DEPARTMENT: Parks
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Execute Joint Powers Agreements With Independent School District 199, And Inver Hills Community College For Interpretive And Wayfinding Installations And Programming Implementation Along the Unity Trail
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
• Authorize the execution of a joint powers agreement (JPA) with Inver Hills Community College for the installation and maintenance of interpretive and wayfinding elements for a portion of the Unity Trail.
• Authorize the execution of a JPA with Inver Hills Community College for programming to take place at Inver Hills Community College. This programming will raise awareness of the Unity Trail and its themes and activate the Trail.
• Authorize the execution of a JPA with Independent School District (ISD) 199 for programming to take place at ISD 199. This programming will raise awareness of the Unity Trail and its themes and activate the Trail.
SUMMARY
On April 19, 2022, the Dakota County Board accepted the 2021 Metropolitan Council Equity Grant through Resolution No. 22-170 for a project with the goal of reducing barriers and improving access to the Mississippi River Greenway through a collaborative, community-driven approach focused in Inver Grove Heights that will create new connections between the greenway and important community centers.
In the past two years since the project’s approval, it has progressed to approximately 60 percent completion. This included a robust public engagement phase that focused on engaging with students and youth as well as the broader community. This was followed by a project planning phase, which was conducted in close collaboration with the four project partners: Inver Hills Community College, ISD 199, Dakota County Library, and the City of Inver Grove Heights. The project has now reached the implementation phase, during which the interpretive and wayfinding installations will be designed, installed, and activated with programming intended to raise awareness and visitation of the trail, as well as connect the public to its interpretive themes.
These interpretive and wayfinding installations will create the Unity Trail, which will be a five-mile loop along the Mississippi River Greenway that, at seven different stops along the route, will highlight the contributions from Dakota County’s diverse community members and provide a space for educational activities. The vision of the Unity Trail is to honor and recognize the contributions of Indigenous, Black, and communities of color and emphasize the connection between racial equity, sustainability, and environmental conservation. It will connect community spaces, including the Mississippi River Greenway, libraries, schools, and Inver Hills Community College to reach new and underrepresented users.
During the project’s public engagement phase, community members expressed a strong interest in public art as the format for the installations, increased seating and gathering spaces, and themes that celebrate and honor the contributions of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Due to the interest in both public art and additional seating spaces, the proposed format for the installations is mosaic art benches, which depict the project’s themes, along with poetry inlays on the sidewalks near the installations to celebrate these themes and promote literacy and reading.
Outreach programming for the general public is being offered at the Inver Glen Library to activate the Unity Trail and connect people to its themes. Through the JPAs, this programming will also be made accessible to youth at ISD 199 and students at Inver Hills Community College.
Resolution No. 22-170 (April 19, 2022) authorized the Physical Development Director to execute a JPA with the City of Inver Grove Heights to accept a $15,000 cash contribution for the project as well as to execute additional JPAs with grant partners as necessary as partner responsibilities continue to be refined. To complete the implementation of this project, three more JPAs are needed for the following components of the project:
1. Design and installation of interpretive and wayfinding elements at Inver Hills Community College.
2. Student engagement program at Inver Hills Community College that consist of various arts and cultural programs intended to engage students with themes relating to the Unity Trail.
3. Youth engagement program at School District 199 that consists of various arts and cultural programs intended to engage youth with themes relating to the Unity Trail.
Budget:
The total project budget, including in-kind contributions, is $320,000; grant revenue is $160,000; Dakota County cash match contribution is $70,000; City of Inver Grove Heights cash contribution is $15,000; in-kind partner contributions are $55,000; and $20,000 of unspent State Health Improvement Partnership dollars was reallocated to supplement the bike programming.
Timeline:
The design and installation of the interpretive elements and wayfinding signage are scheduled for Spring 2025 - Spring 2026. The artist Request for Proposal (RFP) for the mosaic benches will be released following the completed JPAs. Inver Hills Library will lead the poetry contest for the trail poetry inlay. Wayfinding signage will be done in house, using Greenway signage standards.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends authorizing three additional JPAs to facilitate the completion of this project.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
There is no fiscal additional impact associated with these JPAs. All expenses as part of this project are included in the approved budget.
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
body
WHEREAS, the Dakota County Parks Visitor Services Plan directed staff to increase awareness of Dakota County Parks and its services across all communities, including current users, new users, and under-represented groups.; and
WHEREAS, the Unity Trail project includes the construction of seven interpretive and wayfinding nodes along a five-mile loop to create connections between the Mississippi Regional Greenway and important Community Centers; and
WHEREAS, the Unity Trail project will provide outreach programming at different locations to raise awareness of the Unity Trail and its themes and activate the Trail; and
WHEREAS, Dakota County and Inver Hills Community College are governmental units as that term is defined in Minn. Stat. § 471.59; and
WHEREAS, Minn. Stat. § 471.59 authorizes State and local governmental units to jointly or cooperatively exercise any power common to the contracting parties; and
WHEREAS, Inver Hills Community College has requested the County include as part of the Community Project certain interpretive signage and public art benches to be located along trail extensions from the Greenway on College property; and
WHEREAS, a joint powers agreement (JPA) with Inver Hills Community College to design and install interpretive signage and public art benches to be located along trail extensions from the Greenway on College property would enhance the trail by providing the public additional spaces for outdoor experiences and increased connections to the Unity Trail and the Mississippi River Greenway; and
WHEREAS, the County will be responsible for the design, solicitation, and purchasing of the wayfinding and interpretive signage for the Community Project using grant funding, and the College shall be responsible for designating appropriate locations for the installations, grant a license for the County to install, maintain, repair and replace the Community Project Improvements on College property, for a minimum period of ten years following installation of the Improvements, and provide basic maintenance for the Community Project Improvements and the Trails following installation; and
WHEREAS, Inver Hills Community College has requested the County make the Programs being offered at the Inver Glen Library available to its students due in part to the proximity of the Unity Trail to the College; and
WHEREAS, a JPA with Inver Hills Community College to provide student engagement programs consist of various arts and cultural programs intended to engage students with themes relating to the Unity Trail would increase awareness and visitation of the Unity Trail; and
WHEREAS, the County and School District No. 199 are governmental units as that term is defined in Minn. Stat. § 471.59; and
WHEREAS, Minn. Stat. § 471.59 authorizes local governmental units to jointly or cooperatively exercise any power common to the contracting parties; and
WHEREAS, School District No. 199 has requested the County make the Programs offered at the Inver Glen Library available to Simley High School students due in part to the proximity of the Unity Trail to the school; and
WHEREAS, a JPA with Independent School District No. 199 to provide youth engagement programs consisting of various arts and cultural programs intended to engage youth with themes relating to the Unity Trail would increase awareness and visitation of the Unity Trail; and
WHEREAS, there are sufficient funds to complete the project, and the total project budget, including in-kind contributions, is $320,000; grant revenue is $160,000, Dakota County cash match contribution is $70,000, City of Inver Grove Heights cash contribution is $15,000, in-kind partner contributions are $55,000; and $20,000 of unspent State Health Improvement Partnership dollars was reallocated to supplement the bike programming.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Physical Development Director, or their designee, to execute a joint powers agreement with Inver Hills Community College for the design and installation of wayfinding signage upon execution by both of the parties and shall continue in effect through June 30, 2026, or until completion by the parties of their respective obligations under this Agreement, whichever occurs first, unless earlier terminated by law or according to the provisions of this Agreement, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Physical Development Director or their designee to execute a joint powers agreement with Inver Hills Community College to provide a student engagement program that consists of various arts and cultural programs intended to engage students with themes relating to the Unity Trail that shall be effective upon execution by both of the parties and shall continue in effect through June 30, 2026, or until completion by the parties of their respective obligations under this Agreement, whichever occurs first, unless earlier terminated by law or according to the provisions of this Agreement, as substantially presented to the Physical Development Committee of the Whole on March 18 2025 and subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Physical Development Director to execute a joint powers agreement with School District No. 199 for the Unity Trail Youth Engagement Program that shall be effective upon execution by both of the parties and shall continue in effect through June 30, 2026, or until completion by the parties of their respective obligations under this Agreement, whichever occurs first, unless earlier terminated by law or according to the provisions of this Agreement, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
22-170 04/19/22
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: JPA Summaries
Attachment: Draft JPA Dakota County and Inver Hills Community College 1
Attachment: Draft JPA Dakota County and Inver Hills Community College 2
Attachment: JPA Dakota County and ISD 199
Attachment: Art and Wayfinding Signage Info Sheet
BOARD GOALS
☒ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Niki Geisler
Author: Anna Ferris