Title
Approving the 2020 Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) General Operating Fund Grant Program Guidelines.
Body
WHEREAS, on July 13, 1994, the City Council of the City of Saint Paul established the Cultural Capital Investment (“Cultural STAR”) Program; and
WHEREAS, the Cultural STAR Program is funded with ten percent of an additional one-half of one percent sales tax on sales transactions that occur within the City of Saint Paul, pursuant to Minnesota Laws 1993, Chapter 375, Article 9, Section 46, as amended; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Cultural STAR Program is to promote economic growth in Saint Paul by strengthening the arts and cultural sector and by supporting downtown as a vital cultural center; and
WHEREAS, on January 31, 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary declared a public health emergency for COVID-19, a new strain of coronavirus not previously identified in humans, beginning on January 27, 2020; and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020 President Donald Trump declared that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constituted a National Emergency; and
WHEREAS, on March 16, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 20-04, which ordered certain places of public accommodation closed to ingress, egress, use, and occupancy by members of the public; and
WHEREAS, on March 25, 2020, Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 20-20 which ordered all persons currently living within the State of Minnesota to stay at home or in their place of residence except to engage in essential activities or critical sector work; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense financial harm to Saint Paul artists and cultural organization and the cultural nonprofit sector; and
WHEREAS, the 2020 STAR Budget had identified $100,000 of Cultural STAR Program funds for "Events for Neighborhood Cultural Organizations in Downtown" that is now being reallocated to the General Operating Fund to meet the more emergent needs of arts and cultural organizations; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Minnesota Laws 1998, Chapter 389, Article 8, Section 37, Subdivision 1, a citizen review panel, commonly known as the Cultural STAR Board, has recommended that a more flexible, general operating fund be made available to Saint Paul artists and cultural organizations for emergency relief and recovery in response to the economic impacts of COVID-19 (“General Operating Fund”); and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Council desires to delegate to the Director of the City of Saint Paul's Department of Planning and Economic Development ("PED Director") the authority to approve and award funds in the manner described in the attached Program Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, the funding recommendations for the Cultural STAR program do not require a public hearing pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 116J, now, therefore, be it
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby approves the 2020 Cultural STAR General Operating Fund Program Guidelines, attached; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council, upon recommendation of the Mayor, approves and adopts the amended Cultural STAR 2020 budget, as specified in the Financial Analysis, attached; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the PED Director is delegated the power to approve the distribution of funds as described in the Program Guidelines; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the PED Director, the City Attorney, and the Director of the Office of Financial Services are hereby authorized and directed to take all actions necessary to implement this Resolution, and are authorized and directed to execute all agreements, documents, and instruments related to the implementation of this Resolution.