REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: GEORGEANNE A. WHITE, City Manager Office of the Mayor & City Manager BY: SANTINO DANISI, City Controller/Finance Director Finance Department BRANDON SISK, Business Manager Grants Management Unit SUBJECT ..Title Actions pertaining to the 2023 State Earmark General Fund Pass Through Grant through the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA): 1. ***RESOLUTION - Accepting State General Fund grant funds for Radio Bilingue to purchase property, complete entitlement and permitting processes, purchase equipment and complete design work for a new 9,000 sq. ft headquarters and broadcast facility and authorize the City Manager or designee to sign all necessary implementing documents. (Subject to Mayor's Veto). ..Body RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends that Council accept a $2,000,000 grant award through CNRA; approve the resolution accepting the funding; and authorize the City Manager and designee to execute all related documents for the administration, modification, monitoring and closeout of the 2023 State Earmark General Fund pass through grant and Subrecipient Agreement. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Fresno will act as a pass-through administrator of a California Natural Resources Agency grant to enable Radio Bilingue to initiate development of its new radio headquarters and broadcast facility. BACKGROUND On July 10, 2023, the State of California passed the Budget Act of 2023 (Chapters 12, 38, and 189, Statutes of 2023). Included in the Budget Act was a directive to the State of California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to administer a $2 million grant to the City of Fresno to pass through to Radio Bilingue to develop a new radio headquarters and broadcast facility at 450 Belmont Avenue in South Fresno. The grant funds are intended to initiate the first phase of development of these facilities. Included in the first phase of this project are the following elements: * Project management * Entitlement and permitting fees required for construction of a 9,000 square foot broadcast facility * Design and engineering fees to include architectural, structural, civil, electrical, mechanical and landscape * Environmental remediation and structural improvements - including cleaning existing asbestos, PCBs, lead and mold, and structurally retrofitting two walls of an historic building for seismic safety requirements * Purchasing a 120-foot transmission tower (approximate height) and back-up power generator The resolutions provided authorize the City Manager, or designee, to take all actions and sign all documents necessary to accept and administer the grant funds. After acceptance of the grant award from CNRA to the City, an advance of 90 percent of the award ($1,980,000) will be made for Radio Bilingue upon execution of a Subrecipient Agreement. The Subrecipient Agreement will be brought to City Council for approval at a later date after the appropriate environmental reviews, land use approvals, and other relevant permits have been obtained. The remaining 10 percent of the award ($20,000) will be reimbursed to the City upon completion of the project. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS This Project is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) at this time. Staff will bring forth an environmental assessment at a later date. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference is not applicable because of the use of State funding. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact to the department as the California Natural Resources Agency will advance and reimburse funds directed to Radio Bilingue.