Title
Authorizing application and acceptance of a grant from the State of Minnesota for Southeast Asian Language Job Training Facilities; amending the 2020 City budget in the amount of $5,500,000 upon acceptance of said grant; and approving and authorizing execution of a State Grant Agreement and other necessary documents in connection therewith (Districts 3 and 6, Wards 1 and 2).
Body
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Legislature approved a GO Bond Grant of $5,500,000 (the “Grant”) to the City of Saint Paul (City) for a mechanics training facility on Sycamore Street for training drivers and mechanics through programming primarily in the Southeast Asian languages and a training facility on Plato Avenue for use as a training facility for health care, manufacturing, and information technology jobs through programming primarily in the Southeast Asian languages (the “Project”), in Minn. Laws 2018, Chapter 214, Article 1, Section 21, Subdivision 28 (as amended by Minn. Laws 2019, Chapter 2, Article 2, Section 6); and
WHEREAS, the non-profit entity, Hmong American Partnership (“HAP”), will manage the above-referenced facilities and operate the Project; and
WHEREAS, the City, as the legal sponsor for the Project must submit an application to the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for receipt of the Grant, said application to be submitted by the City’s Department of Planning and Economic Development; and
WHEREAS, the City, as legal sponsor and applicant, has the legal authority to apply for the Grant, and the institutional, managerial, and financial capability to ensure adequate construction, operation, maintenance and replacement of the Project for its design life; and
WHEREAS, the City has not violated any Federal, State, or local laws pertaining to fraud, bribery, kickbacks, collusion, conflict of interest or other unlawful or corrupt practice; and
WHEREAS, to complete the Project, the City of Saint Paul must enter into leases, use agreements, and other related documents with HAP and its agents (collectively, the “Lease / Use Documents”) and a grant agreement and other related documents with the Department of Employment and Economic Development for the State of Minnesota (collectively the “State Grant Documents”); and
WHEREAS, the State Grant Documents contain provisions wherein the City of Saint Paul must indemnify and hold harmless the State of Minnesota, the Department of Employment and Economic Development, the Commissioner of MMB, and their agents and employees and provisions ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor, pursuant to Section 10.07.1 of the Charter of the City of Saint Paul, does hereby certify that $5,500,000 in funds are available for appropriation in excess of those estimated in the 2020 budget and recommends the changes to the 2020 budget identified on the attached Financial Analysis;
WHEREAS, prior to this transaction closing the City still needs to: 1) confirm that all conditions precedent and other requirements in the State Grant Documents have been met; 2) confirm that any outstanding compliance obligations have been sufficiently satisfied; and 3) receive written confirmation from the Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Commissioner of MMB that they approve of the intended use of the above-referenced facilities, including any amendments to the intended use (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Closing Contingencies”); and
WHEREAS, a public hearing on this resolution was held before the City Council on this date, June 24, 2020, and the Saint Paul City Council finds a public purpose for the actions taken in this resolution; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City of Saint Paul, through the Saint Paul City Council, hereby:
1. Authorizes application to the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development through the City’s Department of Planning and Economic Development.
2. Accepts the Grant from the State of Minnesota and approves the use and operation of the above-referenced facilities for purposes of the Program as described in the State Grant Documents.
3. Approves the changes to the 2020 budget as identified in the attached Financial Analysis.
4. Approves the Lease / Use Documents and authorizes the proper City officials to execute the same on behalf of the City.
5. Approves the State Grant Documents, which include indemnification and hold harmless obligations, and authorizes the proper City officials to execute the same on behalf of the City.
6. Authorizes City staff and legal counsel for the City to take all actions necessary to implement this Resolution, including determining that all Closing Contingencies have been met, and authorizes the City’s Director of Department of Planning and Economic Development to execute such documents, consents, and instruments in connection therewith including, without limitation, annual approvals of operating budgets of the Project’s operations and other actions required by the State Grant Documents and Lease / Use Documents.