IV.6. Enter into a cooperative agreement between the City of Hopkins and Nine Mile Creek Watershed District for Central Park stormwater and flood-storage improvements; Imihy
CITY OF HOPKINS
City Council Report 2024-137
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
Mike Mornson, City Manager
From: PeggySue Imihy, AICP – Special Projects and Initiatives Manger
Date: November 12, 2024
Subject: Cooperative Agreement between the City of Hopkins and Nine Mile Creek
Watershed District for Central Park Improvements
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
MOTION TO enter into an cooperative agreement between the City of Hopkins and Nine
Mile Creek Watershed District for Central Park stormwater and flood-storage
improvements.
OVERVIEW
Following the update made at the August 20, 2024, Council Meeting regarding the Park
System Master Plan and Central Park Project, Staff seeks the approval to enter into an
agreement with the Nine Mile Creek Watershed Districts (NMCWD) to allow the
watershed district to fund part of the study costs for the Central Park and Pavilion projects.
As discussed at the August 20th meeting, this project would provide design and
construction documents for the renovation of Central Park and a study to understand the
feasibility of a future expansion of the Hopkins Pavilion. This also includes a significant
evaluation of potential over and above water quality improvements. This project will be
done in partnership with the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District (NMCWD) who have
offered to contribute both staff capacity and funding to the project.
The total cost of the initial design and feasibility is $291,724 which will be paid with park
dedication fees and this $50,000 contribution from NMCWD.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
• Cooperative Agreement between the City of Hopkins and Nine Mile Creek Watershed
District for Central Park stormwater and flood-storage improvements
Administration
City of Hopkins-Nine Mile Creek Watershed District-
Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion Feasibility Study
1
Cooperative Agreement
Between the City of Hopkins and Nine Mile Creek Watershed District
CENTRAL PARK STORMWATER AND FLOOD-STORAGE IMPROVEMENTS
This cooperative agreement is made by and between the City of Hopkins, a home
rule charter city under Article XII of the Minnesota Constitution (Hopkins), and Nine Mile
Creek Watershed District, a special purposes unit of government created pursuant to
Minnesota Statutes chapters 103B and 103D (NMCWD), for NMCWD’s support for the
analysis of options for beyond-compliance stormwater-management and flood risk-
reduction elements as part of Hopkins’ Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion
Feasibility Study, which will assess technical and financial viability of options for a
comprehensive suite of improvements to the park.
Whereas with the authorization of the NMCWD Board of Managers, in early 2024
the NMCWD engineer, Barr Engineering, completed a general assessment of stormwater-
management and flood risk-reduction opportunities in Hopkins parks to be implemented
in conjunction with a program of upgrades for the parks;
Whereas Central Park, which lies entirely within the Nine Mile Creek watershed
and the corporate limits of the City of Hopkins, and is owned in fee and operated as a
community recreational area by Hopkins, was among the parks assessed;
Whereas Hopkins identified Central Park as a high priority for recreational
improvements, and with an assurance from the NMCWD Board of Managers that
NMCWD would provide financial and staff support, city staff worked with NMCWD staff
to incorporate detailed assessment of options for incorporating stormwater-management,
flood risk-reduction, aquatic and riparian habitat improvements and improved access to
Nine Mile Creek (the Watershed Improvements) into a request for proposals for
development of a master plan for redevelopment and improvement of Central Park;
Whereas after review of the responses to the RFP, Hopkins entered into a contract
with Bolton & Menk Inc., a private Minnesota technical-services provider (Contractor),
on September 10, 2024, and the scope of services to be completed under the contract is
attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A (the Study);
Whereas the contract between Hopkins and Contractor for the Study requires the
Contractor to comply with all local laws and requirements applicable to the Study and to
ensure that no person is excluded from full employment rights or participation in or the
benefits of any program, service or activity on the ground of race, color, creed, religion,
age, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, public assistance status or national
origin; and no person who is protected by applicable federal or state laws, rules or
regulations against discrimination otherwise will be subjected to discrimination;
City of Hopkins-Nine Mile Creek Watershed District-
Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion Feasibility Study
2
Whereas the NMCWD Board of Managers directed the administrator to develop a
cooperative agreement with Hopkins to memorialize the terms of NMCWD’s support for
the assessment of the Watershed Improvements to be conducted under the Study; and
Whereas Hopkins and NMCWD are authorized by Minnesota Statutes section
471.59 to enter into this cooperative agreement for conduct of the Study.
Agreement
NOW, THEREFORE, Hopkins and NMCWD enter into this agreement to
document their mutual understanding as to the scope of the Study, facilitate
communication and cooperation to successfully complete the Study and to share the cost
of the assessment of the Watershed Improvements.
1. Conduct of the Study
a. Hopkins will oversee completion of the Study by the Contractor.
Notwithstanding, Hopkins makes no warranty to NMCWD regarding the
Contractor’s performance of the Study.
b. Hopkins will secure and timely provide to NMCWD written recognition from
Contractor of NMCWD as an intended beneficiary of the Study, and Hopkins
and NMCWD will jointly share the right to use data and reports generated by
the Study.
c. Hopkins will timely share all data and reports generated by the Study with
NMCWD. And by the signature of its authorized representative below, Hopkins
authorizes NMCWD to request a reliance letter for all data and reports
generated under the Study pertaining to environmental site conditions, subject
to Hopkins’ designation of any such data or reports as confidential.
d. Hopkins and NMCWD will in earnest and good faith explore options to
incorporate Watershed Improvements determined to be cost-effectively
feasible by the Study into future plans for redevelopment of Central Park.
2. Cost Sharing
a. Hopkins will pay the Contractor for the costs of completion of the Study and
the scope of work in Exhibit A in accordance with the contract between
Hopkins and Contractor and applicable state law.
b. Within 35 days of written notification of Hopkins’ payment of an invoice from
the Contractor for work on the Study, NMCWD will reimburse Hopkins 50
percent of eligible invoiced costs, up to an aggregate total for the Study not to
exceed $50,000. Eligible costs are those incurred for the completion of the
following tasks in Exhibit A:
• 2.2;
City of Hopkins-Nine Mile Creek Watershed District-
Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion Feasibility Study
3
• 3.4;
• 3.6;
• 3.8;
• 3.9;
• 3.10;
• 4.6;
• 4.8;
• 10.
c. Each party will pay its own internal, incidental and administrative costs in
fulfilling its obligations and administering the terms of this agreement beyond
the cost-sharing specified herein.
3. Independent relationship; liability; no warranty. This agreement does not create
a joint powers board or organization within the meaning of Minnesota Statutes
section 471.59, and no party agrees to be responsible for the acts or omissions of the
any other pursuant to subdivision 1(a) of the statute. Only contractual remedies are
available for the failure of a party to fulfill the terms of this agreement.
NMCWD and Hopkins enter this agreement solely for the purposes of facilitating and
paying for the Study. Accordingly, with respect to any and all activity undertaken
pursuant to this agreement: (1) Hopkins will hold harmless, defend and indemnify the
NMCWD, its officers, employees and agents for all claims, damages, liabilities, losses
and expenses asserted against either party or both parties at any time by a third party,
including any governmental body, provided that any such claim, damages, loss or
expense arises out of a negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of an officer,
official, agent or employee of Hopkins; and (2) NMCWD will hold harmless, defend
and indemnify Hopkins, its officers, officials employees and agents for all claims,
damages, liabilities, losses and expenses asserted against either party or both parties at
any time by a third party, including any governmental body, that arise out a negligent
act or omission or willful misconduct of an officer, manager, agent or employee of
NMCWD. This agreement creates no right in and waives no immunity, defense or
liability limitation with respect to any third party. The parties do not waive any
limitation of liability provided under Minnesota Statutes chapter 466.
NMCWD will not be deemed to have acquired by entry into or performance under
this agreement, any form of interest or ownership in or to any portion of the land that
is the Study or adjacent property. NMCWD will not by entry into or performance
under this agreement be deemed to have exercised any form of control over the use,
operation or management of any portion of the Study area or adjacent property so as
to render NMCWD a potentially responsible party for any contamination under state
and/or federal law.
The exercise of regulatory authority by the NMCWD Board of Managers and, as
delegated, NMCWD staff may not be and is not modified in any way by this
City of Hopkins-Nine Mile Creek Watershed District-
Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion Feasibility Study
4
agreement. NMCWD’s participation in the Study notwithstanding, no representation
or warranty is made as to whether specific land-disturbing activities undertaken in
reliance on the work products of the Study will comply with NMCWD rules. Further,
NMCWD does not warrant and will not be liable for the actions of or failure to act by
any third-party regulatory entity.
4. Contacts. The representatives of the parties with respect to this agreement are as
follows:
NMCWD:
Administrator
Nine Mile Creek Watershed District
esniegowski@ninemilecreek.org
12800 Gerard Dr.
Eden Prairie MN 55346
Hopkins:
PeggySue Imihy
Special Projects and Initiatives Manager
City of Hopkins
1010 1st Street South
Hopkins MN 55343
5. Data Practices. All data created, collected, received, maintained or disseminated for
any purpose in the course of this agreement are governed by the Data Practices Act,
Minnesota Statutes chapter 13, any other applicable state statute, or any state rules
adopted to implement the act, as well as federal regulations on data privacy.
6. Entire agreement. This agreement contains the complete and entire agreement
among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior
negotiations, agreements, representations and understandings, if any, among the
parties respecting such matters, and amendments, addenda, alterations, or
modifications to the terms and conditions of this agreement shall be in writing and
signed by both parties. The recitals stated at the outset are incorporated into and are a
part of the agreement.
7. Waiver. The waiver by NMCWD or Hopkins of any breach or failure to comply with
any provision of this agreement by either or both of the other parties will not be
construed as nor will it constitute a continuing waiver of such provision or a waiver of
any other breach of or failure to comply with any other provision of this agreement.
8. Term; termination. This agreement is effective on execution by both parties and will
terminate on December 31, 2025, or on the written agreement of both parties, subject
to the terms herein.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused the agreement to be duly executed
intending to be bound thereby.
City of Hopkins-Nine Mile Creek Watershed District-
Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion Feasibility Study
5
[Signature page follows.]
City of Hopkins-Nine Mile Creek Watershed District-
Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion Feasibility Study
6
City of Hopkins
_______________________________ Date: _____________________
By _____________________________
Its _____________________
_______________________________ Date: _____________________
By _____________________________
Its _____________________
Approved as to form & execution:
_____________________________
City of Hopkins counsel
Nine Mile Creek Watershed District
_______________________________ Date: _____________________
Larry Olson
Its: Board President
Approved as to form & execution:
_____________________________
NMCWD counsel
City of Hopkins-Nine Mile Creek Watershed District-
Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion Feasibility Study
7
Exhibit A
Scope of Services
Bolton & Menk
Central Park Master Plan & Pavilion Expansion Feasibility Study