Agenda - Council Work Session - 08/23/2021 - Special

Home

the firm have extensive experience in real estate development, which includes land acquisition, sale, leases, easements, options, subdivision, and zoning. • Municipal Finance. Kennedy & Graven is one of the state's most active firms in public finance. As a nationally recognized bond counsel firm, Kennedy & Graven has acted as bond counsel for over 250 public entities in Minnesota. The firm and six of its attorneys are members of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and are listed in the Municipal Bond Attorneys of the United States section of "The Bond Buyer's Directory" ("Red Book"). Kennedy & Graven has a broad base of experience in connection with the issuance and sale of public debt, at the local, regional, and state levels. We have acted as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, company counsel and issuer's counsel in the issuance of general obligation bonds, tax increment revenue bonds, industrial development bonds, and single family and multifamily housing bonds. • Tax Increment Financing. We assist local units of government of all sizes navigate through the tax increment financing process. Attorneys with the firm have worked to create and administer every type of TIF district allowed under state law and have worked on some of the most complex TIF arrangements developed throughout the state. • Real Estate. Our firm has a long history of handling real estate matters for public clients. The firm advises municipalities in the acquisition and development of land, sales of undeveloped and developed property, financing structures for real estate transactions, lease agreements, title review and resolution of title issues, subdivision of land, and common ownership communities. The firm is frequently retained to conduct title registration actions and actions to resolve adverse title claims. • Public Contracting and Construction. Attorneys at Kennedy & Graven regularly advise our municipal clients on public contracting matters, including answering bidding questions, drafting, and revising construction contracts, and drafting and negotiating architect and engineer contracts. Examples of this work include negotiating the terms of the engineering contract and the terms of the construction contract for a $30,000,000 wastewater treatment facility; negotiating the terms of a mechanical engineering contract for a major HVAC project; and counseling a municipal client through close-out of a park building construction project under threat of litigation. • Code Enforcement. Our attorneys regularly assist local government clients on code enforcement matters, including drafting and revision of ordinances, enforcing public nuisance and housing maintenance provisions, and abating hazardous buildings. • Eminent Domain. Kennedy & Graven handles both routine and complex condemnation proceedings, including public purpose challenges, quick -take challenges, severance claims, going concern claims, relocation claims and fixture value claims. Examples of acquisitions handled by the firm include the acquisition of over 30 parcels for construction of a 5.5-mile interceptor sewer for the City of Willmar; numerous parcels of right of way for construction of a short line railroad by the Itasca County Regional Railroad Authority; and the acquisition of a parking lot for St. Paul Police Headquarters. • Utilities, Telecommunications and Franchise Law. Kennedy & Graven represents many cities throughout the state on cable franchising, right-of-way, and other utility matters. Several of our attorneys have broad experience regarding issues such as utility rates and rate design, franchise negotiations, and use of the right-of-way by utilities including small cell (5G) providers. The firm represents the Suburban Rate Authority (SRA), a joint powers organization consisting of 32 metropolitan area suburban municipalities in which the City is a member. The SRA regularly 6