By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
City council members have approved a move by city administrators to apply for grant funding to construct a trail along the San Felipe Creek.
Del Rio City Council members discussed the grant application, which will be made to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, at their meeting on Jan. 24.
City Secretary Mari Acosta, after reading the agenda heading for the item, noted the total estimated cost of the trail construction has been decreased to $465,515, and if the city receives the grant, it will be required to provide a cost match of $165,558.
The trail grant, which would come to the city through the Federal Highway Administration’s National Recreational Trails Fund, would stretch from Del Rio Rotary Park between the creek and Barron Street to Magnolia Street. Documents provided to the council show the city will request $300,000 in grant funding for the trail’s construction.
Michael Garcia, assistant to the city manager and grant writer, spoke to the council about the project, beginning with changes in the cost match and total cost estimates.
“So initially, so the change that we made, we had additional communication with Texas Parks and Wildlife, also with the Langford Community Services, so we changed it from an eight-foot-wide, concrete trail into a 10-foot-wide brush/stone/natural surface trail, so
the construction costs actually decreased, as well as the mobilization and contingency (costs).
“The only reason why the total cost on the email is not the same as on the attachment is because we included the $42,300 that Langford Community Services will be charging for the grant administration and to submit the grant application.
“Internally as staff members, we had meetings to identify the route, also the materials and also we were able to get the estimated cost from Stantec, so that is the reason why the cost does not match on the email and on the attachment,” Garcia told the council.
Mayor Al Arreola asked for a motion on the resolution to authorize and direct City Manager John Sheedy to submit the application to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Councilman J.P. Sanchez made the motion to approve the resolution, with Councilman Jesus Lopez giving the second.
When Arreola asked if there were any questions or comments, Councilman Jim DeReus said, “I know everyone’s going to be shocked, but I’m going to be pessimistic related to money. In my four-and-a-half years on the council, we’ve had a couple of projects like this come before us and it’s, ‘Oh, yeah, we’re going to get a grant for this, a grant for this, a grant for this, and this is all that the city needs to put up,’ and then none of it happens and now we’re scrambling.
“So, what is the plan – knock on wood – when we don’t get the $300,000? Are we going to scrap the plan or are we going to find the money somewhere?” DeReus asked.
“We have it included in the adopted capital improvement budget,” City Finance Director Alberta Barrett replied.
“Double 465?” DeReus asked.
“No, we have the $265,000,” Barrett replied.
“So when we don’t get the $300,000 from Texas Parks & Wildlife, are we going to scrap the plan or where are we going to get the $300,000; well, I guess closer to $200,000, that we would need to do the plan, based on this revised cost estimate?” DeReus asked.
“Again, if we were not to get the funding, and if council decided they would like to continue, to proceed with the project, then we would take the additional money that’s in the capital improvement fund fund balance to cover that additional cost,” Barrett replied.
“So we have extra money that’s, I guess, unallocated in our capital improvement budget?” DeReus asked.
“We transferred it,” Barrett replied.
“Why don’t we have all of that, since almost all that is borrowed, why don’t we have that allocated against projects?” DeReus pressed.
“It’s a combination of borrowed and transfers in from operating funds, so some of the savings comes from projects that come in less than what we budgeted, come under completion or sometimes they get postponed to later, the next year,” Barrett said.
“Again, if that’s the way council decides they want to go, the capital improvement fund could fund that difference,” Barrett added.
Arreola asked if there were any other questions. There were none, and the council then voted in favor of the resolution.
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