Board agrees to seek extension and amend scope for Greenville recreation LWCF grant

County Clerk Allison Stevens summarized the status of a 2022 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant tied to a planned Greenville recreation facility. The grant award totals $400,000, with a required $200,000 local match, and staff said the original scope included playgrounds, a pavilion, parking and a walking trail on county land adjacent to McLaughlin that borders a school.

Stevens said the county can request an amendment and an extension; the LWCF manager told staff the grant can be phased and extended for up to 18 months but the location cannot be changed under current rules. Staff requested direction on whether to submit an extension and an amended scope of work and asked for board approval to prepare the paperwork by the end of the following week to meet the state's scheduling needs.

Commissioners discussed whether the original location remains the county's preferred site given changing recreation priorities and new leadership in the recreation department. Several commissioners noted the value of extending the grant to preserve the opportunity while staff clarifies the most valuable first-phase work the county could complete with $400,000 (and a $200,000 local match). A motion to seek the extension and prepare an amended scope was made and supported; staff will draft a recommended phase-one project list and circulate it to commissioners for feedback before submitting the extension and amendment request to the LWCF manager.

County Clerk Allison Stevens: "This grant started back in 2022. We applied. We were, considered for it. It's a $400,000 grant with 200,000 coming from them, and we support the other 200,000."