Board approves LOI for Chinworth Bridge park amenities and recommends transferring historic property to commissioners

The Parks and Recreation Board voted to submit a letter of intent (LOI) for the CAP program to fund park amenities associated with the Chinworth Bridge project and recommended the transfer of a parcel from the historical society to the county commissioners so the county can pursue grants and related work.

A member reminded the board that prior approvals for the CAP-related request were in place and that the LOI does not require a dollar amount; if the LOI proceeds and the project advances, the board will later provide specifics on funding requests. The board discussed which park amenities the CAP program could cover (for example, trailhead restoration, kayak launches and other non-bridge park features) and noted that work on the bridge structure itself would not be covered under the CAP park amenities component.

The member reported taking the project overview to the county council and to the county commissioners in recent days, and asked the parks board to motion to recommend transferring the land from the historical society back to the commissioners. The intent is for the county to be positioned to apply for grants and to manage the property as appropriate. A county attorney, Eddie Wormsby, has received copies of the deed and is examining the transfer options; the transcript notes similar recent county transactions of this type.

A motion was made and seconded to proceed with the LOI submission and a separate motion was made to recommend that the commissioners work with the historical society to transfer the property to the county; both motions passed by voice vote.

No contracts were awarded at the meeting; the board plans further work to define the match and specific financial requests should the LOI be accepted and the transfer proceed.