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Keene council adopts procurement policy to qualify for CDBG-MIT Resilient Communities grant
Summary
At a special April 15 meeting, the Keene City Council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2025-270 to add federal-grant-specific procurement procedures so the city can remain eligible for the CDBG-MIT Resilient Communities grant application.
The Keene City Council on April 15 unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2025-270 to incorporate procurement policies and procedures required for federal grants, a step city staff said is needed for the city to remain eligible for the CDBG-MIT Resilient Communities Program application.
City staff said the procurement language applies only to purchases and contracting that would be paid with federal grant funds and does not change the city’s routine operating procurement rules. "This one is focusing specifically on how we get bids, call for request for proposals, bids, and such that pertain specifically to using those federally grant funds," a staff member said during the special meeting.
The staff representative told the council that Dalton Aiken, the city’s grant manager, was out ill and could not attend. The staff member said the proposed procurement language was reviewed by the city attorney and that the amendment is necessary because the General Land Office — the state agency administering the resilient-communities funding — requires the added procurement provisions before it will finalize an award.
Councilmembers asked how the policy differs from the city’s existing financial policy and whether adopting it would impose obligations on regular operating funds. The staff member replied that the change governs only federally funded expenditures related to the grant application, not the city’s general operating budget.
Councilmember Foster moved to adopt Resolution No. 2025-270 as presented; Councilmember Easley seconded. Mayor (name on file) called for a voice vote; the motion carried unanimously.
The staff presentation described the grant as funding community outreach, planning and studies that would support an updated comprehensive plan, including traffic studies and meeting facilitation, if Keene is awarded funds. The staff member said the grant is intended to cover costs such as facilitator fees and facility rental for public meetings and that there would be no local match required under the resilient-communities offering as described to council.
The council’s action was limited to adopting the procurement language into the city’s financial policies so the application can proceed; no award decision has been made by the General Land Office. City staff said they will continue to coordinate with the grant administrator and the city attorney as the application progresses.
Council members did not identify a timeline for public meetings or the comprehensive-plan update beyond noting the purpose of the grant would be to support community engagement and consultant-led studies if the award is received.
