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CITY OF LITTLE CANADA CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2020- ACCEPTING AND ALLOCATING CARES ACT FUNDING WHEREAS, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided federal funds to the State of Minnesota and the legislature and Governor thereby distributed these funds to local governments throughout Minnesota to deal with the financial impacts of COVID 19; and WHEREAS, the CARES funding requires a three-point test for utilization of the funds that they be: 1. Necessary expenditures for responding to COVID 19, 2. Not accounted for in the original budget process, 3. and incurred during the period of March 1, 2020 to November 15, 2020; and WHEREAS, guidance from the United States Treasury for State, Territorial, Local and Tribal Governments, outlined in their Frequently Asked Questions, most recently updated on September 2, 2020, indicated that local governments "may presume that payroll costs for the public health and public safety employees are payments for services substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency, unless the chief executive (equivalent) of the relevant government determines that specific circumstances indicate otherwise"; and WHEREAS, guidance from the Inspector General of the United States Treasury for State, Territorial, Local and Tribal Governments issued guidance updated on September 21, 2020, indicating that local" governments will not have demonstrate/substantiate that a public health or public safety employee’s function/duties were substantially dedicated to mitigating the emergency but must maintain records and documentation supporting payroll amounts reimbursed using CRF proceeds. As indicated in Treasury’s Guidance, as an administrative accommodation, governments may presume that public health and public safety employees meet the substantially dedicated test, unless the chief executive (or equivalent) of the relevant government determines that specific circumstances indicate otherwise.” and WHEREAS, League of Minnesota Cities and Metro Cities have worked in consultation with Minnesota Management and Budget's Minnesota COVID Response Accountability Office, and the Minnesota Department of Revenue to provide further direction on the use of CARES funding for regular police payroll and also indicated we may presume these regular payroll public safety expenses as being dedicated to a COVID-19 response; and WHEREAS, the City of Little Canada contracts with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department for police and public safety services. A portion of this contract are for payroll and benefit costs for the officers assigned to patrol activities, traffic enforcement activities, and crime prevention activities in the City of Little Canada. These duties are presumed to be sustainably dedicated to the COVID-19 health emergency. This modification of their operations, caused by the pandemic, was not accounted for in the city’s annual budget and was incurred between March 1 to November 15, 2020 and is therefore a reimbursable cost under the CARES Act. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The City Council recognizes a portion of regular payroll expenses from March 1, 2020 to November 15, 2020, consistent with Federal and State direction, be deemed reimbursable due to the public health emergency related to COVID 19. Adopted this 28th day of October, 2020 by the City Council of the City of Little Canada. By: ________________________________ John T. Keis, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Chris Heineman, City Administrator AYES: NAYS: DRAFT