Council delays decision on Memorial Park water and sewer work tied to $500,000 Ready grant

County staff presented an update on a state "Ready" grant and a proposed infrastructure plan for Memorial Park, but council members opted to delay a funding decision until they could review additional details and coordinate with commissioners.

Corey said the county received state approval for a $500,000 Ready grant and that the project alignment and associated budget the grant was built around totaled roughly $2.1 million. He outlined lower-cost, targeted options the council could consider now: a McGrady Shelter waterline loop estimated at $250,000 and an extension from Fairway Drive estimated at about $300,000. "If you wanna do something, McGrady Loop is 250,000. If you wanna get water down from Fairway Drive, it's 300,000," Corey said.

Council members raised questions about whether sewer work was included on the map (Corey said the top sheet focused on water and that engineering and construction for both water and sewer were in the overall $2.1 million project). Members also noted the limited balance in the county’s food-and-beverage fund and urged coordination with commissioners. Staff warned that delaying design work could raise costs; engineers estimated that waiting could increase expenses due to inflation and bidding timelines.

Why it matters: The project would stretch state grant funds and local contributions to build public park infrastructure that supports events and shelter facilities. Council members said they wanted commissioner input and clearer funding strategies before committing local dollars.

Next steps: Council voted to table the Memorial Park water/sewer decision until the next meeting so commissioners and engineering staff can supply more detailed cost, timeline and funding options.