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CITY COUNCIL <br />WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />ITEM NO. 2 <br />STAFF ORIGINATOR: John Swenson, Public Safety Director <br />WORK SESSION DATE: January 2, 2024 <br />TOPIC: Minnesota Public Safety Aid <br />______________________________________________________________________________ <br />BACKGROUND <br />During the December 11, 2023 Regular Council meeting, Council requested an update on the <br />Public Safety Aid. <br />The 2023 Tax Omnibus bill approved by the Minnesota legislature provides $300 million in <br />December 2023 to townships, cities, counties, and tribal governments for public safety purposes. <br />The Minnesota Department of Public Safety must determine and notify each government entity <br />the amount of public safety aid the entity will receive by August 1, 2023. The funds must be <br />disbursed to the entities no later than December 26, 2023. <br />Based on the funding formula included in the legislation we anticipate that Lino Lakes will receive <br />approximately $929,294 in public safety aid. <br />Senator Gustafson, who was chief author of this legislation in the Senate, has previously provided <br />information on what this public safety aid can be used for. Here is that information: <br />•Money to provide public safety, including but not limited to community violence <br />prevention and intervention programs, community engagement, mental health crisis <br />responses, victim services, training programs, first responder wellness, or to pay other <br />personnel or equipment costs. <br />•Proceeds may not be used for employer contributions to the public employee’s police <br />and fire fund if the entity received police state aid in the year immediately prior, or any <br />costs associated with alleged wrongdoing or misconduct. <br />•Proceeds may not be used for the purchase of an armored or tactical vehicle <br />•Proceeds may not be used for the purchase of tear gas, chemical munitions, or <br />substantially similar items <br />•Proceeds may not be used for construction, reconstruction, remodeling, expansion, or <br />improvement of a police station, including related facilities. For purposes of this clause, <br />"related facilities" includes access roads, lighting, sidewalks, and utility components on <br />or adjacent to the property on which the police station is located that are necessary for <br />safe access to and use of the building. <br />31