CONSENT CALENDAR
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: October 2, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Rochelle Clayton, Acting City Manager;
Ed Erjavek, Library Director
Department: Library
Subject: Library Animakerspace Project (All Wards)
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California adopt Resolution No. 2024-213
1. Approving the allocation of $1,797,174 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds for a Customized Library Animakerspace at the Norman F. Feldheym Central Library; and
2. Authorizing the Interim Director of Finance and Management Services, or designee, to amend the City of San Bernardino’s FY 2025 Operating Budget by $1,797,174; and
3. Approving the award of an Agreement with Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, LLC. of $1,091,408.59 for Animakerspace technologies and curriculum development; and
4. Authorizing the Acting City Manager or designee to execute all documents with Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, LLC.; and
5. Approving the award of an Inter-agency Agreement with The San Bernardino Public Library of $705,765.36 for Animakerspace programmatic staff to implement and oversee the Animakerspace Program; and
6. Authorizing the Acting City Manager or designee to execute all documents with The San Bernardino Public Library; and
7. Increasing Library FTE from 21.0 FTE to 23.0 FTE (+2.0 FTE).
Executive Summary
The Animakerspace concept combines creative learning with entrepreneurial support, offering a dynamic environment where both students and small businesses can thrive.
Programming will be designed to address the impact of learning loss for K-12 students (e.g., high-quality tutoring, differentiated instruction) through engaging students in real- world, career-focused, hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.
The recommendation asks the Mayor and City Council to approve the allocation of $1,797,174 in American Rescue Plan Act Funds for a Customized Library Animakerspace at the Norman F. Feldheym Central Library; Background
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which appropriated nearly $1.9 trillion nationwide for COVID-19 pandemic relief funding including $350 billion for every eligible state, city, town, territorial, and tribal government in the country. The City of San Bernardino was awarded $77,656,407 under the Act.
ARPA establishes the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) to provide an infusion of resources to help address economic struggles in responding to the impact of COVID-19. Since receiving the ARPA allocation, the City Council has allocated portions of these funds to various initiatives and programs, including broad categories consisting of Small Business and Non-Profit Assistance programming, Parks and Recreation rehabilitations, City services, and a Homeless Initiative. When considering the application of ARPA funds, it's crucial to be aware of the following key requirements and considerations:
•The U.S. Treasury’s 2022 Interim Final Rule acknowledges that the pandemic had a disproportionately severe impact on certain communities, particularly those with low-income designation or within a Qualified Census Tract (QCT). For instance, Census Tract 57.01 in San Bernardino, where the Feldheym Branch Library is located, is a 2024 QCT with a median household income of $14,750—just 15.3% of the area's median income.
•Capital expenditures must meet the same eligibility criteria as other uses responding to the pandemic's health and economic impacts. These expenditures must be directly related and proportional to the pandemic impact identified, and they should be designed to benefit the affected population or group. •Treasury recognizes services aimed at addressing educational disparities as eligible activities. This includes support for high-poverty school districts and evidence-based programs to address students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. Additionally, providing technical assistance and support for disproportionately impacted small businesses is also considered an eligible use.
Discussion
The Feldheym Public Library is uniquely positioned to provide an impacted community with accessibility to digital literacy programs to address educational disparities and provide a dynamic hub for entrepreneurial ventures and marketing endeavors. On April 9th, the Library Board of Trustees of the City of San Bernardino unanimously approved the Library Director to pursue the possible repurposing of the Cosand Computer Learning Center at Feldheym Central Library to become a Makerspace area if funding sources can be identified. A Makerspace is a collaborative workspace where individuals of all ages and backgrounds can come together to create, invent, and learn and is eligible to use ARPA funds. The total cost to develop and implement a Makerspace area at Feldheym is $1,797,174, and staff have confirmed that sufficient unallocated ARPA funds exist for the project. The funds will be used to develop an Animakerspace within the library, award a services agreement with Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, and fund additional staff to implement and oversee the program.
The Animakerspace Project
The Animakerspace concept combines creative learning with entrepreneurial support, offering a dynamic environment where both students and small businesses can thrive.
The Animakerspace integrates animatronics into the makerspace concept, allowing users to explore the design and creation of robotic and mechanical systems that bring lifelike movements to their projects, merging creativity with cutting-edge technology.
Programming will be designed to address the impact of learning loss for K-12 students (e.g., high-quality tutoring, differentiated instruction) through engaging students in real- world, career-focused, hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). In addition to providing programs, devices & equipment for internet access and digital literacy to the young learners in the community, the Animakerspace will facilitate programs that provide technical assistance and learning opportunities for disproportionately impacted small businesses and a makerspace to support business planning and marketing mechanisms capable with makerspace equipment and software. Entrepreneurs will utilize the space to prototype, refine, and manufacture innovative ideas, leveraging state-of-the-art equipment and collaborative environments. Featuring a massive variety of equipment, Animakerspace will provide access to tools that streamline product development and reduce initial investment costs.
Services Agreement
Approval of this recommendation will allow the Library to enter into an agreement with Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, LLC. (GHETI) to collaborate on the first- ever Customized Library Animakerspace to be implemented at the Norman F.
Feldheym Central Library. The agreement with GHETI has a not-to-exceed amount of $1,091,408.59 and will be for the purchase of the Animakerspace technologies and equipment, furnishing and room materials, software, and professional services consisting of design, consultation, maintenance/ repair plan, curriculum development, and project support. GHETI will provide Library Staff with programmatic training and a curriculum that allows specified programs for Library Staff. These programs will focus on addressing the impact of learning loss for K-12, catering to communities with educational disparities, and programs that provide technical assistance and learning opportunities for disproportionately impacted small businesses.
Garner Holt Productions, Inc., founded by San Bernardino native Garner L. Holt, is the world’s leading manufacturer of theme park animatronics, and is the parent company of Education Through Imagination—a team of educators and industry professionals dedicated to producing world-class educational environments, programs, products and resources to provide communities with a strong foundation in creativity, innovation, technology and entrepreneurship to keep pace with our nation’s need to create students who are college and career ready in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
The contractor was selected on a sole-source basis due to the proprietary nature of their Animakerspace technologies and curriculum development. The animatronics for education, certification assessment kits, teaching materials, and corresponding lesson plans are proprietary to GHETI. The technology, lesson plans and furniture bundles included in the Animakerspace have all been designed and developed for this specific space, and all include proprietary GHETI Custom files, lesson plans, and related instructional materials only available for purchase from GHETI. The individual components are being packaged in a custom, integrated, and intentional way based on the unique and highly specialized nature of animatronic science and its related manufacturing processes. The services being provided include proprietary images, exclusive designs, and custom configurations to support the safe, effective, and industry-aligned instructional framework that the Animakerspace provides.
The City’s policy states Sole Source is used only when there is only one qualified company that has developed a patented or copyrighted product or service. Staff performed online research (STEMfinity, 1st Makerspace, Demco) to find instructional equipment and materials for the new addition to the program that included both the curriculum, professional education, and the Animatronics in one package built specifically for library facilities. Staff found only GHETI that provided a complete training package to meet the programmatic needs inclusive of the business planning or impacted small businesses support program.
Staff also assessed the San Bernardino County Library procurement that awarded a contract to Garner Holt Education through Imagination for an Animakerspace agreement in the County of San Bernardino. It too required a sole-source procurement.
The Finance Department and the Grants Division concur with the attached non- competitive justification of proprietary intellectual property.
Animakerspace Program Staffing
Approval of this recommendation will also award $705,765.36 to the San Bernardino Public Library in American Rescue Plan Act Funding for programmatic costs to oversee and implement the Animakerspace Program at the Feldheym Library through December 31st, 2026, through an interagency agreement. The Treasury’s March 2024 Updated FAQs document stated that recipients of SLFRF are allowed to consider direct program payroll costs to be obligated through interagency agreements that meet certain conditions and payroll cost may be included in what’s covered by an interagency agreement. The Treasury will consider a recipient to have incurred an obligation concerning personnel costs for an employee through December 31, 2026, to the extent the employee is serving in a position that was established and filled before December 31, 2024. Accordingly, funds may be used to cover such personnel costs if doing so would fall within the scope of an eligible use of SLFRF.
The allocation will fund and establish four new positions in two Full-time (+2.0 FTE) Library Assistants and two (2) Part-time Library Assistants. This allocation will also fund 40% of a currently filled Literacy Program Coordinator to oversee the Animakerspace Program. Staff visited the Garner Holt Animakerspace at the San Bernardino County Library’s Fontana Lewis Library Technology Center and learned that the program was staffed at a comparable level with two full-time staff overseen by a manager to deliver the wide range of programs and activities to the community on an on-going basis.
The interagency agreement also works to award funding to the San Bernardino Public Library to retrofit the Cosand Computer Center to accommodate the Animakerspace through a competitive procurement. Improvements required consist of demolition work, replacing ceiling tiles, the painting of walls and the floor, a new sink, and electrical upgrades.
The Budget Division has reviewed and concurs with the estimate of $705,765.36 detailed below.
Interagency Agreement with San Bernardino Public Library Budget Schedule
ARPA Funding Estimate through
December 31, 2026
FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027
Expenditure 11.1.2024 -
6.30.2025
7.1.2025 -
6.30.2026
7.1.2026 -
12.31.2026
40% of the Salary and Benefits of
1 FT Literacy Program
Coordinator
29,481.07 49,613.55 26,355.75
Salary and Benefits of 2 FT
Library Assistants (+2.0 FTE) 100,353.28 166,903.09 88,155.13 Salary and Benefits of 2 PT
Library Assistants 31,481.61 54,305.81 29,116.06
Cosand Computer Lab Facility
Accommodations 130,000 - -
Total 291,315.96 270,822.46 143,626.94
2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
This concept which combines creative learning with entrepreneurial support, offering a dynamic environment where both students and small businesses can thrive aligns with Key Target No. 3: Improved Quality of Life.
Fiscal Impact
There is no General Fund impact. Staff is proposing the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amount of $1,797,174.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California adopt Resolution No. 2024-213
1. Approving the allocation of $1,797,174 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds for a Customized Library Animakerspace at the Norman F. Feldheym Central Library; and
2. Authorizing the Interim Director of Finance and Management Services, or designee, to amend the City of San Bernardino’s FY 2025 Operating Budget by $1,797,174; and
3. Approving the award of an Agreement with Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, LLC. of $1,091,408.59 for Animakerspace technologies and curriculum development; and
4. Authorizing the Acting City Manager or designee to execute all documents with Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, LLC.; and
5. Approving the award of an Inter-agency Agreement with The San Bernardino Public Library of $705,765.36 for Animakerspace programmatic staff to implement and oversee the Animakerspace Program; and
6. Authorizing the Acting City Manager or designee to execute all documents with The San Bernardino Public Library; and
7. Increasing Library FTE from 21.0 FTE to 23.0 FTE (+2.0 FTE).
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Resolution 2024-213
Attachment 2 – Library Board Approval
Attachment 3 - Garner Holt Service Agreement
Attachment 4 - Justification of Single/Sole Source Request Attachment 5 - Sole Source Letter from Garner Holt
Attachment 6 - Interagency Agreement between the Office of the City Manager and the San Bernardino Public Library
Attachment 7 – Animakerspace Photos Courtesy of Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, LLC.
Attachment 8 – Animakerspace Photos Courtesy of GarnerHoltEducation Through Imagination, LLC.
Attachment 9 – Animakerspace Photos Courtesy of Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, LLC.
Attachment 10 – Animakerspace Photos Courtesy of Garner Holt Education Through Imagination, LLC.
Ward
All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions
N/A