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St. Mary's staff propose $311,686 CDBG application for sidewalks, accessible park bathrooms and demolition; turf field project flagged
Summary
Staff presented the city's 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation of $311,686 and recommended sidewalk rehabilitation, park bathroom accessibility improvements, a demolition project and administrative funds; installation of turf at the Challenger Field was not recommended pending state review of eligibility.
City staff told council on Aug. 18 that St. Mary's 2025 CDBG allocation is $311,686. Staff recommended several candidate projects for next year’s federal block grant application and discussed eligibility concerns raised by the state administering agency.
What was presented - Allocation and program: Staff said the city's 2025 CDBG allocation is $311,686, a small increase from 2024. The city may use up to 18% of total award for administrative costs; staff proposed using 17% for administration to allow some flexibility. - Proposed projects: (1) South Michael Street sidewalk rehabilitation (targeting low- and moderate-income property owners and continuing the city sidewalk program started in prior years); (2) restroom accessibility improvements for the upper park (near Wolf Avenue) — primarily interior renovations to make restrooms ADA-compliant; (3) a demolition project to address a vacant/abandoned property tied to slum-and-blight removal (tentative, pending owner status or tax-sale outcome); and (4) the administration line for staff costs at 17% of the award.
Turf/Challenger Field application: staff recommended against including a request to install synthetic turf at the Challenger Field in the CDBG application because the state agency (DCD/DCED) questioned whether the project would meet a federal CDBG national objective (benefit to low- and moderate-income persons or other eligible categories). Staff said the city would pursue further discussion with the state and recommended that the Little League investigate alternate grant sources such as DCNR recreational grants.
Fair-share and multi-jurisdiction concerns Staff explained the “fair share” principle: when a facility serves participants from multiple municipalities, the state may look for proportionate contributions from those other municipalities. Staff recommended gathering sign-up and residency data from the Little League to document whether the project predominantly benefits St. Mary's residents and to determine any required intermunicipal contributions.
Next steps - Staff recommended collecting participant residency data and talking with the state agency to confirm eligibility before including the turf project in the CDBG submission. - For the projects recommended for funding, staff said they will proceed with the grant application process and public hearing requirements if the council concurs.
Ending: No formal CDBG award decision was made at the meeting; staff will gather additional data and consult with the state agency before finalizing the application.
