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Sunman council debates using utility funds to finish digital sign as park lights need $80,000 repair
Summary
Councilors discussed whether to save a grant cycle for a roughly $80,000 park-light replacement or reallocate $5,000 to complete a new digital sign; members proposed splitting the $5,000 shortfall between water and wastewater funds while pursuing larger park funding through grants.
Sunman Town Council members debated whether to prioritize a neighborhood park light replacement estimated at about $80,000 or to finish a $5,000 shortfall for a new digital sign.
Clerk (Speaker 1) told the council the park light project “is gonna about be about an $80,000 project,” and urged saving the next large-grant cycle for the lights rather than using it for the sign. Council discussion focused on hybrid funding: using grant applications for the park while covering the sign’s remaining cost from departmental reserves.
Committee member (Speaker 4) proposed taking $2,500 from the water fund and $2,500 from wastewater to finish the sign to avoid sacrificing the park grant application. The motion’s sponsor said the split would “finish paying for the sign, and we go after the ramp for the park lights.”
Members asked staff to check grant timing with the Ripley County Community Foundation (Clerk reported the foundation will not announce the large grant cycle until after annual in June) and to return with precise budget language at the next meeting. Clerk also provided the council a line-item APV register ($251,525.36) context for available balances.
The council did not adopt a final appropriation at the meeting; members directed staff to prepare the exact appropriation language and to confirm whether water/wastewater funds can be used for the co-funding plan.
