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Authorizing the Office of Technology and Communications to accept a grant in the amount of $245,000 from the Knight Foundation to provide the planning and project management capacity to secure funding for a public/private community fiber network.
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WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County have in partnership utilized the Knight Foundation’s assistance since March, 2008 in pursuing solutions to providing broadband network options for both the City and County, including gratis staffing assistance in the development of an RFP, the subsequent selection of a private partner and the development and submittal of an ARRA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP)grant application to the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration)on March 26, 2010, and:
WHEREAS, the City and County were unsuccessful in being awarded an ARRA NTIA BTOP grant, and:
WHEREAS, the RFP contemplated a "Plan B" alternative in the event it was not successful in pursuing ARRA NTIA BTOP funding, and:
WHEREAS, the City, County and its private partner are now considering "Plan B" broadband community fiber network options, and:
WHEREAS, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has presented the City of Saint Paul with a grant agreement in the amount of $245,000, "To provide the planning and project management capacity to secure funding for a public/private community fiber network.", and:
WHEREAS, as a requirement of the Foundation’s grant the City and County would utilize the grant funds to retain Farstad,US. to assist the City and County in these efforts as outlined in the Foundation’s grant agreement, and:
WHEREAS, a 2010 financing and spending plan needs to be established for these funds; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor recommends that the following addition be made to the 2010 budget:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council accepts this generous donation from the Knight Foundation and extends its sincere thanks to the Knight Foundation, and be it;
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Knight Foundation grant is to be used by the Office of Technology and Communications for the retention of Farstad, US services as outlined.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Saint Paul on__________ , 2010