| | | | | | | | Board Action Request 18-0107
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| | | | | | | | Item Description: Negotiate 11 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention grant agreements, 4/1/18-12/31/19, combined total NTE $198,175 |
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| | | | | | | | Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate 11 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention grant agreements with the following organizations during the period of April 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019, with the total not-to-exceed amount of $198,175:
Agreement PR00000221 with Three Rivers Park District with the amount not to exceed $20,000;
Agreement PR00000228 with Three Rivers Park District with the amount not to exceed $33,000;
Agreement PR00000222 with Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission with the amount not to exceed $20,000;
Agreement PR00000223 with CD3 General Benefit Corporation with the amount not to exceed $15,000;
Agreement PR00000224 with the City of Long Lake with the amount not to exceed $33,675;
Agreement PR00000225 with the Wayzata Sailing Foundation with the amount not to exceed $11,000;
Agreement PR00000226 with the City of Eden Prairie with the amount not to exceed $9,000;
Agreement PR00000227 with Fortin Consulting Inc. with the amount not to exceed $18,500;
Agreement PR00000229 with Fortin Consulting Inc. with the amount not to exceed $18,000;
Agreement PR00000230 with the Christmas Lake Homeowners Association with the amount not to exceed $10,000;
Agreement PR00000231 with Lake Minnetonka Conservation District with the amount not to exceed $10,000; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign the agreements on behalf of the county; that the County Administrator be authorized to approve one 12-month extension of the grant terms; that the costs incurred by the grantees after the board approval date be eligible for reimbursement upon execution of the agreements; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed. |
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| | | | | | | | Background:
History: Aquatic invasive species (AIS), such as zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil, threaten natural resources and can cause economic, environmental and human health risks. Lakes throughout the county have been negatively affected by AIS or are highly vulnerable to the introduction of new AIS. Often no remedy is available after AIS becomes established in a water body.
The State of Minnesota began to provide funding to counties in 2014 to prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS. Counties may use the funding for its own projects or programs or it may provide funding to other entities in the county, including water management organizations, lake associations or other local governments. The Hennepin County Board designated oversight of the AIS Prevention Aid program to the County Administrator and delegated to the County Administrator the responsibility to prepare and implement guidelines for use of aid received for the prevention of AIS (Resolution 14-0438).
In fall 2017, the county released its fourth request for proposals for projects that prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS. Local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and academic institutions were eligible to apply. The county received 25 project proposals from 21 different applicants requesting a total of $719,485.
The grant applications recommended for award are projects that focus on preventing the spread of AIS with reasonable and measurable outcomes. Successful applicants must clearly describe the need for the funding and the capacity and commitment to implement the project and comply with grant administration requirements.
Current Request: This request is to authorize the County Administrator to negotiate 11 AIS Prevention grant agreements with the following organizations during the period of April 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019, with the combined not-to-exceed amount of $198,175.
The projects listed below are in order of priority per the review committee recommendations.
- A $20,000 grant will be used to purchase and install a hot water boat/equipment decontamination unit to be located at the Lake Minnetonka Regional Park. This decontamination unit will be staffed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) authorized watercraft inspectors.
- A $33,000 grant will be used to expand the inspections at public accesses throughout the county. Three Rivers Park District currently has an inspection program and this grant will increase inspections at Fish Lake, Medicine Lake, Bryant Lake, and Lake Minnetonka as well as create inspection efforts at Lower Twin Lake and Little Long Lake.
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Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission-$20,000 This grant will be used to purchase and install a hot water boat/equipment decontamination unit to be located at the French Regional Park along the north shore of Medicine Lake. This decontamination unit will be staffed by the DNR-authorized watercraft inspectors.
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CD3 General Benefit Corporation-$15,000 This grant builds upon a previously funded project that developed a waterless cleaning station that was piloted at numerous boat launches last year in the county. CD3 will now develop a smaller, more economical station for boat launches with less traffic, more space constraints and limited access to electrical power.
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City of Long Lake-$33,675 This grant will be used to purchase and install a CD3 Waterless Cleaning Station at the city-operated public access on Long Lake. The city will be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the unit. The project is in partnership with the Long Lake Waters Association.
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Wayzata Sailing Foundation-$11,000 This grant will be used to engage youth in the discovery, monitoring and exploration of AIS in Lake Minnetonka. It will engage up to 200 youth during the Loony Lake Lab summer programming. Partners include the YMCA, Wayzata Public Schools, and the Science Museum of Minnesota.
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City of Eden Prairie-$9,000 This grant will conduct research on Brittle Naiad, an invasive plant about which very little is known. It is currently present in only six lakes in Minnesota, two of which are in Eden Prairie. This research will focus on the characteristics of the habitat that Brittle Naiad grows in to recommend management strategies to control or eliminate the plant.
- Fortin Consulting Inc.-$36,500
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An $18,500 grant will fund early AIS detection efforts throughout the county including volunteer assistance and training. An on-lake AIS survey training will be provided to four new lake groups, a refresher workshop will be held for lake groups that have already received on-lake training, and efforts will continue to build a well-informed network of residents capable of identifying and responding to new AIS infestations.
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An $18,000 grant will be used to survey 12 water bodies lacking any boat access for the presence of AIS to evaluate possible unidentified pathways for AIS reaching these waters. Anecdotal observations suggest that, despite the conventional wisdom that AIS spread requires boat access, unidentified pathways for AIS distribution exist that lead to infestations in waters that are not used recreationally (for example, wetlands, stormwater ponds and small lakes).
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Christmas Lake Homeowners Association-$10,000 This grant will assist with watercraft inspections every hour that Christmas Lake public access is open. The Lake Association is funding 50 percent of the cost and is receiving additional funding from Carver County and the cities of Shorewood and Chanhassen.
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Lake Minnetonka Conservation District-$10,000 This grant will expand public access inspection times at smaller accesses around Lake Minnetonka including Carson’s, Halsted, and Wayzata Bay.
Impact/Outcomes: The recommended grant projects will prevent and slow the spread of AIS by training volunteers to detect AIS early in lakes, expanding inspections and outreach at public lake accesses, installing boat cleaning/decontamination facilities, and funding research and education.
The grantees will be required to collect data and submit final reports specific to project goals. This includes information such as the number of people reached, the number of boats inspected or decontaminated, pictures of the final products in use, or the findings of research/management. The information and results from these projects will be used by county staff and shared with other water professionals to support and develop future AIS prevention work.
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| | | | | | | | Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval | |
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