Wasatch County parks board outlines grant-backed projects, warns of 50% county match requirement

Board member Tom (board member) told the Wasatch County Parks and Recreation SSD No. 21 governing board on Feb. 11 that staff is pursuing several grant-funded capital projects and that counties face a larger local match than cities for those grants.

The board discussed two near-term projects staff said can be covered with modest local matches: installing a perimeter fence at Betts Park to keep small children from reaching the adjacent road, and adding a tarp to the outdoor arena so the facility can continue to generate event revenue after heavy rain. "Our mission in this department, without a doubt, is to keep kids safe," Tom said.

The nut graf: The discussion lays out how the department plans to pair available grant dollars with local matching funds to preserve event revenue and improve accessibility across county parks, while flagging that the grant program requires higher matches from counties than from cities.

Board members and staff described current and anticipated funding sources and constraints. Tom said the department currently can contribute about $50,000 toward matches and that several smaller projects—tarps for outdoor arenas—are estimated at less than $15,000. Staff also reported prior TAP (tax allocation program) awards: a $150,000 award structured as $75,000 per year for two years; the board said the first $75,000 purchased pavilions at Betts Park and the next $75,000 is earmarked for skate-park repairs.

Board members described a larger capital project under study: converting outdoor event and ballpark lighting to LED. Tom said replacing fixtures for the county's ballfields and event center could cost "a million to a million two" dollars and estimated the county's obligation at about half that amount. He noted there are roughly 67 poles with four to five fixtures each, and that HeberLight and Power rebates have helped past LED conversions for indoor arenas, the barn and the rec center.

Staff said cities are required to provide a 20% local match for some grants while counties must provide 50%, a difference that has forced the department to scale back some applications. "Cities are only required to have a 20% match, counties are required to have a 50% match, so we've actually had to scale ours back a little bit," Tom said.

The board also discussed access and inclusion projects. Taylor Baker, director of programs, was named by Tom as the staff lead on adaptive-programming goals; Tom described a proposal to replace the playground surfacing at Southfield Park with poured-in-place rubberized material so children using wheelchairs or crutches can access play areas. "We've seen the number of adaptive kids increase exponentially," Tom said, adding the department plans facilities and program changes to support those users over the next five years.

Board members said a master-plan committee will meet Feb. 18 to begin a countywide parks and recreation master plan; Tom said each city is sending representatives and that several mayors are involved.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the January 4 minutes (one abstention by Eric; motion carried) and approved the warrants listed in the packet (warrant number referenced as 2352799; motion carried). The meeting adjourned by voiced consent.

Ending: Staff said it will return to the board with grant-application details, cost estimates for LED conversions, and forms for event tickets and parade participation ahead of the summer season.