Committee hears correction on Marcus Park playground funding; city remains liable for roughly $180,000–$206,000

The Finance Committee received a correction about funding for the Marcus Park inclusive-playground project at its March 20 meeting. A presenter said prior statements that the city had already allocated $206,000 were incorrect; after reviewing the Inclusive Playground Capital Fund, staff reported the city has an estimated $17,000 remaining in that account and remains responsible for roughly $180,000 in local matching funds.

Staff provided a project-level budget: the inclusive-playground project’s total cost is about $2.1 million. Funding sources include two grants — one for approximately $752,000 and another for about $500,000 — and a $600,000 contribution from Tandem (a project partner). After accounting for those sources and prior expenditures (engineering and earlier deposits), the city’s remaining obligation was presented as roughly $180,000 (staff also referenced earlier reporting that the city had set aside $206,000, and explained the discrepancy in prior statements).

The mayor said he had emailed the district’s legislators and requested the county consider a $200,000 contribution toward the project; he said he had not yet received substantive feedback. Committee members discussed other potential funding sources, including the state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and philanthropic foundations such as the Ralph Wilson Foundation. The committee agreed to wait for additional funding information before returning the item to the council agenda and suggested placing the item back on the committee agenda in about a month so staff could report any progress.

No formal appropriation or commitment of new city funds was taken at the meeting.