Title
Authorizing an amendment of the 2011 budget to accept a $50,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Commerce for a Solar Electric Vehicle Charging Station.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul (the "City") is committed to opportunities to make Saint Paul one of the most sustainable cities in the United States; and
WHEREAS, on November 4, 2009, the City Council of Saint Paul passed a Resolution, C.F. # 09-1162 accepting U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds for a number of initiatives, including $286,000 for the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging stations in Saint Paul under an authorizing budget spending plan; and
WHEREAS, the installation of charging stations is progressing well, with fourteen stations already installed at six city parking ramps, five planned for on-street installation, and four planned with solar charging capability at two locations in Como Park; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul has now been offered a grant of up to $50,000 from the Minnesota Department of Commerce to install another pair of solar powered charging stations at the Sunray Library; and
WHEREAS, the grants would be managed by Planning and Economic Development staff from October 2011 to June 2012; and
WHEREAS, a contract describing the scope of work and budget for the project has been prepared by the Department of Commerce and reviewed by the Saint Paul City Attorney's Office; and
WHEREAS, the Grant Agreement contains an indemnification clause whereby the City will "indemnify, save, and hold the State, its agents, and employees harmless from any claims or causes of action, including attorneys' fees incurred by the State, arising from the performance of this grant contract by the grantee or the grantee's agents or employees."; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that there is a public purpose for agreeing to the indemnification language as it is required in order to obtain the grant funding; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor, pursuant to Section 10.07.1 of the Charter of the City of Saint Paul, does hereby certify $50,000 in funds are available for appropriation in excess of those estimated in the 2011 budget and recommends the following changes to the 2011 budget:
Current Amended
Budget Changes Budget
FINANCING PLAN
Minnesota Department of Commerce Grant
for a solar powered electric vehicle station
050-30121-0848-24104 $ -0- $50,000 $50,000
SPENDING PLAN
Minnesota Department of Commerce Grant
for a solar powered electric vehicle station
050-30121-3400-24104 $ -0- $50,000 $50,000
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saint Paul hereby approves the above changes to the 2011 budget and accepts a Minnesota Department of Commerce grant of up to $50,000 for the total cost of designing and installing a solar powered electric vehicle charging station at Sunray Library; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that, Mayor Chris Coleman, as Chief Executive Officer of the City of Saint Paul, is hereby authorized and directed to enter into the Grant Agreement contract, which includes an indemnification clause, with the Minnesota Department of Commerce and that the Mayor or his designated representative, submit to the Minnesota Department of Commerce any commitment letters, assurances, certifications, or additional information that may be required.