After park grant denial, council weighs buying parkland to improve future applications

Council members and staff discussed next steps after a denied grant application for the Town Park project. Staff reported the grant reviewer's feedback suggested the city not owning the parcel (it is under a long-term lease) likely contributed to the denial and recommended transferring the land into the city's name or seeking alternate funding.

"The best course of action would be for to get the land in the city's name," the chair relayed, summarizing staff and consultant recommendations. Council members noted an appraisal from 2018 put the parcel at roughly $133,000 before subsequent improvements and discussed options including owner financing, a low- or zero-interest loan (CIB), or using capital-project funds.

Council members also discussed the cost of preparing grant applications: the application for this cycle reportedly cost nearly $15,000 for consultant work (Jones and the Mill). Members asked staff to contact the current landowner (referred to in the meeting as Ruby's) to explore whether they would be willing to sell or pursue a transfer.

No formal action to purchase the property was taken; council directed staff to pursue conversations with the owner and to report options for financing or purchase at a future meeting.