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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TO THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES OUTDOOR RECREATION GRANT PROGRAM FOR A GRANT OF UP TO $350,000 TO SUPPORT REHABILITATION OF PARK INFRASTRUCTURE AT NORTON PARK.
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CITY PROPOSAL:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the proper City officials are hereby authorized to apply for grant funds not to exceed $350,000 from the Outdoor Recreation Grant Program administered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to support rehabilitation of park infrastructure at Norton Park, located at 431 North 81st Avenue West, Duluth, MN 55807.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Duluth will meet the required 1:1 match through funding from Parks Capital.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, 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.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth will act as legal sponsor for the project contained in the Outdoor Recreation grant application to be submitted on 31/03/2025 and that Allison Brooks, Parks and Recreation Project Coordinator, is hereby authorized to apply to the Department of Natural Resources for funding of this project on behalf of the City of Duluth.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth maintains an adequate Conflict of Interest Policy and, throughout the term of the contract, will monitor and report any actual or potential conflicts of interest to the State, upon discovery.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth has the legal authority to apply for financial assistance, and it has the financial capability to meet the match requirement and ensure adequate construction, operation, maintenance, and replacement of the proposed project for its design life.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth has not incurred any development costs and has not entered into a written purchase agreement to acquire the property described in the Cost Breakdown section on this application.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth has or will acquire fee title or permanent easement over all the land described in the boundary map or recreational site plan included in the application.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that, upon approval of its application by the State, the City of Duluth may enter into an agreement with the State for the above-referenced project, and that the City of Duluth certifies that it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as stated in the grant agreement including dedicating the park property for uses consistent with the funding grant program into perpetuity.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor, or their delegated authority, is hereby authorized to execute such agreements as are necessary to implement the project on behalf of the applicant.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution authorizes application for grant funds in an amount not to exceed $350,000 from the Outdoor Recreation Grant Program administered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to support rehabilitation of aged - failed or failing - park infrastructure at Norton Park. The City will meet the required 1:1 match with funds from the Parks Division capital budget and funds from the St Louis River Corridor Initiative.
If awarded, the grant would help to pay for community identified priorities including:
• Construction of a picnic pavilion in place of the dilapidated building;
• Replacement of the aged playground;
• Stormwater management improvements including remediation of drainage problems on the multi-use field; and
• Construction of new accessible sidewalks and pathways around and through the park.
The investment plan was informed by the Norton Park Mini-Master Plan approved by City Council in 2016 then finalized through an additional year of public engagement spanning 2024 and 2025 that included two public meetings and a comprehensive engineer’s assessment of the dilapidated building.
If the grant is not awarded, the City will invest in the same set of assets - pavilion, playground, stormwater management, and pathways - but with a smaller, less expensive pavilion and playground paid for with a somewhat greater City financial contribution.