Bluff council approves up to $13,000 match and authorizes submission of playground grant application

At a March 11, 2025 special meeting, the Bluff Town Council voted unanimously to approve up to $13,000 in town funds as part of a required 20% match for a proposed $130,000 playground and court project and authorized submission of the grant application.

According to the playground committee presentation, the total project cost is $130,000 and the grant requires a 20% local match, which equals $26,000. Committee members asked the council to provide $13,000 in cash (about half of the required match). Committee representatives said the remainder of the match would be delivered through in-kind contributions: Helgerson Property Management has agreed to provide about $5,000 in materials or services and organizers expect approximately $8,000 in donated labor.

Committee members and council discussed the proposed site and phasing. The design presented keeps the existing play structure in place until the new play structure is installed to avoid leaving the community without a play area. The new play set is planned east of the existing structure, between the pavilion and an adjacent cottonwood stump; once the new play set is completed, the plan calls for removing the older structure and installing a combined post-tension concrete half-court for basketball and pickleball with a hoop, lighting and a protective fence.

The presenters described the new play structure as metal with composite surfacing to reduce surface temperature, plus a shade element over the structure. The project also includes a concrete court with fencing intended to keep balls within the play area. The committee said volunteer hours, valued at approximately $33–$34 per hour for in-kind accounting, will supply part of the local match.

A council member noted the town’s capital projects account currently shows $20,000 designated for parks and open-space projects and indicated reallocating part of that amount could cover the requested match without straining town finances. After brief discussion, an unnamed councilmember made the motion to approve the cash match of up to $13,000 and to submit the grant application; council approved the motion by voice vote with no opposing voices recorded.

The council did not record individual roll-call votes in the public transcript. The council also discussed logistics for placement, volunteer labor, and keeping the main field area available for occasional large events while concentrating playground amenities near the pavilion for family supervision.

Excerpt from the meeting transcript: "we are asking for our total project cost is going to be $130,000," the presenter said when introducing the grant request.