Label
RE-TREE Grant Program
Department of Public Service
Jody Prude (x2896)/ Megan Robson (x2306)
Revised
Title
Authorizing the Mayor to enter into an Inflation Reduction Act Restoring and Enhancing Tree Canopy for Resilience, Equity and Engagement in Toledo (RE-TREE Toledo) grant agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and to accept and deposit a grant of $6,098,294 into the Operation Grants Fund; authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of same; authorizing the Mayor to enter into project partner agreements and award contracts necessary to carry out the program; and declaring an emergency.
Body
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
The Restoring and Enhancing Tree Canopy for Resilience, Equity, and Engagement in Toledo (RE-TREE Toledo) Program is a comprehensive program to restore, expand, and protect urban trees and forests in Toledo’s disadvantaged communities and close the “tree equity gap.” Highlights of the program include: the planting of 10,748 trees (street trees, private residences and commercial properties, parks, and publicly owned vacant lots) in disadvantaged census tracts and the inclusion of 56 high school students from these communities who will participate in a paid forestry jobs training program. Key partners of the program are Metroparks Toledo, the Woodlawn Foundation, Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful, the Lucas County Land Bank, Toledo Public Schools, and the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions.
Summary
NOW THEREFORE, Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That the Mayor is authorized to enter into an Inflation Reduction Act Restoring and Enhancing Tree Canopy for Resilience, Equity and Engagement in Toledo (RE-TREE Toledo) grant agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and to accept and deposit a grant of $6,098,294 into the Operation Grants Fund Account Code 2016-27100-8G02024STDSTD.
SECTION 2. That the appropriation of $6,098,294 is authorized from the unappropriated grant proceeds of the Operations Grant Fund to Account Code 2016-27100-8G02024STDSTD and the expenditure of same is authorized for the RE-TREE Toledo program.
SECTION 3. That the Mayor is authorized to accept bids and enter into necessary contracts for administration of the RE-TREE Toledo program, upon terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Public Service and the Director of Law.
SECTION 4. That the Mayor is authorized to enter into necessary project partner agreements, upon terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Public Service and the Director of Law.
SECTION 5. That the Finance Director is authorized to issue their warrant or warrants against the account code identified in above in an amount not to exceed $6,098,294 in payment of the above authorized obligations upon the proper voucher or vouchers.
SECTION 6. That it is found and determined that all formal actions of Council concerning and relating to the passage of this Ordinance were adopted in an open meeting of Council and that all deliberations of Council and any of its committees that result in such formal action were in meetings open to the public in compliance with all legal requirements, including Section 121.22, Ohio Revised Code.
SECTION 7. That this Ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force immediately from and after its passage. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that same is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety and property and for the further reason that this Ordinance must be immediately effective to timely facilitate the RE-TREE Program.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas 11, nays 0.
Passed: April 10, 2024, as an emergency measure: yeas 11, nays 0.
Attest:
Julie A. Gibbons Carrie Hartman
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: April 11, 2024
Wade Kapszukiewicz
Mayor