Agenda - Council - 02/25/1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and Councilmembers FROM: Mark Boos, Parks/Utilities Coordinator RE: Resolutions Urging Continuance or Expansion of State and Federal R~creational Grant Programs DATE: Fdbruary 19, 1992 On Febru~r/, 10i 11992 the City received a letter from the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association ir, MI~PA) urging that resolutions and/or petitions be adopted or circulated supporting e~:pan~ion of the Federal Land and Water Conservation (LAWCON) Fund and the State of ainrlesota Outdoor Recreation Grant Program. The resolutions or petitions will be deli,~dred ~:o Minnesota's Congressional Representatives and key State Legislators if received at th~ MI~A office by February 28, 1992. On February 112, 1992 the Park and Recreation Commission recommended that the City Council adop! res61utions supporting the expansion of the two grants. The following is a isynopsis of the two programs and their relevance: LAWCON For over 25 years ~the Federal Land and Water Conservation (LAWCON) Fund program has provided ~ea~tly needed grant assistance for local government and State outdoor recreation and!o' peri space projects. In Minnesota, almost $57 million in LAWCON funds have been ProVided for over 1,100 projects in every county and hundreds of cities and townships thro~ughgut the State. The program, supported by revenues from offshore oil leases and the sale Of surplus Federal property, does not cost additional tax dollars and has left an importa!nt legacy for future generations. In recent years the allocations available to local governments gave been drastically reduced. The needs, however, remain as great as ever. State Outdoor Recreation Grant Pro,am The State Outitoor~ Recreation Grant Program has offered matching grants to local governments f& ad~quisition, development and renovation of parks for over 25 years. During this time. the State has invested over $50 million in local outdoor recreation projects, which has been m~itched by over $57 million in local government funds. The State program has be~n alsignificant incentive to local governments to undertake needed park acquisition and deVelopment projects. In particular, the program has helped accelerate renovation or replacement of facilities that did not meet handicapped accessibility standards. Parks also play in i~portant role in many communities' economic development efforts by improving the,d~sirability of the community as a place to live and work. The demand for State assistance !'ema~ins strong. In 1991 only $1 million in State funds was available to help meet overSa million in grant requests. /pjo