Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Grants And Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Administration reports grants, downtown business openings and federal-state advocacy for solar and public-safety projects
Summary
City administration reported several grant awards (including a $237,500 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for a skate park and EPA-funded water bottle stations), recent and upcoming downtown business openings, and ongoing federal and state advocacy for a solar-and-battery (CPRG) project and other appropriation requests.
City administration provided a broad update on grants, economic development activity and recent outreach to federal and state representatives.
Doug, a city staff member reporting for administration, said the city received multiple grant awards: a Keep America/Keep America Beautiful litter-cleanup grant for $2,400 (with a $600 local match), an equipment award from the same program ($19,386 awarded toward a $24,233 litter-vacuum purchase), an EPA water-bottle-filling-station grant of $7,341 to install three stations at Quanah Recreation Park, and a $237,500 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for design and initial work on a Fourth Avenue skate-park project. Staff said the skate-park phase 1 engineering and design is estimated at $350,000–$400,000 total and will be brought back to council for further appropriation steps.
Doug also briefed council on commercial openings and development progress in the Grand River Walk area: Jimmy John’s has opened (soft opening), Crowley’s has filed for D5/D6 permits and expects to open soon, and Wingstop and other businesses are progressing through site-plan and permitting review. Elm Street sidewalk work is scheduled to begin with pre-construction meetings completed and construction set to start April 14.
On federal advocacy, Doug reported meetings in Washington, D.C., with congressional staff to discuss CPRG appropriation requests for an $80 million solar-and-battery project and other projects including Lattimore Street storm-water replacement and a police-camera buildout. He said staff received positive reception from Representative Joyce’s and Senator Marino’s offices and that the city will continue to pursue those appropriations.
Council members thanked administration for the updates; staff said the comprehensive-plan consultant procurement will require additional budget authority (estimated consultant pricing between $100,000 and $150,000, with only $75,000 currently budgeted) and that a recommendation will return to council for budget approval.
