Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Grants topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
MATCH Board approves a slate of tier‑2 mini‑grants; direct‑mail mailing wins 5‑2 roll call
Summary
The Manitou Springs MATCH Board approved multiple tier‑2 mini‑grant requests — including Blue Hands Art Collaboration, a community costuming project, Pac‑Man walking events, the Flying Pig Yurt Showcase and a Thursday drum circle — and passed a contested direct‑mail mini‑grant 5‑2 by roll call.
The Manitou Springs MATCH Board completed a first pass on tier‑2 mini‑grant recommendations and approved a slate of small grants for community events and arts projects.
Chair Ralph Boutton led the board through a sequence of mini‑grant votes. The Blue Hands Art Collaboration (D14 art classes) and several repeat event grants passed by unanimous voice votes. After debate over outreach method and applicant pass‑through status, the board conducted a roll‑call vote on a direct‑mail/community mailer request; the roll call recorded Kinsey Watts (yes), Ren Altitra (yes), Mark Lee (yes), Marcus Medina (yes), Peter Summers (no), Ralph Boutton (no) and Jason Wells (yes), producing a 5‑2 majority in favor. Other approved mini‑grants included Community Costuming ($750), Fifth‑Grade Pottery (repeat grant), Pac‑Man / Walking & Rolling Manitou 2026 and the Flying Pig Yurt Showcase; a Thursday summer drum circle grant was approved after the applicant agreed to list a local co‑applicant and the original applicant (Mark Lee) recused from the vote.
Board members raised several recurring procedural issues while voting: verifying applicant permissions and locations, ensuring equipment purchases have a clear ownership and maintenance plan, avoiding reimbursing events that have already occurred, and whether MATCH funds should be used for alcohol‑related incentives (e.g., 'drink chips'). The group agreed to flag the alcohol‑spending question for a later policy discussion but did not block grants for this reason.
Peter Summers proposed that the board collect two‑to‑three sentence rationales when an application is recommended against so staff can provide concise feedback to applicants if requested; the board favored keeping feedback on request (rather than proactively sending it to all applicants).
Procedural motions: the board earlier designated Jason Wells as the voting alternate for the meeting and agreed that Lette Casey would act as the voting representative where Mark Lee must recuse; that motion passed by voice. The board also set meeting dates for regular grant deliberations in February (targeting Feb. 12, 19 and 26) to await final city revenue numbers expected around Feb. 10–12.
Votes at a glance: Blue Hands Art Collaboration — approved (voice vote, unanimous) Community Costuming — approved (voice vote, unanimous) Direct mail/community mailer — approved (roll call 5‑2: yes—Kinsey, Ren, Mark, Marcus, Jason; no—Peter, Ralph) Fifth‑Grade Pottery — approved (voice vote, unanimous) Pac‑Man / Walking & Rolling Manitou 2026 — approved (voice vote, unanimous) Flying Pig Yurt Showcase — approved (voice vote, unanimous) Thursday summer drum circle — approved (voice vote; local applicant substituted; original applicant recused from voting)
What happens next: the board will finish regular tier‑2 deliberations in February and then present a recommendation to the city work session on March 10 for council action March 17.
