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VII.5. Resolution Authorizing Spending of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds; BishopApril 5, 2022 Council Report 2022-038 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SPENDING OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) FUNDS Proposed Action Staff recommends that the Council approve the following motion: Move to approve Resolution 2022-028 Authorizing Spending of American Rescue Plan Act Funds. Provide feedback on Youth Workforce Development and Equity Action Plan proposals. Overview ARPA was signed into law on March 11, 2021, which included $65 billion in recovery funds for cities across the country. The City of Hopkins’ allocation of the federal funds is $2,018,224. One half of the funds were received in 2021 and the remaining half will be delivered in 2022. The City has until the end of 2024 to complete the spending of the ARPA funds. The funds must be used for eligible expenditures consistent with the Department of Treasury’s guidance. Staff recommends authorizing $1,618,224 of expenditures for the following purposes: 1. Hiring one additional police officer beginning on 1/1/2023 through 12/31/2024. The estimated cost is $260,000. 2. Developing programs centered on mental health and community safety. The City authorizes up to $240,000 to be used for this programming. Mayor Hanlon and Council Member Balan are leading a community group to develop these programs. 3. Hiring one additional planner beginning on 7/1/2022 through 12/31/2024. The estimated cost is $275,000. 4. Developing economic development or grant programs. The City authorizes up to $225,000 for this programming. More information to come. 5. The City will allocate a portion of ARPA funds to address revenue loss for Arts Center Fund ($318,224), Depot Fund ($35,000), Parking Fund ($15,000) and Pavilion Fund ($250,000). At the March 8th Work Session City Council requested additional information related to proposals for Youth Workforce Development and Equity programming. A proposal for each program is included for discussion. The remaining ARPA funds (currently $400,000) would be held in the City’s ARPA special revenue fund. This would allow additional flexibility and time to determine the best use of the funds. Supporting Information • Youth Workforce Development Proposal • Equity Action Plan Proposal • Resolution No. 2022-028 ______________________________ Nick Bishop, Finance Director Youth Workforce Development Proposal Over the past year, hiring has been a challenge both internally in City operations and externally in the community; a trend that is likely to continue to be a challenge for both the City and our small and local businesses. The City also recognizes youth in the Hopkins Community are comparatively more likely to have lower household incomes in adulthood than many of our neighboring communities (https://www.opportunityatlas.org/), this is particularly evident for youth of color. By providing youth focused, workforce development Hopkins can address some of the barriers to employment for youth and address workforce needs in the future. A proposed program would have a goal to review and compare best practices and look for the most efficient and effective manner of developing a pipeline program focused on workforce readiness and career development to address internal and external hiring challenges and to help provide career connections and mentoring to youth with barriers to employment. The Cities of Minnetonka and Golden Valley and Hopkins Public Schools are interested in a regional collaboration on a program similar Brooklynk, a youth workforce development program led by Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center which trains youth for 10-week summer internships. A collaboration with additional city partners will increase the likelihood of receiving grants or leveraging additional resources to advance this work, as well as create a program which more closely matches the Hopkins school district boundaries. Staff is proposing in part one to review best practices including the BrookLynk (https://www.brooklynk.works/) and/or Step Up, led by AchieveMpls, (https://www.achievempls.org/stepup) models, and to identify potential partners and current practices and sustainable resources to devote to the endeavor. After part one is completed, further discussion would take place around part two. Part One: Needs Assessment and Modeling- $17,000 Workforce Development Intern - $7,000 The City would hire an intern who would work with Hopkins School District, City Departments, Local Businesses, Youth Leaders and other community partners (ICA, DEED, Hennepin County, etc.) to understand youth workforce needs in the community and to help develop program(s), identify and if available, apply for grants for workforce development. Technical Assistance - $10,000 The city would use these funds to match potential workforce development grants and/or to pay for consulting to work on developing program and assisting with grant applications. This would likely be contracted with BrookLynk or Step Up and used to reimburse them for them for staff time, program development, and technical assistance. Part Two: _Programming - TBD Following the results of the study done in Part one, subsequent years of a youth workforce development program could be developed and funds to advance this work could be allocated at a future date. In a similar fashion to the Brooklynk or StepUP models, the City would become an employer for five interns, as well as offer partnership to the business community by offering match dollars for them to also host interns. The business internships would be funded from the Economic Development portion of the ARPA funds. • Five (5) City Internships - $24,500 • Staff Share with Partners – TBD (possibly offset by grant funding) • ½ City Funded internships to Local Business – approximately $2,250 per internship or $11,250 recommendation of funding up to five. These internships would be funded from the Economic Development portion of the ARPA funds. Equity Action Plan Proposal Background The City of Hopkins has a long history of working to fulfill the City’s vision statement, “Creating a spirit of community where all people feel safe and respected and where diversity is celebrated.” Working with community partners, Hopkins has focused on created opportunities to increase awareness and understanding of race, equity, and diversity, and promotes a sense of community that welcomes and values all residents. Current and past initiatives include: • A partnership with the Hopkins School District, the faith community, and the Hopkins School District on the Hopkins Race and Equity Initiative (HREI) • Participation in the Joint Community Policing Program (JCPP), a collaborative effort in the west metro to enhance communication and understanding between law enforcement and multicultural residents. • Monthly meetings of the Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC), which provides advice, suggestions, and assistance to the Hopkins Police Department to aid them in better serving, communicating with, and understanding the many cultures that reside in, work in, or visit the Hopkins area. • Participation in the Government Alliance on Racial Equity (GARE) Despite the success of these efforts, the City of Hopkins recognizes there is still work to be done to fully realize the City’s vision and goals. In 2021, the City hired a Management Analyst to continue advancing racial equity systems change as an organization. In the past year, members of the community have continued to advocate for an equity-based approach to the work done in City Hall. Staff led an equity-focused review of the City’s zoning code, which only increased some community member’s desires for this type of work to be more ingrained in other City processes. While Staff agrees that equity must be a pillar of the work done across departments, in the same way that budget, staff time and capacity and other factors are considered, there are gaps in education, training, and overall organizational vision for what this work should look like across departments. The goal of this work is to first build internal capacity for conversations around diversity and equity in the organization’s work as a foundation for advancing equitable practices and community collaboration. It is necessary that the organization first establish common language, education, and make space for ongoing conversation so that deeper work can be advanced. Staff recommends that these conversations and strategic planning around racial equity are best advanced by a consultant firm who specializes in a metrics driven approach to advancing this work internally. Staff has begun interviewing consultants and would select one if funds were allocated for this work. Phase One: Assessment, Engagement and Strategic Action Planning -- $40,000 Staff seeks the assistance of a consultant firm to expand capacity to do this important work. This firm would engage leaders and employees, undergo an equity focused assessment of current policies and processes, and develop a strategic action plan for improvements. The firm would develop an accountability system which would include evaluation of key metrics and a system for sustain engagement of leaders and employees in equity work. The firm would also offer implementation support as this work continues. This process would last 6 months. Phase Two: Ongoing Implementation - $10,000 Following the work with the consultant firm, Staff would leverage the foundation work done to continue ongoing development of internal equity practices. This could include setting additional department specific equity goals and trainings, incorporation of an equity tool or scorecard into council reports, and continued implementation of equity practices in polices and procedures. Funds allocated in phase two may support community engagement in equity goal setting, technical assistance from consulting firms or provide for professional development. CITY OF HOPKINS HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA RESOLUTION 2022-028 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SPENDING OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS WHEREAS, since the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was discovered in the United States in January 2020, the disease has infected over 32 million and killed over 575,000 Americans. The disease has impacted every part of life: as social distancing became a necessity, businesses closed, schools transitioned to remote education, travel was sharply reduced, and millions of Americans lost their jobs; WHEREAS, as a result of the Pandemic cities have been called on to respond to the needs of their communities through the prevention, treatment, and vaccination of COVID-19. WHEREAS, city revenues, businesses and nonprofits in the city have faced economic impacts due to the Pandemic. WHEREAS, Congress adopted the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021 (ARPA) which included $65 billion in recovery funds for cities across the country. WHEREAS, ARPA funds are intended to provide support to state, local, and tribal governments in responding to the impact of COVID-19 and in their efforts to contain COVID-19 in their communities, residents, and businesses. WHEREAS, $2,018,224 has been allocated to the City of Hopkins (City) through ARPA. WHEREAS, the City, in response to the Pandemic, has had expenditures and anticipates future expenditures consistent with the Department of Treasury’s ARPA guidance. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Hopkins, that: 1. The City will hire one additional police officer beginning on 1/1/2023 through 12/31/2024. The estimated cost is $260,000. 2. The City will develop programs centered on mental health and community safety. The City authorizes up to $240,000 to be used for this programming. 3. The City will hire one additional planner beginning on 7/1/2022 through 12/31/2024. The estimated cost is $275,000. 4. The City will develop economic development or grant programs. The City authorizes up to $225,000 for this programming. 5. The City will allocate a portion of ARPA funds to address revenue loss for Arts Center Fund ($318,224), Depot Fund ($35,000), Parking Fund ($15,000) and Pavilion Fund ($250,000). 6. The City will hold the remaining $400,000 in its ARPA special revenue fund until its best use is determined. Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins this 5th day of April, 2022. By:___________________________ Patrick Hanlon, Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ Amy Domeier, City Clerk