Item Description:
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Neg grant agmts for aquatic invasive species prevention projects, various periods, total combined NTE $60,156
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate the following grant agreements to provide funding for aquatic invasive species prevention projects during a one-year period beginning on the date of execution:
• PR00007109 with Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, with the amount not to exceed $12,500
• PR00007107 with Bolton & Menk Inc, with the amount not to exceed $19,135
• PR00007111 with Bolton & Menk Inc, with the amount not to exceed $28,521
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign the agreements on behalf of the county; that the County Administrator be authorized to approve one 12-month extension of the agreements; that costs incurred by the grantees after the board approval date be eligible for reimbursement upon execution of the agreements; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
Aquatic invasive species (AIS), such as zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil, threaten natural resources and can cause economic, environmental, and human health risks. Lakes and other water resources throughout the county have been negatively affected by AIS or are highly vulnerable to the introduction of new AIS. Preventing the introduction of new infestations is the foremost strategy because often no remedy is available and effective after AIS becomes established in a water body.
The State of Minnesota started allocating funding to counties in 2014 to prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS. Counties may use the funding for their own projects and programs or may provide funding to other entities in the county.
The Hennepin County Board designated oversight of the AIS Prevention Aid program to the County Administrator and delegated to the County Administrator the responsibility to prepare and implement guidelines for use of aid received for the prevention of AIS (Resolution 14-0438). Since 2014, the county has received a total of $3,298,501 in AIS Prevention Aid funding.
In the fall 2024, the county released its tenth request for project proposals that prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS. Local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and academic institutions were eligible to apply.
The request for proposals was promoted through lake associations, cities, watersheds, and other natural resource partners, email lists, and Hennepin County’s e-newsletter Green Notes. The county received 20 project proposals requesting a total of $387,976.
The requests were reviewed and rated by a five-member panel consisting of both internal and external staff and AIS professionals, including one member from the University of Minnesota Invasive Species Research Center and one member from the Coon Creek Watershed District. Eight projects recommended for grant awards focus on preventing the spread of AIS with reasonable and measurable outcomes. Successful applicants described the need for the funding and demonstrated the capacity and commitment to implement the proposed projects and comply with grant administration requirements.
Board approval for the following three agreements is required because the county has agreements with these organizations that exceed $100,000.
• PR00007109 with Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board with the amount not to exceed $12,500, for funding replacement of an AIS informational kiosk at Lake Nokomis or Lake Harriet public access. These are popular lakes for sailing, fishing, recreational boating, and pedestrian traffic. Using lessons learned from over a decade of AIS inspections, the kiosks are designed to enhance the engagement and education of park patrons on AIS and self-inspection practices. The Park Board expects to engage 5,500 patrons and conduct 2,500 inspections annually through these kiosks.
• PR00007107 and PR00007111 with Bolton & Menk, Inc. The first project, with the amount not to exceed $19,135, will focus on AIS survey training, technical assistance, and early detection work empowering lake groups and residents throughout the county with training to conduct their own lake surveys alongside a professional limnologist. The second project, with the amount not to exceed $28,521, is a boater observational study conducted when access inspectors are not present at Grays Bay access on Lake Minnetonka. Observations will provide insights into how the public complies with AIS prevention actions and interacts with the access re-design features/tools.
In addition to the agreements approved by the county board, the following five grants will be approved through administrative process:
• PR00007106 with Waterfront Restoration, LLC, with the amount not to exceed $28,593. This project will provide Watercraft Ambassadors on public boat accesses in and around Lake Minnetonka, targeting accesses with low rates of self-inspection, including Long Lake and Cooks Bay on Lake Minnetonka. Other targeted areas include Surfside Park, Halstads Bay, Carsons Bay, and Spring Park Bay on Lake Minnetonka.
• PR00007108 with WaterGuards LLC, with the amount not to exceed $23,400. This is a watercraft inspection program spread throughout the county that also focuses on education and encouraging boaters to take the right actions to prevent AIS introduction. These inspections are randomly conducted from Minnesota’s Fishing Opener to Labor Day and focus on accesses without a watercraft inspection program or at times when inspectors are not typically present.
• PR00007110 with Lake Minnetonka Association, with the amount not to exceed $5,000. The Lake Minnetonka Association will oversee the survey of a two-acre or larger area spread around 16 public and private accesses on Lake Minnetonka, focusing on any early detection of starry stonewort.
• PR00007112 with Fish Lake Area Residents Association, with the amount not to exceed $5,000. The Association will provide watercraft inspections in May and September at the Fish Lake public access during periods when the existing programs have minimal coverage.
• PR00007186 with Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, with the amount not to exceed $10,260. An emerging invasive species, Brittle Naiad, now identified in five county lakes, is potentially at a critical point of spread. The watershed district will partner with the City of Minnetonka to develop a vegetation management plan for Shady Oak Lake and treat the Brittle Naiad to reduce its abundance. Educational signage on the work will also be included.
Current Request: This request is to authorize the County Administrator to negotiate three agreements to provide funding for aquatic invasive species prevention projects with the following organizations:
• PR00007109 with Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, with the amount not to exceed $12,500
• PR00007107 with Bolton & Menk Inc, with the amount not to exceed $19,135
• PR00007111 with Bolton & Menk Inc, with the amount not to exceed $28,521
The request is also for the authorization to approve one 12-month extension of the agreements and to reimburse costs incurred by the grantees after the board approval date and upon execution of the grant agreements.
Impact/Outcomes: The recommended projects will prevent and slow the spread of AIS by supporting early detection, rapid response, education, access re-design, watercraft inspection, and pathway analysis. The grantees will be required to collect data and submit final reports specific to each project’s goals. The information and results from these projects will be used by county staff and shared with other water resource professionals to support and develop future AIS prevention work.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval