Title
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ANNUAL FUNDING APPLICATION TO SNOWMOBILE TRAIL GRANTS-IN-AID ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources administers a Snowmobile Trail Grants-in-Aid Assistance Program to support maintenance and winter grooming of snowmobile trails; and
WHEREAS, two local snowmobile clubs, the Drift Toppers Snowmobile Club of Duluth and the Over the Hill Night Riders Snowmobile Club, complete maintenance and winter grooming of 33 miles of snowmobile trail through the City of Duluth under separate agreements with each club for these services; and
WHEREAS, under the Snowmobile Trail Grants-in-Aid Assistance Program, a local unit of government must sponsor the snowmobile clubs to facilitate reimbursement of the clubs’ trail maintenance and grooming activities where the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources uses the reported number of miles of trail to determine funding awards.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth authorizes sponsorship of an application for funding annually through the Snowmobile Trail Grants-in-Aid Assistance Program under this resolution until December 31, 2027, at which time a new sponsor resolution would be required.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the amount of the award under the Assistance Program is determined by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources annually based on program funding availability, and there is no required local match for the Assistance Program.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that, if funding is awarded, the City of Duluth may enter into an agreement with the State of Minnesota for the Snowmobile Trail Grants-in-Aid Assistance Program. The City of Duluth will comply with all applicable laws and regulations, and any additional conditions stated in the agreement.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth’s participation as sponsor for this Assistance Program is contingent upon each club maintaining an active agreement for trail maintenance and grooming services, and that the City will only compensate each club for services contingent upon the City’s receipt of funding from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources under this Assistance Program.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Duluth City Council names the fiscal agent for this project as Jen Carlson, City of Duluth Finance Director, 411 West First Street, Duluth, MN 55802.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution authorizes application for funding annually through the Snowmobile Trail Grants-in-Aid Assistance Program (Snowmobile GIA Program) until December 31, 2027, at which time a new sponsor resolution would be required. In the likely event that a grant is awarded, an associated grant contract would return to Duluth City Council via a resolution authorizing acceptance of the award and execution of the contract.
The Snowmobile GIA Program provides funding to support maintenance and winter grooming of snowmobile trails annually. The City has sponsored participation in the Snowmobile GIA Program since 2018 to support maintenance of the City’s 33 miles of snowmobile trails. The Drift Toppers Snowmobile Club of Duluth and the Over the Hill Night Riders Snowmobile Club complete trail maintenance and grooming services under separate agreements. A local unit of government must sponsor the snowmobile club’s participation, where the City of Duluth accepts the funding under this Program and distributes the funding to the clubs based on their successful completion of required maintenance activities and grooming.