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IDC approves $100,000 accrual for Shield Park cleanup; board directs staff to pursue full remediation funding
Summary
The Industrial Development Corporation voted to accrue $100,000 in the parks silo for Shield Park remediation and to ask staff to develop a plan to fund the larger cleanup, which staff and EPA materials estimate could range into the low millions.
The Industrial Development Corporation voted Monday to increase the annual accrual for park improvements earmarked for Shield Park to $100,000 for fiscal year 2026 and asked staff to develop a plan for full remediation funding.
Christy (staff member) updated the board on recent grant activity and environmental work. She said the city’s EPA cleanup grant application was not funded in the latest Region 6 round and that an EPA analysis of Brownfield cleanup alternatives (presented to the board) identifies a mid-range cleanup option estimated at about $600,000. Christy said Kansas State University will provide technical assistance and the city will hold a community visioning session on June 5 to explain cleanup phases and next steps.
Board members discussed the scope and timeline for remediation and park construction. Staff said Jones Park is at about 90% complete for construction documents and that roughly $1 million is already committed for bioretention; full phase 1 construction would cost about $2.3 million with an additional roughly $1.2 million needed for playground and shade elements (staff estimate based on current designs).
Barbara Sanderson, identified as representing Better Parks for Galveston, described past work and community interest in Shields Park and urged progress on cleanup and rebuilding.
After extended discussion about grant timing and the limits of federal programs, a board member moved to increase the parks-silo accrual to $100,000 for fiscal year 26 and to task staff — Michelle (staff member) and Brandon (staff member) — to prepare a funding plan to address the full remediation estimate the board had discussed. An amendment to task staff to draft a plan identifying means to fund the roughly $1.2 million remediation shortfall was accepted by the maker of the motion; the board then voted in favor of the motion.
The board also asked staff to provide the IDC membership with the environmental reports and the EPA analysis and to include Shield Park as an item on the next IDC agenda so members could review legal, technical and budgetary options.
What the board approved: a $100,000 annual accrual into the parks silo for Shield Park in fiscal year 2026 and direction to staff to seek funding strategies to cover full remediation, with staff returning to the board with proposals.
