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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br /> Tuesday,January 2,2018 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> work will need to be done to make the water potable. Edwards stated he believes the original intent was <br /> to use the well for ice rink flooding and that it was left there for irrigation of the baseball fields. <br /> 8. NAVARRE PARK SPORTS COURT—BRIAN ROATH <br /> Roath reported the City did not receive the grant for the Navarre Park sports court and that the City's <br /> grant request was not scored very high. Roath stated overall there were 17 requests from various <br /> organizations and 14 of them received some money. <br /> Roath stated he has learned a lot from working with the program director about the City's score and how <br /> it can be improved. Roath stated the grant program has two components to it. One is a facility grant, <br /> which awards higher dollar amounts and is given once a year, and the other is for equipment grants, <br /> which is given twice a year. Roath suggested they reapply this spring for an equipment grant. The <br /> maximum amount that can be received on the equipment grant is $10,000. <br /> Roath stated he would propose the Park Commission move forward with the equipment grant, which <br /> could go towards the project for the basketball court. Roath noted at the last meeting there was discussion <br /> that if the City did not get the grant,they would reapply their efforts and focus from the sport court <br /> project in Navarre to Bederwood, which is another option. Roath indicated the equipment grant would be <br /> due at the beginning of March, with a decision being made by the end of March, which would allow them <br /> to still move forward this spring with the project if they receive the grant. <br /> Edwards stated another decision is whether the project should remain as is and that he would recommend <br /> keeping the project scope as currently proposed. Edwards stated the basic project consists of moving and <br /> expanding the sports court and that they could possibly cut $5,000 to $10,000 out of it by removing the <br /> extra benches and soliciting donations for other portions. The total project estimate is $47,245. <br /> Ruegemer asked if one of the reasons the City's grant did not score well was the fact that they did not <br /> have a partner in the project. <br /> Roath stated that was one of the reasons but that there was a more direct correlation between the project <br /> and youth participation. Roath noted approximately half of the grants were from school districts and that <br /> the others had baseball or football associations that backed them. Roath stated the neighborhood parks <br /> scored lower. <br /> Ruegemer stated they were attempting to cover the kids that cannot afford the big organized sports. <br /> Edwards stated the biggest score relates to partnership, and on the City's previous equipment grants, they <br /> partnered with the Orono Baseball Association. Edwards stated the City will still get scored on partnering <br /> on the equipment grant but it is not as crucial. <br /> Williams asked if there is an after-school program the City could partner with. <br /> Ruegemer indicated they did obtain letters from WeCan and other organizations but that the grant <br /> program was looking for more of an organized association. <br /> Roath noted they scored high on stewardship, which means they thought the project was a good idea. <br /> Page 9 of 10 <br />