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Skatepark committee approves cost‑sharing agreement revisions, forwards to Board of Aldermen
Summary
The Jeff White Memorial Skatepark Project Committee voted to approve a cost‑sharing agreement with the city subject to several wording and date changes, and will send the revised agreement to the Board of Aldermen for final signoff so the project can move to bidding and construction steps.
The Jeff White Memorial Skatepark Project Committee voted to approve a city cost‑sharing agreement with specified revisions and to forward the updated agreement to the Board of Aldermen for final approval.
Committee Chair Fouts opened the meeting by recalling the project’s origins: “we started this skate park in honor of a man who was from Catawissa,” and said the committee’s “hearts are with you” following recent losses in that community.
The nut graph: Committee members identified a small set of textual and date edits needed in the draft cost‑sharing agreement, approved a motion to make those changes and to send the revised document to the mayor and the Board of Aldermen for signature, and discussed next steps including bidding, insurance recommendations, and a request for a broader public update before summer.
Members noted three specific contract edits to be made before signature: change a contract term that currently runs through “10/31/2026” to run through “December 31” (the speaker did not specify the year); replace the word “amendment” with “agreement” where it appears on pages 7 and 8; and remove a reference to an exhibit in section 9 where no exhibit exists. The committee asked that Mr. Jones prepare the revised language and circulate it to members for quick review.
Alderman Cleave reported that staff checked insurance requirements and said there is “nothing that says we have to have a fence or lighting on it. They they gave recommendations about times and and to post signs about you're skating your own risk.” The committee treated lighting and fencing as optional amenities that should not delay construction.
The committee approved the motion to accept the cost‑sharing agreement with the Alderman’s requested revisions and to forward it for aldermanic review; the motion carried on a voice vote with no opposed votes recorded. The committee chair said the document will go to the mayor for signature and then to the Board of Aldermen, with the next Board meeting noted as the likely venue for final approval.
Committee members discussed public engagement and outreach: the project participated in a Saint Patrick’s Day parade to build interest in skateboarding and plans future public events and outreach, including possible equipment or helmet distribution tied to community service by recipients. Members asked for a fuller project update for the committee within one to two weeks and signaled eagerness to proceed to public bidding and breaking ground once the agreement is finalized.
The meeting also approved minutes from the committee’s Jan. 27, 2025 meeting before moving to the agreement discussion.
The committee did not set a firm construction start date; members said timing is subject to the city’s signature and the procurement/bid process and may be affected by the grant program timeline.
