Title
Dept/ Agency: Economic & Housing Development
Action: ( ) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Grant Agreement for Purposes of Implementing a Redevelopment Project with twenty (20) City-owned properties
Purpose: Central Ward Gardens Project, an Adopt-a-Lot Program in the Central Ward
Entity Name: Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc.,
Entity Address: 32 Prince Street, Newark, New Jersey 07103
Contract Amount: $500,000.00
Funding Source:: Neighborhood Program for the Central Ward funded by Settlement proceeds
Contract Period: Twenty-Four (24) months from the date of the Notice to Proceed
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor ( ) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
( ) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP ( ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale ( ) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
Additional Information:
Resolutions (#7R7-A(S)032613 and #7R3-D(AS)050212)
Ordinance (#6PSF-A(S)062513)
body
WHEREAS, the entire City of Newark has been designated as an area in need of rehabilitation under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq. (the LRHL); and
WHEREAS, the Municipal Council of the City of Newark (the Municipal Council) has adopted ward redevelopment plans governing the redevelopment of City-owned properties in each ward; and
WHEREAS, the Municipal Council also adopted Ordinance 6PSF-A(S) on June 25, 2013 adopting a City-wide Scattered Site Redevelopment Plan governing, among other things, the rehabilitation of City-owned properties that are in need of clearance or removal of buildings from land, demolition, or other site preparation activities in order to prepare them for future redevelopment, including City-owned properties that are leased to private persons or entities for interim gardening or recreational purposes through the City's Adopt a Lot Program in order to rehabilitate them and thereafter use them as interim pocket parks while awaiting their ultimate redevelopment or rehabilitation (the Scattered Site Adopt a Lot Redevelopment Plan); and
WHEREAS, the LRHL authorizes municipalities to enter into grant agreements with redevelopers for the purposes of implementing redevelopment projects; and
WHEREAS, the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc. is seeking a grant to allow it to fund, administer, and oversee a redevelopment project to clean and green twenty (20) City-owned properties located within the City's Central Ward as identified by the Redeveloper and approved in writing by the City and to convert these properties into community gardens (the Central Ward Gardens Project); and
WHEREAS, the City has determined that the Central Ward Gardens Project is consistent with the Central Ward Redevelopment Plan and with the Scattered Site Redevelopment Plan governing the rehabilitation of City-owned properties in need of site preparation activities and that the Central Ward Gardens Project is in the best interest of the City and that it promotes the health, safety, morals and welfare of the City's residents; and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to enter into a Grant Agreement with the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc., 32 Prince Street, Newark, New Jersey 07103, in an amount up to Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00), so that the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc. can fund, administer and oversee the Central Ward Gardens Project for the contract period commencing on the date that the Greater Newark Conservancy receives its Notice to Proceed until no later than twenty-four (24) months thereafter; and
WHEREAS, the Municipal Council adopted Resolution 7R3-D(AS) on May 2, 2012 approving a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release between the City of Newark (the City), Hess Corporation (Hess), and Hess NEC, LLC (Hess NEC) and Resolution 7R7-A(S) adopted o March 26, 2013 approving an amendment to the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release between the City, Hess, and Hess NEC; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release, as amended (the Settlement Agreement), Hess has paid the City One Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,800,000.00) to fund certain health and educational programs for the residents of the City (the Hess Payment); and
WHEREAS, the City is holding the Hess Payment in a Dedicated Escrow Account for the purposes set forth within the Settlement Agreement; and
WHEREAS, through the Settlement Agreement, the City allocated One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000.00) of the Hess Payment to fund programs including, but not limited to, boiler retrofit and/or replacement grants, traffic calming measures, street festivals, and the maintenance and upgrade of vacant lots; and
WHEREAS, the City has determined that it is appropriate to evenly allocate this One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000.00) portion of the Hess Payment between the North, South, and Central Wards; and
WHEREAS, attached hereto is the Sponsorship Letter from the Honorable Councilman Darrin Sharif, the Council Member representing the Central Ward, approving the use of the Central Ward's allocated portion of the Hess Payment for the purpose of funding a Redevelopment Grant to the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc. for the Central Ward Gardens Project.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY THAT:
- The Mayor and/or his designees, the Business Administrator and the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic & Housing Development are hereby authorized to enter into and execute on behalf of the City of Newark a Grant Agreement with the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc., 32 Prince Street, Newark, New Jersey 07103 in the form attached hereto in the amount of up to Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) to fund, administer and oversee the Central Ward Gardens Project. The contract period shall commence on the date that the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc., receives its Notice to Proceed until no later than twenty-four (24) months thereafter.
- A Certification of Funds from the Director of Finance of the City of Newark, which states that there are sufficient funds for the purpose set forth hereinabove and provides which line appropriation of the official budget shall be charged, has been obtained and attached hereto.
- Funds in the amount of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) will be released in the form of a drawdown to the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc., to implement the Central Ward Gardens Project.
- The total amount of said Grant Agreement shall not exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) and shall be paid from the Central Ward's allotted portion of the Hess Payment.
5. This Resolution and an executed copy of the Grant Agreement shall be filed with the Office of the City Clerk by the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic & Housing Development.
STATEMENT
This resolution hereby authorizes the Mayor and/or his designees, the Business Administrator and the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic & Housing Development to enter into and execute a Grant Agreement on behalf of the City with the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc., 32 Prince Street, Newark, New Jersey 07103 in the amount of up to Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) for the purpose of funding, administering and overseeing a project to clean and green twenty (20) City-owned properties (as identified by the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc. and approved by the City) and to convert them into community gardens (the Central Ward Gardens Project) with said redevelopment grant being paid out of the Central Ward's allotted portion of the Hess Payment. The period of redevelopment shall commence on the date that the Greater Newark Conservancy, Inc., receives its Notice to Proceed until no later than twenty-four (24) months thereafter.