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Authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to apply for funds of up to $5,000,000 from the National Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) 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 and the National Park Service to provide resources for the betterment of our parks and trails system; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Parks and Recreation wishes to construct site improvements around the future North End Community Center and to improve the area around the future River Learning Center at Watergate Marina; and
WHEREAS, the National Park Service (NPS) administers grant programs including the ORLP grant program which is currently soliciting applications of up to $5,000,000 each for which said projects are eligible to receive funding; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the agency which must submit the applications to NPS on behalf of eligible applicants within the state of Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, the City will act as legal sponsor for the projects contained in the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant application to be submitted on August 31, 2021 and that the Director of Parks and Recreation is authorized to apply to the Department of Natural Resources for funding of the projects on behalf of the City; and
WHEREAS, the City has read the Conflict of Interest Policy 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 projects for their 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 budget section on this application; 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 Saint Paul City Council hereby authorizes the Director of Parks and Recreation to apply for the National Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant, and to apply for grants to other agencies and groups as are necessary to implement the North End Community Center and River Learning Center 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, and that the City certifies that it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as stated in the grant agreement including recording a restriction dedicating the park property into perpetuity for uses consistent with Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program on the property record; and, be it
FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Director of Parks and Recreation is hereby authorized to execute such agreements as are necessary to implement the projects on behalf of the City.