Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The United States Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), with $1 billion available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The BRIC program makes federal funds available to states, U.S territories, federally recognized tribal governments, and local communities for hazard mitigation activities. It does so with a recognition of the growing hazards associated with climate change, and of the need for natural hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation and resilience with respect to those hazards. These include both acute extreme weather events and chronic stressors which have been observed and are expected to increase in the future. The NOFO remains open through January 28, 2022.
The City meets the criteria to be eligible to submit an application as a sub-recipient through the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA), which is part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS). City staff has spoken with Ohio EMA, and they are willing to submit an application requesting approximately $300,000 to purchase training simulators for the city’s snow plow operators and other vehicle operators.
This legislation will authorize the Director of Public Service to formally apply for a BRIC program grant as a sub-recipient to Ohio EMA. It also authorizes the execution of agreements with USDHS, ODPS, or other entities in connection with the application for the grant, the award of the grant, the expenditure of grant funds, and the return of unused grant funds if any should remain at the end of the grant.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
This grant may be used for up to seventy-five percent (75%) of future eligible project costs. No financial participation is required at this time. City funds will be approved in the form of material purchasing contracts, procurement contracts and/or construction contracts...
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