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Keene council adopts procurement rules needed to qualify for CDBG-MIT Resilient Communities grant
Summary
The Keene City Council unanimously adopted a resolution updating procurement policies required by the General Land Office to submit an application for the CDBG-MIT Resilient Communities Program, a grant the city says would fund a new comprehensive plan and related studies if awarded.
Keene — The City Council on April 15 unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2025-270, updating the city’s procurement policies and procedures for federal grants so Keene can move forward with an application to the General Land Office’s CDBG-MIT Resilient Communities Program.
City staff said the change is a narrowly targeted update to procurement rules required by the General Land Office to be eligible for the mitigation grant. The program, if awarded, would fund a new comprehensive plan and associated community engagement and technical studies.
The staff presenter told the council that the city’s existing financial policy is sufficient for most purposes but that “this 1 section on procurement when awarded federal grant funds was not quite up to par according to the general land office who is offering this grant. And so, to be able to be awarded this grant, we would need to adopt this policy into our financial, our full financial policies.” The presenter noted the city’s grant manager, Dalton Aiken, was out ill and that the document had been reviewed by the city attorney.
Council members asked whether the grant would impose any costs on the city or residents. Staff replied that the resilient communities grant would cover the work described — community meetings, planning, traffic studies and other studies needed to update the comprehensive plan — and that there would be no local match required for this grant as drafted. The presenter said the grant administrator would budget facility rental, facilitator fees and studies before any funds were spent.
Councilmember Foster moved to adopt Resolution No. 2025-270 as presented; the motion was seconded and carried by unanimous voice/hand vote. The text adopted was attached as Exhibit A to the resolution.
If awarded, staff said the grant would be used to facilitate public outreach and to pay for planning and technical studies needed to update Keene’s comprehensive plan, which staff said had not been updated in nearly a decade. The council did not make additional policy changes beyond adopting the procurement exhibit required to remain eligible for the program.
Next steps: with the procurement policy adopted, city staff may finalize and submit the CDBG-MIT Resilient Communities application and work with the grant administrator if Keene is awarded funds.
