As city leaders ponder how and when to spend the $550,000 Parks and Recreation CD, members of the Blytheville Parks and Recreation Committee have been presented with two matching grant opportunities.
Last month, the board, along with the Finance and Purchasing Committee, approved the hiring of a grant writer to apply for the Arkansas Outdoor Recreation 50/50 matching grant. Some suggestions for the $250,000 matching grant are overlaying the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex parking lot; putting in a sprinkler system at the Sportsplex soccer fields; replacing outdated playground equipment at Williams and Cypress parks; adding a storage building at the Sportsplex; and building a concession stand and restroom facilities at the Missco Junior Football League field.
On Thursday, Delta Gateway Museum founding director Leslie Hester informed the Parks and Recreation Committee of another 50/50 grant opportunity -- the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) matching grant.
Cities can apply for between $5,000-150,000 in federal funds through the program.
The deadline to apply for the grant is Dec. 1, but Hester noted it would take a minimum of three months to work through the application process.
She said she would need some help writing the detailed grant, suggesting Design 500 of Memphis, which has drawn exhibit plans for the museum.
"Design 500 is the best option for this because they are the creative force behind our exhibit design plan," Hester said. "We can either go with the lump sum ($5,800 plus mileage and printing reimbursables) that they've proposed here to write the grant with my help or we could possibly do an hourly rate with them for me to write the grant with their help."
Councilman Kevin Snow, who serves on the Parks and Recreation board, told Hester the board isn't saying no to her request, but first city leaders must resolve some financial issues. He noted Council members were given wrong numbers when doing the budget and sales tax revenue isn't meeting projections.
"Right now, we're not sure how parks and rec is going to stand," Snow said. "Last year, they went over budget $200,000, and technically, that CD should have covered that, rather than the general fund having to cover it. But the General Fund covered it and that put them in a hole."
Snow said the city must get things lined out and see exactly where it stands.
Councilman Tommy Abbott added Parks and Recreation is on pace for another $200,000 shortfall because of the skewed numbers from the beginning.
Councilman Stan Parks pointed out if the city spends the CD on the museum proposal, it won't have the money for the matching outdoor grant.
"Until we get everything stabilized, I would say that's exactly right," Abbott said. "There's not going to be any money spent out of that (the CD)."
Snow said after June, the city should have a better picture on revenue projections.
Hester asked how the outdoor recreation grant would be affected.
"That's where the CD money was going to be used for some of that, for matching," Snow said. "But right now, we can't do that. This grant is going to take until September to get approved, so we've got time to see where we're going."
Hester said the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce's cultural and heritage tourism plan would bring in tax revenue, but city leaders said they don't have the money to implement the plan at this time.
Snow said the Council is working on revenue-generating measures.
"Our goal in the next three months is to get a better understanding and handle on this to see where we are, to know what we will be able to do," Snow said.
Meanwhile, Brown told the board that he will have more information on the outdoor grant following a June 12 meeting in Jonesboro.
Also, on June 17, Amanda Jones of Park and Recreation and Tourism of Little Rock will be in town for a site visit to let the city know what it can and can't request in the outdoor grant.
There will also be four public meetings on the proposed projects.
In other news, Ron St. Laurent of Thunder Bayou Golf Links lobbied the board for a new roof at the clubhouse.
St. Laurent has four bids -- three that are $30,000-plus with a 30-year guarantee. The one he is recommending is Jonesboro Roofing's $15,650 proposal for 15-year roof.
St. Laurent said the clubhouse roof gets worse every day.
"The drop ceiling has just got so saturated that it is falling in," he said.
Golf Facilities Board President Bill Sullivan said a 15-year roof would suffice.
"That building won't be there in 30 years, I can tell you that," Sullivan said. "We need to stop the water at the least amount we can do right now, to keep it out of there."
St. Laurent asked that the city use infrastructure funds for the roof.
"One of the things we're hurting on is the infrastructure money," Snow said. "It's just not available like we thought it was. Money that was going to be repaid back to infrastructure (by the General Fund) has been classified as infrastructure purchases so they don't have to be repaid. Therefore, it doesn't have the balance it was going to have with the payback. That payback isn't going to happen."
St. Laurent pointed out Thunder Bayou is about $6,000 ahead of last year at this time, despite the wet weather. Sullivan added revenues are increasing and expenses are decreasing. Thunder Bayou has picked up some play from Kennett as the Kennett Country Club course is currently closed.
According to financial records, Thunder Bayou is currently $25,000 under budget for the year.
Meanwhile, Brown reported that the Walker Park pool should be open in a week or a week and a half.
He said the city has hired a new pool manager, Ayanna Rumph.
The Parks and Recreation crew is cleaning the pool to prepare it for the swimming season.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com