Title
Establishing the financing and spending plans in the Department of Parks and Recreation in the amount of $201,966 to recognize funding from the FY 2012 Parks and Trails Legacy Fund Allocation to continue the Cherokee Regional Trail Improvements plan and authorize the appropriate city officials to enter into an agreement to accept this funding.
Body
WHEREAS, Minn. Stat. § 85.53, Subd. 3 established the Parks and Trail fund and requires the Metropolitan Council to disburse appropriations it receives from the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund based on a formula that considers the following factors:
--Population of each park agency's jurisdiction with no overlap when jurisdictions occur (e.g. Ramsey County parks population does not include City of St. Paul)
--Amount each park agency spent in the past year to operate and maintain its portion of the regional park system.
--Amount of land each park agency manages for its portion of the regional park system; and
WHEREAS, an adjustment is made for the 80% of park reserve land acreage that is set aside for natural resource protection/interpretation and considers the following factors:
--Amount of total visits each park agency hosted in the past year
--Amount of non-local visits relative to all non-local visits each agency hosted based on the most recent visitor origin research data. A "non-local visit"is a visit by a person to a park that is outside that visitor's residential jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation is one of the ten Metro Parks Implementing Agencies and is eligible to apply for this funding; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation applied for and received this funding to continue the Cherokee Regional Trail Improvements - an existing trail renovation project, which will connect the popular and well attended Harriet Island Regional Park to the upper bluff neighborhood of Cherokee Regional Park overlooking the Mississippi River valley; and
WHEREAS, additional funds are needed to enhance safety and access for pedestrians and bikers by provision of safety railings, benches, rest area, and landscaping; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor, pursuant to Section 10.07.1 of the Charter of the City of Saint Paul, does certify that there are available for appropriation, funds of $201,966 in excess of those estimated in the 2011 Capital Improvement Budget; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Saint Paul, upon recommendation of the Mayor and advice of the Long Range Capital Improvement Budget Committee, that $201,966 is available for appropriation in the 2011 Capital Improvement Budget, and said 2011 budget, as heretofore adopted by the Council, is here by further amended as indicated on the attached financial analysis; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Council authorizes the appropriate City officials to enter into an agreement with the Metropolitan Council- Metro Parks for the aforementioned funding.
Financial Analysis
See Attachment.
CIB Recommendation
The St. Paul Long-Range Capital Improvement Budget Committee received this request on November 14, 2011 and recommends approval.