Assembly president seeks quick letter of support for Wolverine Bridge grant; members press for no-commitment language

Assembly President Tunseth asked the Policies and Procedures Committee to provide a letter of support for the National Forest Foundation's recreational trails grant application to construct a Wolverine Bridge, noting the applicant requested a quick turnaround to meet an application deadline.

Tunseth said the project would install a 120-foot non-motorized steel footbridge near Wolverine Creek and that the applicant (through the clerk) provided a map and application materials. "It's a 120 foot non motorized steel footbridge," he said.

Assembly member Miss Cooper asked several questions about the grant, including the grant amount and whether a local match was required. "Do you know how much the grant is for, and is there a requirement for a match?" she asked, expressing concern that letters of support can create a perception that the borough will provide financial backing when the applicant later seeks matching funds.

Tunseth and staff agreed that the committee should avoid committing borough funds in the resolution; Tunseth proposed adding a clause such as "this commits no money on behalf of the borough." Staff said they could draft suggested language quickly.

The committee did not record a vote on the resolution in the transcript; members indicated support for providing a letter of support provided the resolution explicitly states that it does not obligate borough funding.

The council did not record specific grant amounts or match requirements in the materials forwarded to the committee; staff said those details were not provided in the application materials they received.