 1 Messenger/ Receptionist 256 • Collective Bargaining Agreement Contract Negotiations: 257 12 | P a g e o The Collective Bargaining Agreement between VITEMA/911 and the United 258 Steelworkers Union (USW) expired on 30 September 2022. On March 13, 2025, 259 the Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB), representing VITEMA, and USW 260 began negotiations on a new contact. After several months of negotiations, on June 261 10, 2025, VITEMA was officially inform that the Collective Bargaining Agreement 262 between the GVI/VITEMA (911 Emergency Call Center Operators) and the United 263 Steelworkers, AFL-CIO-CLC, representing Local Unions 8248 and 8249, had been 264 ratified. This marks tremendous progress towards pay raises to 9-1-1 dispatches 265 which had not been afforded since 2018. 266 CLOSING COMMENTS 267 At this time, I would especially like to recognize VITEMA’s Employees of the Year for 2025 – 268 Ms. Patricia Potter from the Fusion Center in the St. Thomas/St. John District and Ms. Desni 269 Canton from the Operations Division in the St. Croix District. These two outstanding individuals 270 work under extremely stressful conditions yet continue to provide excellent service to the 271 community. 272 Finally, to the hardworking staff at VITEMA – thank you for your commitment and dedication to 273 the Agency, its mission, and the People of the Virgin Islands. Your jobs are not easy, but you show 274 up every day to ensure that the mandates of the Agency are met. Again, thank you. 275 Committee Chairman, Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. and other Committee members, this budget 276 is adequate to address the immediate priorities of the Administration for the upcoming fiscal year. 277 If a need arises for additional resources, we will have that discussion with Governor Bryan and the 278 OMB Director. At this time I would like to present a short video showing VITEMA and some of 279 our fellow agency partners in-action over the past 12-months. [LEGISLATURE MEDIA PLAYS 280 VIDEO]. 281 My team and I thank you for the opportunity to speak on VITEMA’s proposed FY 2026 budget. 282 We are ready to address your questions. 283