The April 20th City Council meeting brought significant action for the National Disaster Resiliency (NDR) program. The Council voted not to proceed with the proposed downtown gathering space and instead repurpose those funds for the completion of the downtown Center for Technical Education as well as the relocation of City Hall.
Center for Technical Education (CTE)
The Center for Technical Education (CTE) is a part of the NDR action plan to foster economic resilience and diversification. The focus is to facilitate a Center for Technical Education in Minot with laboratory and classroom space, a computer center, offices, and study areas by September 2021. Minot State University and Dakota College at Bottineau will provide programming and management for the CTE. MSU and Dakota College will work with schools to develop post-secondary training options for targeted career programs. Discussions on initial programming have centered around courses in hospitality, computer related fields and training for Certified Nursing Assistants.
The CTE Committee which is leading this initiative is a combined effort with leadership from Minot State University, Dakota College at Bottineau, the City of Minot, Trinity Health and Minot Public Schools. The Committee is currently in discussions with Trinity Health about a downtown building for the CTE location.
Locating CTE in downtown will also contribute to sustaining economic growth by drawing both faculty and students as potential consumers to support the downtown businesses as well as demonstrate the City’s commitment to strategically deploying federal grant funds as investments in the downtown.
The original plan earmarked $1.54 million in National Disaster Resiliency funds for the CTE project. The City Council voted to add an additional $2 million in funding which would meet the estimated needs for completion of the project. The completion of a CTE will bring Minot in line with other larger communities like Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks which all currently have similar facilities.
City Hall
A decision was also made by the City Council on the path forward for the Minot City Hall. The Council voted to relocate City Hall rather than trying to add on to the existing facility. The Wells
Fargo building located at 100 S. Broadway was selected as the city’s choice for the relocation of City Hall. The next step in the process will be an environmental review of the Wells Fargo building.
By moving funding from the gathering space to the purchase and rehabilitation of the Wells Fargo building, the cost to Minot taxpayers dropped below $100 per square foot. In comparison, an addition to the current City Hall location was estimated at approximately $300 per square foot.
These changes to the action plan will require approval of a substantial amendment to Minot’s National Disaster Recovery action plan, in order to move forward. The substantial amendment for which there will be a 15-day public comment period will be submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for approval, and a new benefit-cost analysis will be completed by the city for use of the federal funds as required by HUD rules.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Acquisition Program
• Overall, the City of Minot has acquired 146 properties to date: 80 properties using NDR-CDBG funds and 66 properties using State Water Commission Funds; 7 properties included in the 80 NDR properties were partially funded with State Water Commission funds. These properties are needed for on-going or upcoming flood mitigation projects.
• The City has demolished 126 properties in the first three buyout areas. The 2019 Rounds 2 and 3 Structure Demolition and Site Restoration projects have been completed and the 2019 Round 4 project is slated to be completed in summer 2020. Advertisement for the 2020 Round 1 Structure Demolition and Site Restoration project has begun.
• The City’s structure and salvage auctions continue, and all sales generate program income which will be fed directly back into acquisition program future purchases.
Affordable Housing
• 73 people have applied to the Resilient Homebuyer Program: 38 remain in the process of review and eligibility verification through a lender of their choice, 28 applied but were not eligible or withdrew, and seven have closed to date. The program continues accepting applications.
• After executing an architectural services contract in February with EAPC for the Milton Young Towers resiliency project, the Minot Housing Authority (MHA) is close to completing the plans and specs for the rehabilitation project.
• The Blu on Broadway mixed-use affordable rental housing facility will provide 42 rental units built above a ground-level commercial space; the City received the Authority to Use Grant Funds (AUGF) on April 15, which keeps the likely construction start date on target for the summer/fall 2020.
• The City entered into a sub-recipient agreement with Essential Living to build 22 affordable housing units, which will be known as Park South II. The Disaster Recovery Office is providing technical assistance on HUD’s NDR regulations.
• The City entered into a sub-recipient agreement with Lutheran Social Services Housing, Inc. to build 17 units of multi-family affordable rental housing; the future site for the affordable housing project was acquired in early January. The Disaster Recovery Office is providing technical assistance to LSS to draft an RFQ for Architecture and Engineering services.
• The Minot Area Community Land Trust’s single-family affordable housing activity is anticipated to begin in spring 2020; the Disaster Recovery Office is working with the trust to provide technical assistance on HUD’s NDR regulations.
Family Shelter
• The City entered into a sub-recipient agreement with Lutheran Social Services Housing, Inc. to create a 6-unit family shelter; the future site for the family homeless shelter was acquired in January. The Disaster Recovery Office is providing technical assistance to LSS to draft an RFQ for Architecture and Engineering services.
Downtown Gathering Place
• At the April 20th meeting, Council decided to defund the Downtown Gathering Place activity. The activity’s funds will be moved to the City Hall and Center for Technical Education activities, pending approval of a substantial amendment to the NDR action plan.
City Hall
• Following the March 9th walk-thru of two possible buildings for a new City Hall location in downtown Minot, Council agreed to pursue the Wells Fargo building at the April 20th meeting.
Center for Technical Education
• The Committee is currently in discussions with Trinity Health about a downtown building for the CTE location.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Reduce Flood Risk/ Improve Water Management
A. Buyouts / Acquisitions / Demolitions / Relocations
