Mariemont officials announce $936,000 federal appropriation for centennial parks, advisory board asks to be involved
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Summary
Speakers told council a $936,000 federal community project appropriation has been secured for the Mariemont Centennial Parks improvement project; the Parks Advisory Board asked to be 'directly involved' in planning and allocation decisions, and council said committee meetings will allow that input.
At the council meeting, Jim Goetz, representing the Mariemont Parks Advisory Board, announced that Congress approved $936,000 in community project funding designated for the Mariemont Centennial Parks improvement project and asked that the advisory board be directly involved in planning how the funds are spent.
"The Park Advisory Board respectfully requests that it be directly involved in the specific planning for utilization of this grant funding," Goetz said, noting gratitude to former council member Randy York and Representative Greg Landsman for their assistance in securing the appropriation.
Council members responded that the park board would have opportunity to participate in committee meetings related to disposition of the funds, while the Health and Recreation committee (chaired by council member Matthew Ayer) will handle formal decisions and public committee sessions. A prepared statement read during the meeting reiterated that the appropriation is part of a consolidated appropriations package and that detailed agency assignment and implementation steps will be shared with council and the public as they become available.
Speaker 13 (identified in the record as 'Matt' when introduced) read that the appropriations package "includes the $936,000 community project funding for the Marymount Centennial Parks improvement project," and that the village has now received over $4 million in outside funding over the past four years toward centennial projects.
Council members and park-board representatives urged transparent, broadly communicated planning, including community meetings. No binding decisions on allocation or project scope were made at the meeting; council said details would be developed through committee meetings and future public sessions.
Next steps: village staff and the Health and Recreation committee are expected to coordinate planning meetings that include Park Advisory Board participation and public outreach; the village will also coordinate with Representative Landsman’s office as federal implementing-agency assignment becomes known.
