Commissioners approve recreational grant requests for Badin, Oakboro
Published 2:58 pm Tuesday, January 4, 2022
- Stanly County Commons
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The Stanly County Board of Commissioners had two county municipalities make presentations regarding the recreational grant program approved by the board last year.
The program, first conceived last year by Commissioner Peter Asciutto, allows Stanly’s municipalities to request up to $10,000 from the county for repairs or capital improvements. The application period began Oct. 1 and runs through Jan. 31. Municipalities must match the grant dollar for dollar.
Badin
The town of Badin was seeking $2,000 to help offset the cost of installing a 20-foot by 40-foot concrete floor for a new picnic shelter near the playground area of the West Badin Park. County Manager Andy Lucas provided the six commissioners with the details since Town Manager Jay Almond was not in attendance. Asciutto was also not present at the meeting and recused by a unanimous motion.
The town plans to begin the project this month and anticipates having it completed by the end of March. It has already secured $13,816 in funding from the Cannon Foundation.
Lucas Home Concrete in Norwood is set to perform the service for an estimated cost of $4,000.
Andy Lucas said the board will have to do a budget amendment at a future meeting given that the funds were not included in the FY 21-22 adopted budget.
“We won’t give them the money until they actually pay for the project and then show invoices that they paid and then we’ll reimburse them for their costs up to the match that we committed,” Lucas said.
The motion to approve the $2,000 grant was unanimously passed 6-0.
Oakboro
Oakboro Parks and Recreation Director Josh Almond presented a request for $10,000 to pave a gravel parking lot at the town’s District Park leading to the sports fields and around the concession area to make it more handicapped accessible.
Oakboro plans to match this grant with $10,000-$15,000 of its own funding.
The town plans to begin the renovation project in early April and have it completed by the end of the month. No additional funding is needed.
The project is estimated to cost between $35,000 to $38,000, Almond said, and contractor D.W. Castleberry Asphalt Paving has agreed to perform the service for only $20,000 as a way to give back to the community.
With the park being such a popular destination for many — close to 25,000 people utilize the sports fields at the park during a typical year, Almond told the commissioners that he’s been asked several times over the years about improving the conditions.
By not having it handicapped accessible, “it’s prohibited some family members and spectators in the past from getting down to see their kids practice and their grandchildren practice,” he said.
As with Badin, the board will have to do a budget amendment at a later time given that the funds were not included in the FY 21-22 adopted budget.
The motion to approve the $10,000 grant was unanimously passed 6-0.
About Chris Miller
Chris Miller has been with the SNAP since January 2019. He is a graduate of NC State and received his Master's in Journalism from the University of Maryland. He previously wrote for the Capital News Service in Annapolis, where many of his stories on immigration and culture were published in national papers via the AP wire.
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