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4.g) Staff Report-Update on Safe Routes to School Grant Application � ` �� � ,..� �`^��J J SCANDIA Staff Report Date of Meeting: February 12, 2013 To: City Council From: Kristina Handt, Administrator Re: Update on SRTS Agenda Item#: 4.g) Background: At the December 18, 2012 meeting,the City Council approved having Cathy Mackiewicz, Washington County Public Health and Environment facilitate a community meeting for preparation of a Safe Routes to School grant application. A small group of individuals (Cathy, Sue Rodjso, Alex Bildeaux, Julie Greiman and I) met on January 2, 2013 to begin planning the meeting. We talked about holding a public meeting in March and planned to begin discussions in preparation for an application for a planning grant in 2014 or later. There may have been some confusion at the December 18, 2012 meeting in that Washington County would help facilitate a meeting of key stakeholders but it is not their role to promote specific proposals in communities. Also, following that meeting, I learned that the school's resources are being utilized by their application to become an International Baccalaureate World School. They are in the throes of that process this year and next and really need to focus their attention on that journey now. Unfortunately, the vast majority of their students do live a number of miles from school, so a "safe route" gant would be unique in its scope. Issue: Given that Washington County cannot help facilitate a community wide public meeting and the school's resources are committed to other programs at this time, does the City Council still want to pursue a Safe Routes to School grant? Options: 1) Do not pursue a Safe Routes to School grant at this time. 2) Direct city staff to facilitate a community wide public meeting to gather more public input on a possible Safe Routes to School grant. Recommendation: Option 1. Staff recommendation in December to pursue this was contingent upon assistance from community partners.