TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Beth Beatty, City Manager
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution for the City of Joliet and Fairmont Community Partnership Group, Inc. Partnership Agreement for the Fairmont Sanitary Sewer and Community Improvements Project
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BACKGROUND:
EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant program has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities. The maximum award for each application submitted is $20 million, with a minimum award of $10 million.
The City of Joliet has owned and operated the Fairmont water and sewer system since November of 2019. Since the maintenance and operation has been taken over by the City of Joliet, it has been identified that there is significant need for sewer improvement projects to address deficiencies in the collection system. A series of projects have been identified to correct the sanitary sewer system deficiencies; however, funding has not been available to move forward with these projects.
Department of Utilities Staff and Will County have identified the Community Change Grant Program as an opportunity to fund these projects. In order to submit an application for the Community Change Grant the City must form a Statutory Partnership with a nonprofit group to apply for these funds. Fairmont Community Partnership Group has been identified as the best group to form a Statutory Partnership with for this grant application.
The Public Service Committee will review this matter.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Based on the above, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Council adopt the attached Resolution, authorizing execution of the City of Joliet and Fairmont Community Partnership Group, Inc. Partnership Agreement for the Fairmont Sanitary Sewer and Community Improvements project. This agreement will allow the Department of Public Utilities to apply for the Community Change Grant.
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