Bowling Green Council on Thursday allocated up to $1.925 million of its remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds to a number of projects and entities – including to proposed pickleball courts and a dog park.
Monies allocated to some of the projects are contingent on the fulfillment of certain criteria laid out by council. Additional allocations are expected in the future.
Council had approximately $3 million to allocate.
Earlier this year, the public had a series of opportunities to supply input, including via an online questionnaire, lobby visitation at meetings, a May 15 meeting where council specifically heard proposals, and via email submissions.
“There has been a great deal of input on this matter,” said Council President Mark Hollenbaugh. “With the requests we received in person before the May 31 deadline, we had 27 items. That, combined with what we received from the online questionnaire, which was over 430 distinctly identifiable things … gave us a list of over 450 items.
“From that list of 450 items, council members selected seven items and those items were responsible for generating the talking point list that we will be using this evening.”
Council members utilized a rubric, based on eight criteria, to rank the projects.
Council voted to set aside $150,000 each to two much-discussed projects: the outdoor pickleball court project, and the project to establish walkable neighborhood dog parks.
“I know that pickleball is in the parks’ five-year master plan, and I know that some fundraising has been done on pickleball,” Hollenbaugh said. “I think there is still some question as to how much exactly a pickleball facility is going to cost.”
Councilman Greg Robinette said that, despite that, council could allocate money to help move the project forward.
“The other thing I think is important is, the city’s moving forward,” he said. “And while the total cost isn’t settled yet… any funds that we allocate to this project will also help in obtaining matching funds” through grants.
Speaking about both pickleball courts and dog parks, Hollenbaugh suggested that perhaps council not allocate specific amounts just yet, and wait to receive periodic reports from the parks or the administration about the progress of the projects.
Councilman Bill Herald formally moved for a $150,000 allocation for the pickleball courts. Robinette suggested amending it to $200,000, an amount which Hollenbaugh and councilmen Jeff Dennis and Joel Odorisio…
bank, bill herald, bowling green council, bowling green high school, community center, councilman, grants administrator, greg robinette, huntington bank building, jeff dennis, joel odorisio, mark hollenbaugh, mayor, mike aspacher, new york, nick rubando, online questionnaire, Parks and Recreation Department, pickleball, president, public administration, public safety communications, rachel phipps
0 Comments