Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wales council discusses parks/rec commission, cemetery layout and grant plans for recreation projects
Summary
Council members proposed creating a Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Commission, discussed cemetery boundary marking and irrigation/sprinkler estimates, and reviewed grant options (CDBG and ORPA) and timelines for shovel‑ready applications.
Council members on March 3 discussed forming a Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Commission to provide a formal structure for parks planning, cemetery maintenance and grant-preparation work. A council member said the proposed ordinance would allow the mayor to appoint two to three commissioners who would meet regularly to advance projects.
Members stressed the importance of being shovel-ready for competitive grant rounds. Councilors reviewed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) timing and match requirements (CDBG is competitive and requires a substantial match, including cash for portions of many projects), and said an ORPA (Outdoor Recreation Planning Assistance) planning grant could be pursued to create a feasibility and design plan that would strengthen future funding applications.
On cemetery matters, staff and councilors discussed locating plot boundaries more precisely by using simple ground markers (e.g., flush spike markers or rebar discs) and using a small machine to mark edge lines so new plots do not overlap existing graves. Members also reviewed irrigation and sprinkler estimates for park improvements and debated options for powering automated systems (running power poles and transformer could be expensive; roof‑mounted solar with batteries was proposed as a lower‑cost alternative for modest electrical needs).
Council members asked staff and the presenter (regional assistance) to help compile estimates and to pursue grant-application steps that would allow the town to be competitive for the next funding cycles.
What’s next: Staff will refine the commission ordinance draft, collect contractor estimates (Big T Construction, Garrett Clay and others were mentioned), and explore ORPA/CDBG planning and application timing to prepare for next-year funding cycles.
