RESOLUTION NO. 4898-2025
RESOLUTION OF THE FORT BRAGG CITY COUNCIL
APPROVING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH PALNI, INC FOR AS NEEDED, ON-CALL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND BROADBAND ENGINEERING AND DESIGN SERVICES, AND AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACT (AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $55,000).
WHEREAS, the City has been awarded $479,529.00 in grant funding from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) through the Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) grant program; and WHEREAS, the City requested these grant funds to complete pre-construction planning work associated with deployment of a municipal broadband utility serving residents, businesses, and visitors of the City of Fort Bragg; and WHEREAS, Council approved Resolution 4684-2023 selecting Palni, Inc. as the most suitable firm to contract with the City for planning work related to establishing a municipal broadband utility; and WHEREAS, Council approved Resolution 4863-2024 accepting $10.3 Million in Federal Funding Account (FFA) grant program funds to construct last mile digital infrastructure and implement the Municipal Broadband Utility Project; and WHEREAS, Palni, Inc. has been an integral part of the team and the City desires to retain Palni, Inc services on as as-needed, on-call basis to support the City throughout the construction phase; and WHEREAS, based on all evidence presented the City Council finds as follows:
Palni, Inc. has the experience and expertise necessary to complete the proposed activities, described in Exhibit A.
FFA grant program funding will cover all costs associated with proposed contract.
WHEREAS, award of this contract does not constitute a "project" under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15378 as it does not involve any commitment to any specific project that may result in a physical change in the environment and work under the contract will consist of support services only, and no support services during construction of the individual project(s) will be initiated under this contract until any appropriate environmental review under CEQA if required, has been completed for the individual project(s).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of Fort Bragg does hereby approve a Professional Service Agreement with Palni, Inc. to provide on-call, as-needed technical assistance, and engineering and design services, to deploy a municipal broadband utility, and authorizes the City Manager to execute contract (amount not to exceed $55,000.00).
The above and foregoing Resolution was introduced by Councilmember Albin-Smith, seconded by Councilmember Peters, and passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Fort Bragg held on the 24th day of February, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Albin-Smith, Peters, Hockett, Vice Mayor Rafanan, and Mayor Godeke.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTAIN: None.
RECUSED: None.
JASON GODEKE
Mayor
ATTEST:
Amber Weaver
Acting City Clerk
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