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Residents call for park improvements, goat‑head control and pool shade
Summary
Public commenters urged the council to fund park turf and maintenance, goat‑head weed abatement, picnic infrastructure and pool shade; volunteers, donations and pre‑emergent treatments were discussed, but SEAGO cautioned routine maintenance is typically not CDBG‑eligible unless framed as slum/blight removal or part of a qualifying facility project.
Several residents described park conditions and volunteer or low‑cost remediation ideas at the March 21 hearing. Councilmember Geovona Thompson said revitalizing public spaces and a water system to maintain landscaping would make parks more inviting, and Steven Sherwood said he’s arranging pre‑emergent treatment and recommended a cement picnic pad and blacktop access near the picnic area.
Sherwood, who said he is taking a master gardener’s course, argued some grasses and wildflowers can thrive with minimal irrigation, while others called for shade at the town pool and artificial turf in high‑use areas to reduce goat‑head weed exposure. Mayor Wallace acknowledged the park ideas but emphasized that CDBG is typically not intended for routine maintenance; SEAGO’s William Osborne explained that funding for blight abatement and public facilities can qualify if specific statutory conditions are met (for example an area‑wide slum/blight designation or project framed as a new or substantially rehabilitated community facility).
Speakers suggested seeking donations from local hardware stores and coordinating volunteer efforts, but Osborne warned that CDBG scoring favors shovel‑ready projects and that town staff should determine whether a maintenance item can be repackaged as a qualifying capital project. The council agreed to capture the park suggestions in the minutes for potential inclusion in the candidate project list.
