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A resolution accepting the recommendations of the COVID-19 Financial Oversight Committee amending RS2020-394 to expand the permitted use of funds thereby allowing Metro Nashville Public Schools to use CARES Act funds for student and teacher laptop computers, hotspots, and Pre-K through Grade 12 virtual curriculum for students and school supplies for learning at home.
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WHEREAS, Metro Council previously approved RS2020-394, in part, to designate use of $24,000,000.00 of federal CARES funds for Metro Nashville Public Schools to purchase student laptop computers and hot spots; and,
WHEREAS, subsequent to the approval of RS2020-394, Metro Nashville Public Schools was awarded grant funding of $10,724,182.53 from the State of Tennessee, including $7,226,062.53 for student laptop computers and $3,498,120.00 for hot spots and connectivity resources; and,
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 Financial Oversight Committee (“the Committee”) recognizes that this supplemental state funding has created an over allocation for those items specifically approved in RS2020-394, and,
WHEREAS, MNPS has informed the Committee that MNPS has paid for additional and immediate needs related to COVID-19 from other sources of state and federal funding, including expansion of uses to include additional student and teacher laptop computers, hotspots, and Pre-K through Grade 12 virtual curriculum for students and school supplies for learning at home; and,
WHEREAS, the Committee recognizes that these needs represent additional eligible expenses; and,
WHEREAS, the Committee has considered additional needs of MNPS related to the COVID-19 pandemic as presented by MNPS in a new special revenue reserve fund to be addressed by concurrent resolution; and,
WHEREAS, the Committee anticipates designating any CARES funds not allocated by December 30, 2020, back to Metro Finance to be used to offset CARES-reimbursable costs incurred by the Metropolitan Government, thereby ensuring that no funds are returned to the federal government.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1: The Metropolitan Council amends Section 5 of RS2020-394 to allocate $19,000,000.00 in funds provided to Metro Nashville Public Schools from Primary Expenditure Account #80902020.503190 to be used for student and teacher laptop computers, hot spots, and Pre-K through Grade 12 virtual curriculum for students and school supplies for learning at home.
Section 2: The Metropolitan Council directs that any of the above funds that have not been disbursed by Metro Nashville Public Schools by December 28, 2020, shall be immediately returned to Metro Finance to be used to offset CARES-reimbursable costs incurred by the Metropolitan Government, thereby ensuring that no funds are returned to the federal government.
Section 3: That this resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.
Agenda Analysis
Analysis
This resolution amends Resolution No. RS2020-394 to expand the permitted use of funds to include student and teacher laptop computers, hotspots, and Pre-K through Grade 12 virtual curriculum for students and school supplies for learning at home.
The Council approved and accepted a Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) grant from the U.S. Department of the Treasury in an amount not to exceed $121,122,775 via Resolution No. RS2020-318, as amended. In June 2020, the Council approved Resolution No. RS2020-394 to allocate $24,000,000 of the CRF funds for MNPS laptops and hotspots. Subsequent to the approval of RS2020-394, the state awarded MNPS $10,724,182.53, including $7,226,062.53 for student laptop computers and $3,498,120.00 for hot spots and connectivity resources grant funding to cover a portion of the cost of the laptops and hotspots, which has freed up funds that can be reallocated for other MNPS COVID-19-related needs. Specifically, MNPS would like to expand the use of funds to include additional student and teacher laptop computers, hotspots, and Pre-K through Grade 12 virtual curriculum for students and school supplies for learning at home. Any funds that have not been spent by MNPS by December 28, 2020, will be returned to the Metro Finance Department to be used to offset CARES-reimbursable costs incurred by Metro.
The resolution includes a reference to another resolution on the December 1 agenda that establishes a reserve fund for additional needs of MNPS related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is anticipated that any funds from previous allocations not spent by December 28 would be allocated to this new special reserve fund.
This resolution concerns the same subject matter as Resolution No. RS2020-611, also on the December 1 Council agenda, which should be withdrawn in lieu of this resolution.
Fiscal Note: This resolution would reduce the previous appropriation by $5,000,000 and would be allocated by resolution RS2020-657 to the new special reserve fund.