TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Douglas J. Hewett, ICMA-CM, City Manager
FROM: Adam Lindsay, Assistant City Manager
Brook Redding, Special Project Manager
DATE: September 26, 2022
RE:
Title
Federal and State Advocacy Program Update
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
ALL
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
This item supports the City's Mission and Goals of the Council adopted Strategic Plan.
Executive Summary:
The City of Fayetteville engages with the federal and state government and pursues funding assistance for strategic focus areas identified through the City's adopted strategic plan. These efforts ensure the protection and preservation of essential community assets and resources, allowing the City to thrive. The Federal and State lobbyist programs created necessary extensions into our Federal and State representatives' offices, putting Fayetteville at the forefront of discussion for federal and state investments.
Background:
Annually, the Federal and State lobbyists help define Fayetteville's priorities and facilitate communication and coordination opportunities at the Federal and State level. The City of Fayetteville retained the services of Strategic Consulting, LLC as it's Federal Lobbyist and KTS Strategies LLC as its State Lobbyists. Both programs create annual action agendas developed from input from the Mayor, City Council, and staff members. Over the coming months, staff will coordinate with Strategic Consulting and KTS Strategies to meet with City Council and develop Fayetteville's federal and state action plans.
Issues/Analysis:
The Strategic Consulting team has worked diligently to represent the City of Fayetteville before the Representatives and Agencies of the Federal Government. The work accomplished by Strategic Consulting is a direct reflection of the priorities set by the City Council.
Summary of the Federal Lobby program actions since January 2022:
• Revised the Federal Action Plan for 2022 with City staff, presented to City Council, adopted by City Council
• Facilitated meetings, prepared talking points, attended and followed up with City Council members on Capital Hill during the National League of Cities in Washington, D.C.
• Provided Grants Alerts on all pending Notices of Funding Opportunity, webinars, toolkits, and other items to City Staff
• Supplied a Grants Annual Forecast updated twice a year with all competitive grants for Local governments
• Provided analysis of major funding bills, such as the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act
• Attended meetings of N.C. Military Affairs Commission (NC MAC) and reported developments of interest to the City
• Arranged for and participated in debriefings with the Federal Transit Administration to improve competitive grant applications. Also edited applications before submittal to enhance competitiveness and garnered congressional support for applications. Funds awarded include:
o $2,400,000 to fund battery-electric buses plus electric charging infrastructure and workforce development training.
o $2,895,734 was awarded for ARP Additional Assistance to help FAST provide essential transit services as the economic impact of COVID-19 lingered.
o $280,500 for Low-No Emissions bus funding for three dedicated propane small buses for the ADA para-transit (FASTTRAC) program to replace gasoline buses.
• Secured congressional letters of support for the City of Fayetteville's 2022 Community Violence Intervention Program application requesting $1,500,000 through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and communicated directly with BJA staff about the grant proposal and the related congressional support
• Connected City with grant writing firm and participated in weekly meetings on the application for Safe Streets and Roads for All competitive grant; reviewed application; handling all elements of congressional support.
The KTS Strategies team has worked diligently to represent the City of Fayetteville before the North Carolina General Assembly. The work accomplished by KTS Strategies is a direct reflection of the priorities set by the City Council.
Summary of the State Lobby program actions since January 2022:
• Assisted the City in receiving a $4.3M appropriation to the City for road safety and improvements.
• Assisted the City in receiving a $2.75M appropriation to the City for outdoor recreational needs.
• Assisted the City in receiving a complete restoration of the State Maintenance Assistance Program from the Department of Transportation.
• Building a working relationship with the Senate Transportation Chairman to address city DOT needs and issues
• Successfully working on unfreezing the stalemate brought on by DOT bureaucracy that has held up Phase II of the Veterans Park Project
• Briefing Executive Branch Members on Homeless encampments throughout the City and their partnership in seeking relief and supporting the comprehensive plan set out by City Officials
Budget Impact:
The contract for services with Strategic Consulting has an annual expense of $65,000. The contract expires in June of 2023, when staff will work with Strategic Consulting to renew. Staff is currently in the renewal process for the contract for services with KTS Strategies which also has an annual expense of $65,000.
Options:
None
Recommended Action:
None
Attachments:
None