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Jasper Council OKs Memorial Park grant application and small budget amendment for design work
Summary
The Jasper City Council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign an application for a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to address drainage, parking and pavilion work at Memorial Park and unanimously approved a separate $16,892 budget amendment for engineering and lighting work tied to park and street equipment needs.
The Jasper City Council voted to authorize the mayor to submit an application for a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to address drainage, parking and pavilion improvements at Memorial Park and unanimously approved a related $16,892 budget amendment for engineering design and lighting.
At a public hearing, Terry Acuff (staff member) said Memorial Park is already a Land and Water Conservation Fund park and described immediate needs tied to the park’s lake and drainage systems. “There are some drainage issues in the park related to the lake that need to be fixed immediately,” Acuff said, and added that the city is eligible to apply for up to $1 million in grant funds through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs with a 50% local match. He said the city engineer proposed a $1,696,500 project, of which $848,250 would be paid with grant funds.
Cathy Chambers (staff member) presented a separate budget amendment earlier in the meeting that the mayor requested for immediate consideration. Chambers said the amendment covers engineering design improvements at Memorial Park and lighting for a new equipment shed for the street department, totaling $16,892.
Council members asked no public questions during the grant hearing, and the council moved and seconded the resolution to allow the mayor to sign the application; the motion carried with all members voting in favor. Earlier, the council suspended rules by unanimous consent and approved the $16,892 budget amendment for the engineering and lighting items.
Why it matters: Acuff told the council that the drainage fixes are urgent because they affect the park lake and parking areas; because the park is a Land and Water Conservation Fund park, improvements must comply with LWCF requirements. The application would require a 50% local match if awarded. The council’s vote cleared the way for the mayor to sign the application and for the city to proceed with the limited, immediately authorized expenditure for design work and lighting.
The council did not adopt the full capital project or the grant award at the meeting; the vote authorized submission of the application and approved a separate small budget amendment for design and lighting work. The city will need to secure the match and any subsequent approvals if the grant is awarded.
