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Residents at Dec. 11 public hearing urge phased park overhaul; council hears CDBG can be used as state-grant match
Summary
At a Dec. 11 public hearing, residents proposed a phased renovation of a town park — including an inclusive playground, restroom upgrades and ballfield repairs — and learned Community Development Block Grant funds can be used as matching funds for state grants, widening funding options.
On Dec. 11 at 6:00 p.m., town officials convened a public hearing to gather ideas for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and heard from residents who proposed a phased overhaul of the municipal park and related facilities.
During public comment, an attendee outlined a list of possible projects and urged the council to settle on a proposal the town could pursue. “One idea we would like to do is ... completely redo the park and have a phased project,” the commenter said, listing replacement of playground equipment, removal of wood chips in favor of poured rubber surfacing to create an all-abilities playground, remodeling public restrooms, and repairs to the baseball field including a new dugout and replacement of dented fencing.
Council members and meeting participants discussed limits tied to particular grants and the value of phasing projects so some work can proceed while other elements await additional approvals. Speaker 4 told the group that “we did learn that we can use CDBG as match money to go towards state grant,” a clarification participants described as materially expanding the town’s funding options for larger projects.
The hearing also included discussion of a local cemetery. Speakers said there are relatively few grants targeted specifically at cemeteries, but pursuing historic-site designation could open additional funding streams — a process that would require background research and likely incur costs to complete the designation application.
Procedural business recorded during the session included a motion to open the 6:00 p.m. public hearing and a later motion to close the hearing and open a second public hearing. Both motions were approved by voice vote. The council recessed the meeting until 6:30 p.m. for the next hearing.
What happens next: Council members indicated they expect to return to the topic in regular session where they can consider a single recommended project or a phased plan for CDBG submission and any associated matching-state grant applications.
