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Home My WebLink AboutPossible Addition of 1 FTE for Grants Specialist amd 1 FTE for CommissionMemorandum REPORTTO: HonorableMayorandCommissionMembers FROM: ChrisKukulski,CityManager AnnaRosenberry,FinanceDirector SUBJECT: PossibleAdditionof1.0FTEforGrantsSpecialistand1.0FTEfor EconomicDevelopmentSpecialist MEETINGDATE:November9,2009 AGENDAITEMTYPE:Action RECOMMENDATION:Approveadditionof1.0FTEforGrantsSpecialistand1.0FTE forEconomicDevelopmentSpecialistintheFY10BudgetYear.DirectStafftobringback therelatedrevisedAppropriationResolution. BACKGROUND: OntheeveningthattheFY2010FinalBudgetwasapproved,the Commissionaskedstafftofurtherinvestigatetheneedforandpossiblefundingofpositionsto accomplish: Additionalgrantsadministration,relatedtoinfluxofworkfromFederalandState o stimulusfundingandtheadditionalresultinggrantopportunities. Economicdevelopmentombudsperson,asdescribedinthe EconomicDevelopment o chapterofthenewCommunityPlan. GrantsAdministration: Thereareanumberofwaysadditionalstaffcouldbededicatedto assistingwiththeapplicationandadministrationofgrantsfortheCity. CurrentGrantsCoordination Efforts:Currently,wehaveadistributedgrantsprocess;some departmentsandfunctionsareverysuccessfulatapplyingforandadministeringtheirowngrants, andsomedepartmentsandfunctionsrelyonassistancefromtheGrantsCoordinator(andothers) toapplyforandadministergrants.However,theGrantsCoordinatorhastheultimate responsibilityforhousingallgrantrecords,andensuringcompliance,reporting,andaudit deadlinesaremet.Itwouldbemostefficienttocontinuetotakeadvantageofthedistributed system.Wearenotproposingthatwecentralizeallgrantwritingand/orreportingatthispoint intime. However,theonslaughtofapplicationsandreportingrequirementsthathavecomewiththe FederalARRAfundingandtheState'spass-throughofthesemonies,haveresultedinourcurrent GrantsCoordinatorbeingstretchedverythin.Wecontinuetohavefrustrationsanddifficulty withtheever-changing,time-consumingrequirementsofthefederalandstateagencies.With onestaffperson,weareinthepositionofbarelykeepinguponreportingrequirements. AdditionalstaffingwouldgoalongwaytoensurethattheCitymeetsdeadlinesandcompliance requirements,andcancontinuetotakeadvantageofresultinggrantopportunities. ProposedAdditionofStaff:WeproposetheadditionofaFull-TimeGrantsSpecialistposition (ourcurrentGrantsCoordinatorwillcontinuetohandleClimateProtectionactivities.)We woulddividefunctionalareasbetweenthetwograntsstaff.GrantopportunitiesrelatedtoWater, Wastewater,SolidWaste/Recycling,StormWater,Streets/Transportation,and Energy ConservationwouldbehandledbytheGrantsCoordinator,NatalieMeyer,inpartbecausethey areintegraltoourClimateProtectionPlan. ThenewgrantspositionwouldhandlePolice,Fire, Parks,Recreation, Library,HistoricPreservation,Planning,andCommunityDevelopment grants. ProposedFunding:OurcurrentGrantsCoordinatorisfundedentirelyfromtheGeneralFund. Wedonothaveanindirectcost-recoveryrateoragrantadministrationoverheadcharge,and aren'trecommendingthatonebeestablishedtoday.BecausetheWaterandSewerFundshave beentheprimarybeneficiariesofGrantCoordinator'sworkrecently(TSEP$500,000,ARRA $750,000,STAG$163,000,Corpof Engineers$178,000,andfutureSTAG$500,000and WRDA~$100,000.)WesuggestthattheWaterandSewerFundssplitthecostoftheadded grantsposition,$20,000throughtheendofthisfiscalyear.Annually,thepositionwouldcost approximately$40,000/year,andwouldbeaddressedgoingforwardintheFY11Recommended Budget.ThispositionwillresideintheFinanceDepartmentandwouldworkwiththecurrent GrantsCoordinator.Thepositionvacancywouldbeadvertisedassoonaspossible,withan estimatedstartdateofJanuary2,2010. EconomicDevelopmentSpecialist: GoalStrategy5.boftheadoptedeconomicdevelopment planstates: Designateaqualifiedcityemployeewitheconomicdevelopmentresponsibilitiesandarole asthecommunitybusinessadvocate.Thisemployeewillalsocoordinatewiththe EconomicDevelopmentCouncilontheimplementationofthisplan. Theprimaryresponsibilitiesoftheindividualassignedtothistaskshouldbe: 1.Workdirectlywiththe EconomicDevelopmentCouncil(EDC),Prospera,Tech RanchandtheBozemanAreaChamberofCommercetoensurethegoals identifiedintheeconomicdevelopmentplanareimplementedbythecity commissionandcitystaff. 2.Developstrongworkingrelationshipswithourexisting"primaryindustry" employersandeconomicdevelopmentpartners("primaryindustries"are generallydefinedasbusinessesthatimportmoneyintothelocaleconomy). 3.DevelopastrongworkingrelationshipwiththeCity'sregulatorydepartmentsof planning,engineering,buildingetctoeffectivelyworkasanadvocatefor businesswithinourorganization. Approximately80%ofnewjobsacrossournationarecreatedbyexistingbusinesses,while approximately20%arefromnewbusinesses. Therefore,byfocusingonbuildingrelationships withexistingbusinessownersinourstronglocaleconomy,Ibelievewecanhaveapositive effect.Successfulbusinessesexpectresults,andresultsareaccomplishedthroughcollaboration. Theprimarydifferencefromthepastisthatifournew EconomicDevelopmentSpecialistis effective,ourprivatesectoremployerswillknowthattheyhavean"advocate"incityhall. OverthepastthreemonthsIhaveconsideredwho,amongstourcitystaff shouldbeassignedto thesenewduties. Mycareerinlocalgovernmentstartedasan EconomicDevelopmentSpecialist fora smallcityinthe Midwest.Ihaveapassionforthistypeofwork,butfranklynotenough timeinthedaytobeeffectiveatit.AsIhaveconsideredwhocould sharetheseresponsibilities orwhatprogramsweconsidereliminating,Icontinuetocomebacktothefactthat,inordertobe donewell,thisisafulltimejob. Therefore,Iamrecommendingweutilizenotmorethan $55,000fromourgeneralfundreservetogetthisindividualhired.Futurefundingforthis positioncouldcomefromourtaxincrementfinancedistrictsthathavezoningforbase employmentjobs. FISCALEFFECTS: TheadditionalGrantSpecialistisexpectedtocostapprox.$40,000per yearwiththeproposedfundingbeingpaidhalfbythewaterandhalfbythesewerenterprise funds. The EconomicDevelopmentSpecialistpositionisexpectedtocostapprox.$55,000peryear withtheproposedfundingcomingfromtheCity'sGeneralFund.Ibelievethepositioncouldbe atleast50%fundedwiththreeofourfourtax-incrementfinancingdistrictsthateachhave industrialzoningwithinthem. ALTERNATIVES: AssuggestedbytheCityCommission. Attachments:None Reportcompiledon:November5,2009