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CITY OF FERNLEY AGENDA REPORT DATE PREPARED: 03/05/2010 DATE OF MEETING: 03/17/2010 ITEM 12 SUBJECT: UPDATE ON STATUS OF CITY OF FERNLEY GRANTS RECOMMENTATION: No action at this time as this report is informational in nature for future presentations and actions to the Mayor and Council. SUMMARY: This report summarizes the City's grant activities and appropriations awards and requests in 2010 and 2011. The City’s strategic approach to grant applications and funding reflect city priorities identified by the strategic plan, the Mayor, City Council, City staff and community groups; specifically those priorities and identified needs that are aligned with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and legislative funding opportunities.. FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION AWARDS FOR 2010 This year Fernley received up to $3,835,700 in FY2010 appropriations dollars. The breakdown is as follows: • In the Interior FY2010 Appropriations bill, Fernley received $300,000 from Senator Reid, Senator Ensign, and Congressman Heller towards the Mechanical Dewatering project. • In the Energy and Water FY2010 Appropriations bill, Fernley received a soft earmark of $1,500,000 from Congressman Heller on the House side for the Water Intake Facility. This grant will be administered with the Army Corps of Engineers Rural 595 funding. • In the Energy and Water FY2010 Appropriations bill, Fernley received $1,500,000 from Senator Reid for Water Settlement Funding. • In the Transportation portion of the FY2010 Omnibus bill, Fernley received $535,700 from Senator Reid for the Nevada Pacific Parkway. At this time, we are awaiting notice of these awards from the appropriate federal agencies disbursing the funding; the normal timeframe for federal appropriation noticing occurs in spring. As reported in December 2009, the city currently administers $13.5 million in grants and federal appropriations. These awards bring the total of city grant funds to $17.3 million to date. FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION REQUESTS FOR 2011 Congress will be considering the FY 2011 budget, should earmarks be considered in that process, staff has submitted city projects for funding consideration. During the months of January through this report, City staff in conjunction with our federal lobbyist, have focused on federal funding requests that are will provide both immediate and long term benefit to the community. The team focused on projects that address public safety, transportation, quality of life and economic benefits. The applications submitted to our federal delegates for funding consideration are as follows: Silver Lace Railroad Crossing: This project is for the construction of a railroad at-grade crossing in Fernley to provide access for residents and businesses on the north side of the city to Fernley schools (currently, children cross the railroad tracks as a shortcut to school instead of traveling along the NDOT overpass 1/2 mile to the east) City Hall, library, parks/recreation facilities, Sheriff offices, fire protection and other emergency facilities, located on the south side of the city which is bisected east to west by a Union Pacific Railway. This project provides connectively and access to services for the residents and business bisected by the railroad. ---PAGE BREAK--- More importantly, this project provides emergency responders located on south of the railway with critical access to the residents and businesses located north of the railway. • Requested Funds: $500,000.00 The City of Fernley City Hall Solar Power Conversion-Energy Conservation: This project will reduce City Hall utility costs by switching to a photovoltaic solar panel system to eliminate up to 80% of our current power costs and create a prototype for other area agencies in rural Nevada to model their buildings after when making future decisions on sustainable resources. The appropriation will fund equipment, equipment installation and the latest in solar power photovoltaic technology at Fernley City Hall offsetting the reliance on electricity and reducing City Hall utility costs to the taxpayer. This project is essentially “shovel ready” as the City has completed the initial investigative work necessary to analyze which system would be installed as well as the most appropriate and efficient location, i.e., City Hall roof and/or grounds. We estimate we could implement this project and see relief from our power bills as early as nine months from receiving funds and complete the entire project within18 months. • Requested Funds: $750,000.00 Downtown Fernley Corridor Redevelopment: This project is to make infrastructure and capital improvements in the downtown corridor, a critical element to attract and spur economic and redevelopment investment in Fernley, Nevada. This project includes the planning, development analysis, preliminary design concepts and implementation for the downtown corridor. Over 800 community survey forms were sent out determine the desires of the community. Survey results were to preserve the historic nature of the downtown corridor, provide public art and targeted public improvements such as sidewalks, light poles and community parking areas. The implementation of the corridor plan will consist constructing approximately two miles of public improvements including installation of curb, gutter and sidewalks, light poles, street furniture, public art and acquisition and construction of a public surface parking facility. This project allows the City of Fernley to target public infrastructure to leverage the downtown corridor to spur private investment. The public process has started and is on-going regarding the desires of the citizens of Fernley to have a viable downtown area that is walk-able and business oriented. Our community survey results outline the desire of the community to have a viable downtown corridor. • Requested Funds: $750,000.00 The Safe Routes to School project is to provide infrastructure and pedestrian safety improvements consisting of approximately 7000 linear feet of roadway, bike lanes, turn lanes, curb, gutter, sidewalk, signage and lighting for the non bussed children attending the Fernley Elementary School, Fernley Intermediate School, Fernley Pool Facility and US Post Office on Hardie Lane. The City of Fernley designated Hardie Lane as a “Safe Routes to School” (SRTS) route on December 28, 2008. Due to unprecedented growth in Fernley over the last decade and the urbanization of our community, low volume rural roadways have been transformed into collector streets with little to no pedestrian and bicycling facilities. Hardie Lane from Main Street to Cottonwood, has approximately 7,000 linear feet of needed improvement including curb, gutter and sidewalk. Hardie Lane points of interest include Fernley Elementary and Intermediate schools, the US Post Office, and Fernley Pool Facility. In addition, Hardie Lane is a major thoroughfare connecting the north and south portions of the City. ---PAGE BREAK--- • Requested Funds: $ 500,000.00 Fernley Recreational Facility Out of Town Park: The purpose of this project is to make critical infrastructure and capital improvements, and maintain and improve the facility so that it can continue to attract and support major events and all of park’s diverse uses. The Fernley Recreation Facility (Out of Town Park) is a necessary public project designed to meet the needs of many in rural Northern Nevada. This park is Fernley’s largest park consisting of 72 acres and is located at the City’s eastern gateway to downtown on Highways 95A and50A. The facility currently has 4 baseball fields, 2 softball fields and 1 soccer/football field, a picnic area and rodeo arena. The facility serves as host to all of the youth ball leagues in rural Nevada, i.e., Little League, Babe Ruth, POP Warner Football, AYSO Soccer, Girls Softball Association, Junior Rodeo and Nevada High School Rodeo Championships, FFA and 4-H projects. Additionally, the facility hosts the Senior Pro Rodeo, the Fernley Farmers Market, Annual Fourth of July celebration and Fireworks. Since the park was established in the 1990’s, use of the park by the youth leagues and user groups has grown substantially. When the park and its amenities were installed, the city’s population was approximately 4,000 people. Recent reports from the state demographer have Fernley’s population at approximately 19,500 with 7500 households. The original design and amenities of this park can no longer support the public’s usage demands of our community. This project proposes to install additional ball fields, skate- park and amenities by relocating the existing rodeo arena to a now undeveloped area of the park. This will provide additional park amenities, parking infrastructure and ADA improvements that will promote tourism and economic development that cannot be supported presently. • Requested Funds: $ 500,000.00 Nevada Pacific Parkway Extension Project: While the Nevada Pacific Parkway Interchange at Interstate 80 and associated frontage roadway is now complete, there is still over a mile of roadway that is needed in order to successfully connect these two areas of the community. This critical roadway was contemplated in the City of Fernley Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element and would provide access to the eastern area of Fernley (3,000 homes) and to the industrial park and commercial area located in the vicinity. This connector roadway also provides a vital link to allow through traffic traveling east to the communities of Fallon, Eureka, Ely etc. direct access from Interstate 80 to US 50A, which they currently access through downtown Fernley. The project design and construction costs are estimated at approximately $11,432,738 for an arterial roadway consisting of approximately 3,187 linear feet of roadway, plus a 230 foot by 100 foot bridge, 2 bike lanes, turn lanes, curb, gutter and sidewalk within 110 feet of right of way. • Requested Funds: $ 14.2 million As the year progresses, the Mayor and Management Team will work to identify funding opportunities that address city priorities and needs. The City's federal lobbyist, Allen Freemyer, will continue to provide guidance regarding opportunities in the appropriations process, the federal authorizations, and competitive grants. The Grant Team members continue to evaluate available grant opportunities and criteria offered by federal executive branch agencies to assist with projects in the areas of housing, transportation, economic development, downtown improvements, parks and open space, homeland security, law enforcement, arts and culture and any other grant opportunities that may align with the City’s priorities ---PAGE BREAK--- FISCAL IMPACT: None at this time. Match is not required for federal appropriations. Notice of funding would not occur until January 2011. Dependent on the funding source, 5 to 15% administration and indirect costs could be recaptured to the City’s general fund. PREPARED BY: Leslieann Hayden, Grants Administrator APPROVED BY: Greg Evangelatos, City Manager