Council earmarks $100,000 for skatepark
Council members voted 4-0 to commit $100,000 for construction of a new skatepark in Imperial.
The money, to come from the city sales tax fund, will pay for two-thirds of the cost.
After months of discussion and planning, the council, at a May 15 meeting, gave their nod to the project to be coordinated by American Ramp Company of Joplin, Mo.
The skatepark, a combination of a concrete base with galvanized steel features, will cost an estimated $151,422.
The park will have a flat concrete surface, with the galvanized steel used for the half pipe feature. It’s expected the flat concrete will be contracted locally, said City Clerk/Administrator Jo Leyland.
The $50,000 plus difference is expected to be raised by local fundraisers, pledges and grants, Leyland said.
Imperial Hot Wheels, a group of young skatepark enthusiasts, has raised $5,585.23 as of last week’s meeting, said member Trevin Moreno.
They plan to continue their fundraisers, he told the council.
With grant applications just being started and other funds to be raised, Leyland said construction won’t start until next year.
Leyland said the city recently joined the National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA), where they will seeks bids for various aspects of the skatepark project. Membership is free.
That negates the city’s requirement to advertise for bids on this project, she said.
According to its website, NJPA establishes and provides nationally leveraged and competitively solicited purchasing contracts under the guidance of the Uniform Municipal Contracting Law. Joint Powers laws enable members to legally purchase through their awarded contracts.
The $100,000 sales tax money will come out of the community development fund. Another city sales tax fund is for economic development projects. Each fund takes in half of the city sales tax proceeds each month.
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