TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF JULY 11, 2024
COMMITTEE ON STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Report on Stormwater Partnership Project Submittals (As Revised)
Body
Dear Sir:
Between November 1, 2023, and May 24, 2024, the District solicited shovel ready stormwater project proposals from municipalities, townships, and other governmental agencies for assistance through the District’s Stormwater Partnership Program.
A pre-application was required before submitting a full application to be considered for the Stormwater Partnership Program (SPP). The purpose of the pre-application was to create an opportunity to provide feedback to communities, so final applications were more compatible with the District’s partnership program.
Communities that submitted pre-applications before February 11, 2024, received feedback by April 1, 2024 to aid them in their submittal of full applications before the May 24, 2024 deadline. The full application provided applicants the opportunity to expand upon their pre-application responses in narrative format, present any technical analysis, and attach supporting documentation.
Notifications of the District’s solicitation for this program were sent to chief elected officials in each jurisdiction as well as agency and other government organization officials. The applications were posted on the District’s website in both webform and fillable electronic document formats. Additional outreach was made by the Engineering Department and the Environmental Justice Section to municipalities who had not previously applied to the SPP, and to Disproportionately Impacted Area communities. Informational webinars were also hosted by the District to explain the process of submitting a pre-application and full application. As a result of this solicitation, the District received 17 pre-applications, of which 14 full applications were submitted.
As noted in the District’s solicitation, the SPP is intended for communities that have identified a solution to address a flooding issue and have initiated engineering design. Applications for these projects can be submitted for District funding assistance to construct proposed stormwater improvements. For prioritized projects, the District will serve as a funding partner, and it is expected that the applicant would manage the design and construction of the project.
The Engineering Department reviewed each project application and prioritized the eligible projects based on factors including number of benefitted structures, frequency and extent of flooding, stormwater detention provided, separate or combined sewer service area, commitment to maintenance, and median income of the community. Attached to this report is a table summarizing the prioritization of the applications received.
The District will contact each of the applicants to notify them of the results of our review. Based on the attached prioritization of the projects and available funding for the SPP, authority to negotiate and enter into Intergovernmental Agreements will be sought from the Board of Commissioners. Applicants whose projects were not identified for partnership with the District will be provided feedback on their unsuccessful application and encouraged to submit proposals for consideration in future partnership opportunities.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, KMF:JK
Recommended, Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for July 11, 2024
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