Number
150365
Version
Substitute 1
Reference
Sponsor
Ald. STAMPER, WITKOWSKI, WADE AND COGGS
Title
Substitute resolution relative to the acceptance and funding of the Partners for Places grant from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for the Office of Sustainability as part of the HOME GR/OWN program.
Analysis
This resolution authorizes the Department of Administration- Office of Environmental Sustainability (OES) to accept a grant entitled “Partners for Places” in an amount up to $138,600 from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation acting as a fiscal agent for the Community Development Alliance (“CDA”). The purpose of this project is to 1) foster a strong working relationship between the local sustainability office of municipal government and place-based philanthropies; 2) demonstrate models for urban agriculture through the re-activation of vacant lots; 3) employ residents from the surrounding areas through the use of nonprofit landscaping services with the capacity to train and hire individuals with multiple barriers to employment, and; 4) provide local philanthropic support to the ReFresh Milwaukee plan priorities.
This resolution further authorizes the Office of Environmental Sustainability to enter into contracts with various non-profit landscaping organizations that employ neighborhood residents including Walnut Way Conservation Corporation, Groundwork Milwaukee, and Growing Power, Inc.
Body
Whereas, The City’s Common Council passed Resolution No. 131035 adopting “ReFresh Milwaukee: City of Milwaukee Sustainability Plan 2013-2023” as the City’s first sustainability plan and directing its implementation; and
Whereas, A catalytic project in the Refresh Milwaukee plan is the HOME GR/OWN urban agriculture program; and
Whereas, The Office of Environmental Sustainability identifies community partners like the Community Development Alliance to implement projects in partnership that meet ReFresh Milwaukee goals and targets; and
Whereas, The Community Development Alliance (“CDA”), with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation as its fiscal agent, has partnered with the City of Milwaukee, Growing Power and other local businesses and institutions, who has jointly applied for and received a national grant in October, 2014, locally matched by the CDA, the Bloomberg Award for Partners for Places - a project of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, and
Whereas, A purpose of the Partners for Places grant program is to foster a working relationship between local sustainability offices and local philanthropic organizations; and
Whereas, The Greater Milwaukee Foundation wishes to grant the City of Milwaukee’s Office of Environmental Sustainability (“OES”), as operational partner, an amount of $138,600 for the directed purpose of the new Milwaukee Partners for Places Initiative - installing up to six pocket parks and up to twenty fruit orchards on City vacant lots on Milwaukee’s North Side, focusing on aldermanic districts most heavily impacted by foreclosures; and
Whereas, A goal of the grant is to employ residents from the surrounding areas through the use of nonprofit landscaping services with the capacity to train and hire individuals with multiple barriers to employment, reclaiming City-owned vacant lots and increasing access to fresh local food in Milwaukee; and
Whereas, The OES’ HOME GR/OWN Initiative has collaborated with the its primary partners: the CDA, Walnut Way Conservation Corporation, Growing Power, Groundwork Milwaukee, David J. Frank Landscaping, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Community Design Solutions, and the appropriate community organizations for the purposes of selecting, designing and installing pocket parks and orchards during calendar year 2015, and
Whereas, The Partners for Places Grant will fund the Milwaukee Partners for Places Initiative for a grant period beginning June 10th, 2015 through December 31, 2015; and
Whereas, The Office of Environmental Sustainability has partnered with the Department of City Development and Department of Public Works to select vacant lots and create design criteria that meet City needs; and
Whereas, The Partners for Places grant complements the City’s Strong Neighborhood Plan and its goal of renewing neighborhoods by activating vacant spaces; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee is eligible for grant funds from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation to fund the Department of Administration - Office of Environmental Sustainability’s Partners for Places project; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Department of Administration - Office of Environmental Sustainability is authorized to accept grants totaling up to $138,600 from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation to develop up to 26 pocket parks and orchards as an integral part of the City’s Sustainability Plan catalytic project, HOME GR/OWN, and is authorized to accept and expend this grant without further approval unless the terms of the grant change as indicated in the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances section 304-84; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Administration - Office of Environmental Sustainability, as specifically required by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation grant, is authorized to contract with nonprofit landscaping services with the capacity to train and hire individuals with multiple barriers to employment from surrounding neighborhoods, and
including up to $114,000 with Walnut Way Conservation Corporation, up to $21,000 with Groundwork Milwaukee, and up to $13,400 with Growing Power, Inc. with contracts in substantially the same form as attached to this resolution; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City Comptroller is authorized to:
1. Commit funds within the Project/Grant Parent of the 2015 Special Revenue - Grant and Aid Projects Fund, the following amount for the project titled Partners for Places Grant:
Project/Grant GR1501315000
Fund 0150
Org 9990
Program 0001
Budget Year 0000
Subclass R999
Account 000600
Project Grantor Share
Amount $138,600
2. Create the necessary Grant and Aid Project/Grant and Project/Grant levels and budget against these Project/Grant values the amount required under the grant agreement.
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That these funds are budgeted to the Department of Administration - Office of Environmental Sustainability with authority to spend from the budgeted amount sums for specified purposes as indicated in the grant budget and incur costs consistent with the award; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Office of Environmental Sustainability will follow the terms of the grant and provide the required program reports to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
Requestor
Department of Administration- Office of Environmental Sustainability
Drafter
Office of Environmental Sustainability
ES
7/7/2015