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Mayor raises ARPA and procurement questions as committee considers Port Royal splash pad agreement
Summary
A public comment from Port Royal's mayor prompted committee discussion about an intergovernmental agreement for a County-owned splash pad at Bruce Edgar Lee Field; the mayor alleged prior procurement irregularities and asked whether ARPA obligations and intergovernmental agreements were properly handled before the Dec. 31 deadline. County staff said Port Royal used its ARPA funding and that the county would accept the completed facility as a donated asset and cover ongoing water and maintenance costs estimated at $25,000–$30,000 per year.
Mayor Deckard of Port Royal spoke during the public-comment portion of the committee meeting to urge caution before the county approves an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) allowing the Town of Port Royal to fund, construct and donate a splash pad at Bruce Edgar Lee Field.
Deckard (S10) told the committee the county previously budgeted $550,000 for parks in Port Royal for 2025 and said that money was not meant for a single playground. He alleged the county “still has no idea how much that equipment really cost, how much the vendor actually profited, whether there were kickbacks, rebates, etc., to employees,” and noted “elements of this park are under a state investigation.”
He pressed the committee on ARPA procedures, asking whether Port Royal was a subrecipient or partner for the funds and whether the town met the Treasury obligation deadline of Dec. 31, 2024. “So are you a subrecipient? Are you a partner?” he asked, adding that the county needs more information about long-term maintenance, liability and vendor selection before approving the agreement.
County staff (Hank, S11) responded that the funding at issue is Port Royal’s ARPA allocation and that Port Royal is the recipient; the town procured the splash pad under its procurement policies. Hank said the county would accept the completed splash pad as a donated improvement on county property and estimated annual water and sewer and minor repairs at roughly $25,000 to $30,000 a year. He described the facility as a non-recirculating, pressure-based system with intermittent, timed operation rather than continuous flow.
Committee members expressed a mix of concern and support. One committee member with U.S. Treasury experience asked why the agreement was not presented to the county before Dec. 31; Hank reiterated the town was the recipient of ARPA funds and had to obligate them by the deadline. Another member expressed concern about recent reporting and said more research might be warranted given the state inquiry; a different member said partnerships with municipalities often make sense when towns take initiative.
Chair (S1) noted the committee will forward the IGA to county council; the motion to put the IGA on the floor was seconded and advanced with one committee objection. The committee asked staff to provide usage numbers for the existing splash pad and additional documentation to inform county council review.
The committee did not take a final county-level vote; the IGA will go to county council for further consideration.
