Presenter: Tim Hogsett
Commission Agenda Item No. 9
Action
Local Park Funding
May 2001
I. Discussion: Urban Park & Recreation Recovery Program: The U.S. Congress has recently appropriated $28 million for fiscal year 2001 to be granted to local governments throughout the country from the Urban Park & Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR). Local governments in Texas are collectively eligible for up to $4,325,400 this year.
To address the needs of inner city recreation, Congress passed the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act (UPARR) in 1978, authorizing funds to provide matching grants and technical assistance to economically distressed urban communities. The program authorizes competitive federal assistance to urban localities for rehabilitation of critically needed recreation facilities. The law also encourages systematic local planning and commitment to continuing operation and maintenance of recreation programs, sites, and facilities. UPARR grants can only be used for existing facilities, not new ones. Also, UPARR grants cannot be used for land acquisition.
The program will be administered as follows: Grants to local governments are matching grants with the federal match share being no less than 70% of a project. There is also incentive for the states to participate in the match cost. When states do participate financially, the remaining match may be shared by the states, up to 15% of the project cost. The federal government, on a dollar for dollar basis, will then match the state contribution, thus lessening the local government’s required financial commitment. In previous years the Commission has chosen to make commitments to match UPARR projects up to 10%, resulting in an increase of the federal share for projects from 70% to 80%, and lessening the local commitment from 30% to 10%. Only a 10% commitment of state funds was made to ensure that the local governments would be required to make at least a small investment of local funds. A 10% Department commitment would be $432,540, and any of the committed funds not used would revert back to the Department. Sufficient funds are available from the Texas Recreation and Parks Account Fund 467.
II. Rcommendation: The staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:
“Funding in the amount of up to $432,540 is reserved to be used, at the direction of the Executive Director, to match 10% of the cost for UPARR projects approved by the National Park Service for Texas local governments.”
Attachment – 1
1. Exhibit A – Fiscal Note (available upon request)