Label
USDOT Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program Grant $1,107,700
Mayor’s Office
Simon Nyi
Title
Authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program Grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation; authorizing the acceptance and deposit of $1,107,700 for the purpose of supporting the planning, design, and community engagement activities for a multi-use trail along Swan Creek; authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of said funds; authorizing the Mayor to accept bids and award contracts for the purpose of the grant; authorizing a community engagement subaward to the Junction Coalition for $176,400; waiving the competitive bidding provisions of TMC Chapter 187 for the subaward; and declaring an emergency.
Body
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
This Ordinance accepts a grant from the US Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program in the amount of $1,107,700. The required grant match is $278,700, which will be included in the 2026 budget proposal.
This grant will support planning, design, and community engagement activities for a multi-use trail along Swan Creek to reconnect Junction to downtown Toledo. This project has been identified as a priority in neighborhood planning efforts and will improve mobility, connectivity to jobs and opportunity, and quality of life for Junction residents. The grant will include a subaward of $176,400 to the Junction Coalition to support the community engagement activities.
Summary
NOW THEREFORE Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That the Mayor is authorized to enter into a Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program Grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation and to accept and deposit grant proceeds in the amount of $1,107,700 into the Operation Grants Fund Account Code 2016-35000-7G02027STDSTD for the purpose of supporting the planning, design, and community engagement activities for a multi-use trail along Swan Creek.
SECTION 2. That the appropriation of an amount not to exceed $1,107,700 is authorized from the unappropriated balance of the Operation Grants Fund to Account Code 2016-35000-7G02027STDSTD and the expenditure of same is authorized for the purposes of the grant.
SECTION 3. That the Mayor is authorized to accept bids and award contracts for the purposes of the grant, upon terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Law and the Director of Transportation.
SECTION 4. That the Mayor is authorized to enter into a community engagement subaward agreement with the Junction Coalition for $176,400, upon terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Law and the Director of Transportation.
SECTION 5. That this Council finds and determines it is in the best interest of the city to waive the competitive bid requirements of TMC Chapter 187 for the subaward, as the Junction Coalition was identified in the grant application as the nonprofit community development organization representing the neighborhood most impacted by the project, which will reconnect Junction to downtown Toledo.
SECTION 6. That the Director of Finance is authorized to issue warrant or warrants against the above-mentioned Account Codes in an amount not to exceed that authorized above in payment of the obligations authorized above by the terms of the grant upon presentation of the proper voucher or vouchers.
SECTION 7. That this Ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and shall be in force and effect from and after its passage. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that this ordinance 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 in order to timely administer the grant.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas 11, nays 0.
Passed: November 5, 2025, as an emergency measure: yeas 11, nays 0.
Attest:
Julie A. Gibbons Vanice S. Williams
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: November 6, 2025
Wade Kapszukiewicz
Mayor