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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
TO PROVIDE ARPA FUNDS TO SUPPORT BUILD UP COOK PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ASSET MANAGEMENT
WHEREAS, on March 11, 2021, the federal government authorized the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) which includes $1.9 trillion in federal stimulus funds to hasten the United States’ recovery from the economic and health effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, specifically, the federal government has authorized and allocated a federal award of approximately $1,000,372,385B of ARPA funding to Cook County to assist the County in its recovery from the economic and health effects of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, on June 24, 2021, the Cook County American Rescue Plan Act Framework (the “ARPA Framework”) was presented to the Cook County Board of Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners via Resolution 21-3654 accepted the ARPA federal award allocated to Cook County to assist the County in its recovery from the economic and health effects of COVID-19 in the amount of approximately $1,000,372,385.00; and
WHEREAS, Resolution 21-3654 further authorized the Cook County Budget Director and Comptroller to create and implement a Special Purpose Fund for the ARPA award and other accounting measures to track the acceptance and spending of the federal award; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners authorized the Chief Financial Officer, Budget Director, Chief Procurement Officer and applicable using agencies to issue grants, contracts, and agreements for ARPA programs approved via Resolutions 22-3657 and 22-0637; and
WHEREAS, to further the Policy Roadmap Goals, the Bureau of Asset Management developed a menu of programs and initiatives which received approval through the Project Management Office process to utilize ARPA funding for various Build Up Cook (NT-099) initiatives; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners’ initial financial commitment to Build Up Cook was $20,000,000.00 in ARPA Revenue Loss funding; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners committed an additional $2,000,000.00 in funding to address a specific drinking water emergency facing the City of Harvey and the Board of Commissioners approved Intergovernmental Agreement 23-5676 initiating that work; and
WHEREAS, pending approval the Board of Commissioners will approve an additional transfer of $8,500,000.00 from the Vital Communities Pillar to the Connected (formerly Smart) Communities Pillar to support to support Build Up Cook water capital projects; and
WHEREAS, Build Up Cook is a program of the Bureau of Asset Management that builds municipal capacity to address capital improvement and infrastructure needs through consulting, professional development, engineering, and construction; and
WHEREAS, Build Up Cook is prioritizing support for up to 25 under-resourced municipalities as identified using the 2023 Equitable Allocation Model, past County infrastructure investment, and geographic data. These municipalities include Bellwood, Blue Island, Broadview, Burnham, Calumet City, Calumet Park, Chicago Heights, Cicero, Dixmoor, Ford Heights, Harvey, Hometown, Lynwood, Markham, Maywood, Park Forest, Phoenix, Posen, Riverdale, Robbins, Sauk Village, South Chicago Heights, Richton Park, Stickney, Stone Park, and Summit; and
WHEREAS, the Build Up Cook Program of the Bureau of Asset Management may also provide technical, managerial, professional, construction, and environmental assistance as necessary for the communities to obtain funding, professional services, construction services, and other services necessary to develop plans, designs, and implement programs all in compliance with ARPA funding; and
WHEREAS, the Build Up Cook Program of the Bureau of Asset Management drafted an Intergovernmental Agreement to be executed by under-resourced communities which was reviewed by the State’s Attorney Office of Cook County as to form and legality; and
WHEREAS, the Build Up Cook Program of the Bureau of Asset Management has or will inform each under-resourced community that they have been identified to participate in the Build-Up Cook Program; and
WHEREAS, Cook County, by virtue of its powers as set forth in the Counties Code, 55 ILCS 5/1-1 et seq .is authorized to enter into intergovernmental agreements; and
WHEREAS, this Intergovernmental Agreement is further authorized under Article VII, Section 10 of the Illinois Constitution and by the provisions of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, 5 ILCS 220/1 et seq.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby approves the issuance of the various Intergovernmental Agreements in the total amount of $17,679,686.00, to provide technical, managerial, professional, construction, and environmental assistance as necessary for the identified communities to obtain funding, professional services, construction services, and other services necessary to develop plans, designs, and implement programs in compliance with ARPA funding; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners recognizes that time is of the essence and authorizes the Director of the Build Up Cook Program of the Bureau of Asset Management to enter into Intergovernmental Agreements in substantially the same form as that of Exhibit A for projects with the under-resourced communities identified on Exhibit B; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Director of the Build Up Cook Program of the Bureau of Asset Management or its designee to modify the agreements and funding allocations to the Build Up Cook Program selected communities based upon need and utilization; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Build Up Cook Director shall issue a report on the impact of these investments and the status of projects authorized through this resolution.
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