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Authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to apply for funds up to $350,000 from the Outdoor Recreation grant program, up to $250,000 from the Local Trail Connections grant program, and to apply for grants to other agencies and groups as needed for any matching amounts required.
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WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul (“City”) performs significant services for residents of the Metropolitan area and all Minnesota residents through its ownership and operation of its parks and trails; and
WHEREAS, the City supports and will continue to support the cooperative efforts of the State of Minnesota to provide resources for the betterment of our parks and trails system; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Parks and Recreation wishes to improve trail connections into Central Village Park, to reconstruct the trail between the Bruce Vento Regional Trail and Duluth and Case Recreation Center, to construct a multiuse trail to connect the Lafayette Bridge to the Robert Piram Regional Trail, and to increase the number of pickleball courts citywide; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources administers grant programs including the Outdoor Recreation grant program, the Local Trail Connections grant program, from which said projects are eligible to receive funding; and
WHEREAS, the City will act as legal sponsor for the project contained in the Outdoor Recreation, Local Trail Connections, grant applications to be submitted on or before March 31, 2023, and that Andy Rodriguez is authorized to apply to the Department of Natural Resources for funding of this project on behalf of the City; and
WHEREAS, the City has read the Conflict of Interest Policy contained in the Outdoor Recreation, Local Trail Connections, Grant Program Manuals and, upon discovery, certifies it will report to the State any actual, potential, or perceived individual or organizational conflicts of interest to the application or grant award; and
WHEREAS, the City has the legal authority to apply for financial assistance, and it has the financial capability to meet the match requirement (if any) and ensure adequate construction, operation, maintenance and replacement of the proposed project for its design life; and
WHEREAS, the City has not incurred any development costs and has not entered into a written purchase agreement to acquire the property described in the Cost Breakdown section on the applications; and
WHEREAS, the City has or will acquire fee title or permanent easement over the land described in the site plan included in the application; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City Council finds that there is a public purpose in providing for the betterment of parks facilities and that acceptance of the grant funding will enable continued implementation of said betterments; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby authorizes the Director of Parks and Recreation to apply for the Outdoor Recreation, Local Trail Connections, and to apply for grants to other agencies and groups as are necessary to implement the Central Village Trails, Duluth and Case Connecting Trail, Lafayette Trail Extension, and Citywide Pickleball Courts projects on behalf of the City; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon approval of its application by the State, the City may enter into an agreement with the State for the above-referenced projects, which includes an indemnification clause, and that the City certifies that it will comply with all applicable laws, environmental requirements and regulations as stated in the grant agreement, including dedicating and restricting the park property for uses consistent with the funding grant program into perpetuity and maintaining all trails constructed by the grant(s) for a period of no less than twenty years; and, be it
FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Director of Parks and Recreation and other City officials are hereby authorized to execute such agreements as are necessary to implement the project on behalf of the applicant.