Parks board approves amendment to recreation master plan for federal funding alignment

The Newburgh Parks Board approved an amendment to the town's parks, recreation and master plan, updating administrative sections, organizational charts and park-level descriptions to align the plan with state reporting (AMACS/AMAX) and to preserve eligibility for certain federal funding through 2027. Andrea Balboni, deputy town manager, said the amendment documents Lou Dennis Community Park updates and recalculates level-of-service (LOS) figures after the removal of AMAX.
Board members discussed the LOS calculation and whether the town's small size means it will typically fall short of recommended park acreage per resident; Andrea clarified that some park acreage (AMAX) sits outside town limits and therefore is treated differently in the calculations. Randy and others praised staff work on past master plans and the current amendment; the board voted to send the amendment to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for review and, if required, return it to the board for further edits before council adoption.
Why it matters: Amending the master plan keeps the town eligible for state and federal grant funding tied to up-to-date park inventories and service-level calculations. The board noted the amendment is primarily administrative but could inform the 2027 full master-plan update.
Next steps: Staff will submit the amendment to DNR for review and later present any required revisions to the board and Town Council for adoption.