HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 04 - Authorization to apply for 2021 National Fitness Campaign Grant Funds
Department Name: Parks and Recreation
Cost Center: 7001
For Agenda of: January 12, 2021
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Greg Avakian, Parks and Recreation Director
Prepared By: Aleah Bergam, Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR 2021 NATIONAL FITNESS CAMPAIGN
GRANT FUNDS
RECOMMENDATION
1. Approve a Resolution (Attachment A) authorizing staff to pursue a grant application, for a
total amount not to exceed $25,000, with the National Fitness Challenge (NFC) for 2021
Healthy Cities Campaign funding; and
2. If awarded the grant, appropriate the grant amount and additional necessary funding from the
Parkland-in-lieu (Quimby) Fund into the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget upon
grant award; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary grant documents including a sole
source contract with NFC for purchase and installation of a Fitness Court® Emerson Park if
grant is awarded.
DISCUSSION
Background
The City of San Luis Obispo (City) park system includes a diverse mix of some 28 parks and
recreation facilities covering approximately 206 acres. The City’s parks include a broad range of
recreational features and there are various park and facility improvements, or enhancements
scheduled in the City’s 2019-21 Capital Improvements Program. This includes design for new
parks and replacement of outdated recreation features.
The replacement of Emerson Park Exercise equipment was defunded at the FY 2020-21 Budget
Supplement With the recent indoor gym closures due to COVID-19 restrictions and a significant
increase in the community members utilizing outdoor areas for fitness, staff believes updated
Emerson Park Exercise equipment is important to provide a space for the public to exercise in an
open area environment which leads to improved mental and physical wellbeing.
At this time, grant opportunities are available that can augment City funds for the purposes of
developing and revitalizing City parks. The 2021 Healthy Cities Campaign is a grant opportunity
through the National Fitness Campaign, in collaboration with the California Parks and
Recreation Society (CPRS), which leverages funding to assist in accelerating the growth of the
outdoor Fitness Court® network.
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The National Fitness Campaign’s (NFC) mission is to design healthy infrastructure for cities to
improve the quality of life for people. NFC is a San Francisco based social enterprise and
consulting firm that partners with cities, schools and state agencies that make health a priority
and plan, build, fund, and activate healthy infrastructure through the purchase and installation of
a Fitness Court®. The Fitness Court is marketed as the “world’s best outdoor gym” with seven
movements in seven minutes (see Attachment B for more information). The Fitness Court®
serves adults of all ages and abilities and enables thousands of exercises. Six feet physical
distancing is supported on the Fitness Court® and there is an online application user can
download on their phone for free workouts.
City staff is requesting authorization to apply for grant funding from NFC in the amount of
$25,000 in order to augment proposed funding set aside for Emerson Park Exercise Equipment
replacement. If approved by Council, staff will submit a grant application in mid-January 2021
with an expectation for potential grant award announcement in early spring. One of the required
attachments in the NFC Grant Application is to provide a signed resolution (Attachment A) from
the local jurisdiction’s governing body, to authorize the submittal of the application and
matching funds to NFC.
Why Sole Source the Purchase?
Pursuant to the City’s Municipal Code Section 3.24.060 (C), certain acquisitions in which the
item(s) to be purchased can be obtained from only one vendor or supplier may be obtained from
a single source without engaging in the bidding procedures. While there are multiple vendors
that manufacture exercise equipment, the NFC Grant is strictly for this specific fitness
equipment.
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The Fitness Court® is unique in that it is a part of a national network of over 4,000 communities.
The network of California Park and Recreation agencies includes City of San Francisco,
Hayward, and Palo Alto. There are currently no Fitness Courts on the Central Coast. The Fitness
Court® includes a free online application that users can download and access free workouts.
Policy Context
The City’s Financial Management Manual, Section 740, requires City Council authorization to
submit grant applications in excess of $5,000. In particular, section 3(d) states:
For grants in excess of $5,000, prepare a Council Agenda Report requesting
authorization to seek grant funding. This report should describe the grant program's
conformance with this policy, including the results of the cost/benefit analysis.
Staff finds that submittal of grant applications for City parks and recreational facilities meets the
City’s Grant Management Policy, outlined in Section 740, as there is an opportunity to leverage
City funds. In addition, as staff is requesting Parkland-in-lieu (Quimby) funding be used to
match the grant, the City’s Financial Management Manual, Section 540, states that “As provided
under City Charter, the Council has the sole responsibility for adopting the City's budget and
may amend or supplement the budget at any time after its adoption by majority vote of the
Council. After budget adoption, all supplemental appropriations from fund balance or working
capital require Council approval.” Quimby fees have been paid by subdivisions surrounding
Emerson Park, thus justifying allocating this funding to Emerson Park improvements.
Public Engagement
As this is authorization to apply for grant funding, no public engagement is required. Feedback
from the Parks and Recreation Master Plan Needs Assessment of 2018 outlined the need for
additional and upgraded fitness opportunities within the City’s park systems. In addition, staff
has scheduled five virtual public workshops in January 2021 for Emerson Park Design Ideas and
Concepts. Within the format of the workshops, exercise equipment is an area of focus with
specific feedback on the Fitness Court®. Staff will present results and request feedback from the
Parks and Recreation Commission.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
There is no environmental review required for grant submittals. Any grant funding received for
specific projects will undergo the mandatory environmental review as is required through
CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2020-2021
Funding Identified: Yes
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Fiscal Analysis:
Funding Sources Current FY Cost
Annualized
On-going Cost
Total Project
Cost
General Fund
State
Federal
Fees
Other: NFC Grant $25,000
Other: Parkland-in-lieu
(Quimby) Fund
$200,400
Total $225,400
The City’s Parks and Recreation Department has time allocated within its normal work program
to prepare and submit the grant application. Current undesignated Quimby Parkland-in-lieu fund
balance is approximately $1.8M of which $1.4M are designated for Laguna Lake improvements
leaving $400,000 available for project designation. If successful, these grant monies will
augment Parkland-in-lieu (Quimby) funding. Emerson Park Fitness Equipment was previously
budgeted in the FY 19-21 Financial plan but due to economic constraints surrounding COVID-
19, the project was defunded at the FY 2020-21 Budget Supplement. Staff is requesting that
Council authorize the project and the budget appropriations if the grant application is successful
and funding awarded. If the grant application is not successful, staff would bring forth a request
with the 2021-23 Financial Plan.
Staff did not include any additional on-going maintenance costs as this is a replacement of
exercise equipment and maintenance costs are expected to remain the same as the current on-
going cost for the exercise equipment currently at Emerson Park. This ongoing cost is included
in the current Parks Maintenance budget appropriation.
ALTERNATIVES
1. The City Council could request additional information or analysis from staff.
2. The City Council could deny the request to submit a grant application which includes sole
source contract if grant is awarded.
3. The City Council could deny appropriating Parkland-in-lieu Quimby funding for Fitness
Court® installation and request a different funding source
Attachments:
a - Draft Resolution
b - COUNCIL READING FILE - National Fitness Campaign 2021 Briefing Materials
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R ______
RESOLUTION NO. _____ (2021 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE APPLICATION FOR 2021
NATIONAL FITNESS CAMPAIGN GRANT FUNDS AND ALLOCATING
MATCHING FUNDS FOR AN OUTDOOR FITNESS COURT®
WHEREAS, the National Fitness Campaign (NFC) is a social enterprise whose mission is
to design healthy infrastructure for cities to improve the quality of life for people; and
WHEREAS, NFC builds partnerships with cities that align with the Campaign’s mission
and through NFC’s national sponsors and partners is able to provide grant funding for participation
in their 2021 initiative to install and activate outdoor Fitness Courts® in 200 cities and schools
across the country; and
WHEREAS, said grant funding is available to qualified municipalities who submit an
application for funding and receive approval.
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo will accept a $25,000 National Grant from the
NFC Grant Committee and Statewide Partners, and provide a local match in the amount of
$200,400 to promote and implement a free-to-the-public outdoor Fitness Court®, and;
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo will commit to construction and launch of the
outdoor Fitness Court® by the end of the 2021 calendar year, and;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo hereby:
SECTION 1. Approves the filing of an application for the 2021 National Fitness Campaign
Grant; and
SECTION 2. The City Council approves allocating $25,000 in grant funding and
$200,400 in Parkland-in-lieu (Quimby) funding; and
SECTION 3. Delegates the authority to the Assistant City Manager of Community
Services to conduct all negotiations, sign and submit all documents, including, but not limited to
applications, agreements, amendments, and payment requests, which may be necessary for the
completion of the Grant Scope; and
SECTION 4. Agrees to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws,
ordinances, rules, regulations and guidelines.
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Resolution No. _____ (2021 Series) Page 2
R ______
SECTION 5. The City Manager, or his or her designee, is authorized to execute a sole
source contract with NFC for the purchase and installation of a Fitness Court®.
Upon motion of Council Member ____________, seconded by Council Member
________________, and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was adopted this _____ day of _____________________ 2021.
____________________________________
Mayor Heidi Harmon
ATTEST:
____________________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City
of San Luis Obispo, California, on ____________________________.
____________________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
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