Purpose

• This bill allocates funds for public infrastructure in the city of Cook and authorizes the sale and issuance of state bonds to cover those costs. The money comes from the bond proceeds fund and is intended to support capital improvements in Cook through grants administered by the Public Facilities Authority.

Main provisions

• Subdivision 1 – Appropriations:
  • An amount of 3,700,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to the Public Facilities Authority for one or more grants to the city of Cook for capital improvements.
  • Breakouts within the appropriation:
  • 1,500,000 to predesign, design, engineer, and construct improvements to the city’s inflow and infiltration collection system and to rehabilitate the wastewater treatment pond system.
  • 2,200,000 to predesign, design, engineer, and construct water and sewer line infrastructure associated with the city’s North Business Park looping project.
  • Any unspent portion of this appropriation remaining after completion of a project, with written notice to the commissioner of management and budget, is available for the purposes of this subdivision.
• Subdivision 2 – Bond sale:
  • The commissioner of management and budget must sell and issue bonds of the state up to 3,700,000 to fund the appropriation, using the procedures and effects described in Minnesota statutes sections 16A.631 to 16A.675 and Minnesota Constitution article XI, sections 4 to 7.

How it would operate

• The Public Facilities Authority would administer grants to Cook for specified capital improvements.
• Projects include wastewater system improvements (inflow/infiltration) and rehabilitation, and water/sewer infrastructure for the North Business Park looping project.
• The money is financed by state bonds issued by the state, following established legal procedures.

Oversight and compliance

• Bond issuance must follow the referenced Minnesota statutes and constitutional provisions.
• Written notice to the commissioner of management and budget is required if any portion of the funds remains unspent after project completion.

Significance

• This is a targeted capital investment to upgrade Cook’s water, sewer, and wastewater infrastructure and support economic activity around the North Business Park, using bond financing.

Relevant terms

bond proceeds fund, Public Facilities Authority, city of Cook, inflow and infiltration collection system, wastewater treatment pond system, water and sewer line infrastructure, North Business Park looping project, predesign, design, engineer, construct, unspent portion, commissioner of management and budget, bonds, Minnesota Statutes 16A.631 to 16A.675, Minnesota Constitution article XI sections 4 to 7