Menands board authorizes application for state parks grant; residents press for committee input

The Village of Menands board on April 14 authorized submission of an application to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation under the Municipal Parks and Recreation Grant Program to fund improvements at Polk Switzer Park.

The resolution (moved and seconded at the meeting) authorizes the village to apply for a grant the presenter described as a 90% funding program for eligible project costs; the village would provide a 10% local match in cash or in-kind services if awarded, the resolution states. The application elements discussed at the meeting included: restoring an eroded stone-dust exercise path, installing solar lighting along that path, installing new playground equipment with an emphasis on ADA-accessible elements, and expanding parking capacity at the park. The application deadline was identified as May 2.

Village staff and consultants said the village had previously received a $19,000 Albany County “Leahy/Harbor” (county) grant that could help fund preliminary planning; they characterized the state Municipal Parks and Recreation grant as more competitive but capable of covering most project construction costs. Consultants noted state grant reviewers scrutinize historic and archaeological impacts and recommended limiting new ground disturbance to avoid triggering expensive studies; staff said they were waiting for a response from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

At the meeting, trustees and staff discussed revising the application language to preserve flexibility during design. Residents raised concerns that a committee intended to guide park planning had not been convened promptly after the county grant was awarded last year. Several speakers said neighborhood consultation should occur before the village finalized specific elements. One resident asked that any new playground prioritize ADA-compliant equipment over less-accessible components and questioned removal versus resurfacing of the existing basketball court.

In response, village staff and a consultant said the grant application can remain sufficiently general to secure funding while allowing a neighborhood committee to shape final design decisions if the grant is awarded. The board adopted three related resolutions during the meeting: (1) authorize the grant application and commit to a 10% local match; (2) reaffirm the 2020 comprehensive plan as the village’s official planning guide; and (3) declare the village the lead agency for an unlisted action under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (6 NYCRR part 617.4). Each resolution received an affirmative vote at the meeting.

Trustees and staff agreed to constitute a community committee promptly after submission to finalize design choices and gather broader public input during the grant-award period. Staff said design selections would be constrained by the grant budget; if the state grant is awarded, the award period and design schedule would allow multiple public meetings and committee input before construction funds are committed. Staff also suggested that the village could use existing county funds for initial planning work and preserve state funds for construction-oriented items.

No final construction contract or change order was authorized at the meeting. The consultant said the project is expected to proceed in phases tied to future grant awards and partnerships, and that some elements such as ADA playground equipment could cost substantially more than basic components and might be deferred to a later phase or combined with other funding sources.

Board members instructed staff to finalize the grant materials for submission by May 2 while constituting the neighborhood committee to guide subsequent design and implementation work if the grant is awarded.