Duluth City Council approves 22 items on consent agenda

The Duluth City Council met Monday night and approved 22 items on the consent agenda, including an agreement to develop housing for those experiencing homelessness. 

“What’s really great about this model is that One Roof is taking on in the name of ‘Plover Place,’ and we’re investing $1.6 million as a city through the Duluth Economic Development Authority,” explained Duluth District 2 Councilor Mike Mayou. “St. Louis County is also matching that same amount towards this project, and this is coming from our American Rescue Plan funds.”

The plan includes 24 single units with a bathroom and shared communal living spaces. 

“When you talk about this kind of model of housing in our community, this is really something that’s fairly new and really a big step for Duluth in particular, because it’s supportive housing that has in-house support for all of the different things that people might need to be able to access jobs and get mental health supports and all of those resources that folks need is on site and kind of a communal living space that everyone can support each other.”

In addition to investing in our community, the City Council approved the Duluth Production Incentive Program for the growing local film industry. 

“These types of incentives have a direct local economic impact. They’re designed to be rebates on money that’s already spent in the community,” said Catalyst Story Institute CEO and Executive Director Philip Gilpin Jr. “So the way it works is a production comes into town, spends however many dollars they spend, and then they can apply to have some of that money that they spent on local people and vendors rebated back to them. So it actually requires the production to spend the money first.” 

Duluth District 3 City Councillor Roz Randorf supports the competitive ability brought by the incentive. 

“It was really important for the city of Duluth to jump on this because it’ll happen around us. If we don’t, it’ll happen in Cloquet. It’s going to happen, you know, up in the region, but we’ll miss out,” said Randorf. “So it was really important for Duluth to step up and to say, yes, we have an incentive as well.”

Minnesota and St. Louis County both have incentives for the film industry. These incentives are all stackable, so productions can receive money from the state, county, and city level. 

“Because they’re stackable, they can get a lot of money back doing productions here. But because we lack some infrastructure here, they’re going to have to bring in people from the outside,” explained Upper Midwest Film Office Board President David Stoke. “So as much money as they can save. Shooting here in Duluth, the better. Because where we are right now in this very early stage of the industry, they need all the help they can get.”

The full list of items on the consent agenda is as follows:

• Resolution confirming assessment roll for Decker Road reconstruction.
• Resolution authorizing the purchase of continued annual software maintenance, support services, and user licensing for the Enterprise Level Laserfiche document management system from Cities Digital Inc. for an estimated annual amount of $55,000.
• Resolution approving issuance of a temporary on sale intoxicating liquor license to various licensees.
• Resolution confirming appointments to City of Duluth Boards and Commissions.
• Resolution authorizing the City Council to approve a pay equity implementation report.
• Resolution approving DEDA resolution 23D-06 authorizing an agreement with Ehlers and Associates, inc. for 2023-2025 financial consulting in a yearly amount of $75,000.
• Resolution approving a ten-year development agreement between the Duluth Economic Development Authority and Plover Place, LLC for construction of the new model of housing for homeless not to exceed $1,600,000.
• Resolution authorizing development agreement with Harborview Phase V, LLC and transfer of up to $300,000 to the Duluth Economic Development Authority for assistance to the affordable Skyridge Flats project.
• Resolution approving the Duluth Production Incentive Program to incentivize visual media production in Duluth, establishing program guidelines for the program and authorizing agreement with Upper Midwest Film Office for program administrative services.
• Resolution vacating all of platted 5th Avenue West (known as 60th Avenie West) except the north 30 feet.
• Resolution approving agreement with the Duluth Economic Development Authority for sub grant to Alhambra Theatre in the amount of $150,000.
• Resolution authorizing an amendment to contract L 30048 with business communication solutions for mailing services and postage for an additional year of service in the amount of $198,000.
• Resolution authorizing a snow removal agreement with Birchwood Apartments of Duluth Developer, LLC, and CCHC Mental Health, LLC.
• Resolution accepting and exercising street easements from the Birchwood Apartments of Duluth Developer, LLC, and CCHC Mental Health, LLC.
• Resolution authorizing a five-year master services agreement with SRF Consulting Group, Inc. for professional traffic engineering services for an estimated annual amount of $50,000 and a total contract amount not to exceed $250,000.
• Resolution authorizing a five-year master services agreement with TKDA for professional survey and field data collection services for an estimated annual amount of $50,000 and a total contract amount not to exceed $250,000.
• Resolution authorizing an agreement with Barr Engineering Co. for engineering services for the Irving Park Bio-Filtration Basin Project in Irving Park, Duluth in the amount of $94,335.
• Resolution authorizing application for and, if offered, acceptance of a grant from the United States Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) for improvements to the Aerial Lift Bridge.
• Resolution authorizing the purchase of self-contained breathing apparatus from Clarey’s Safety Equipment in the amount of $321,043.04.
• Resolution authorizing proper city officials to accept a grant from and execute a grant agreement with the state of Minnesota in the amount of $380,448, to be reimbursed by the state.
• Resolution authorizing an agreement with the Library Foundation to utilize office space and telecommunication services at the city’s main library.
• Resolution authorizing an agreement with the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Authority to produce, coordinate, and manage events at Bayfront Festival Park in 2023 for $71,292.