Algood is targeting this year’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help cover some of the cost of building its new city park.
Algood City Administrator Keith Morrison said the city could apply to receive up to $1 million to help cover construction costs. Morrison said if awarded, the city would have to provide a 10 percent grant match. Morrison suggested to the city council its percentage match be increased to $500,000.
“UCDD said that there were several communities that applied with a higher match and they scored higher,” Morrison said. “And they felt like that was a positive for their score to receive the funds, so they do think that would be a plus.”
Council agreed. Morrison said the city has budgeted about $500,000 for the park in this year’s budget and could allocate another $500,000 next year to provide matching funds. If the grant is awarded, the city could receive $1.5 million for the park while only being responsible for a third of that.
“So if we budgeted $500,000 for the park, I mean we want to take good steps towards the park, why would we not?” Council Member Luke Hill said. “If we are awarded, and if we are not, we are still spending $500,000 in, which we were planning on doing anyway.”
Morrison said the city does not expect to hear about grant awardees until Thanksgiving.
Morrison said in the meantime, the city is still working with designers on concepts.
“We have received the contract from Kimley Horn and AEI, and our attorney is reviewing it right now to go through it and see what can and can’t be in it,” Morrison said. “So we are in negotiations with that, both for the contract wording and price.”
Morrison said the city is still a long way from seeing a preliminary design. Morrison said the city plans to have more opportunities for the public to provide input on the new park.