Amy, the county community-amenities program coordinator, updated the board on projects in Leesburg, Mentone, Syracuse, North Webster, Claypool, Pearson and Sydney and on pending grant opportunities and timelines.

She said Leesburg is refining an internal trail connection project and debating whether a future county connection should follow Baseline Road or State Road 15; Leesburg’s plans will affect whether the county or the town applies to Safe Routes to School or Indiana Trails grants. “They were kind of saying, oh, we need this… and once we got out there, we actually… saw that a lot of the signs… those do exist,” Amy said in describing early site visits and the need to coordinate routes and signage.

Amy described a CAP-related complication for the Syracuse application: the CAP committee deferred that community’s CAP application in part because the applicant was a nonprofit rather than a local unit of government. Syracuse’s project is a 0.2-mile extension; Amy said the county is seeking clarity from Indiana Trails staff on whether the CAP deferral will affect Syracuse’s Indiana Trails application. “A deferral means that they are not approved, but not denied,” Amy said. County staff and partners are working to determine whether the CAP status will block or delay the ITP grant.

Mentone, Claypool, Pearson and Sydney also have varying planning or small-construction projects under review. Amy said Mentone is considering a larger route toward Etna Green if funding and other steps align; Pearson hopes to extend sidewalks to connect to an existing project but noted property and timing constraints; and Sydney is pursuing a small park project on donated land while doing a strategic plan. Several communities are weighing future Indiana Trails applications for 2027.

Amy said the county’s grant writer (Zach) and staff will try to clarify program rules and, where useful, support towns that need an applicant (local unit of government) or technical help. She encouraged board members to meet with municipal representatives where projects overlap in order to make route choices earlier — particularly where right-of-way or INDOT rules about proximity to state highways affect whether a trail can follow a historic interurban grade or must instead go down a different road.

Board members and staff discussed the county’s role as a coordinator and grant partner; Amy said the county can help teams outline projects and in some cases serve as the applicant or support subgrantees. She also noted the importance of aligning local plans and early engagement because grant windows and engineering constraints (right-of-way, speed limits on adjacent roads) can determine feasible routes.