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05/21/2023 07:06 AMThe Town Council will hold a public hearing on June 21 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall over the funding of the next round of projects using COVID relief money. A town meeting to approve the funding will be held Wednesday, July 5.
Last year it was announced that Clinton would receive $3.8 million of federal money due to the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA).
In early 2022 residents approved using about $2 million of the APRA to help with various projects to combat the virus’s negative effects.
At a workshop on May 4, the Town Council decided to move forward with $1,773,622 worth of new projects. Those projects include funding for pickleball courts, replacing the artificial turf at Indian River Recreational Complex, replacement bleachers at the Peters Complex, work at the beach bathhouse, continued non-profit assistance, the public safety radio project, paving, and small public works projects, according to Town Manager Karl Kilduff.
The workshop was meant as a way for the council members to discuss how to allocate the last of the ARPA money, with the workshop over the proposal moving to a public hearing.
A public hearing over the proposed projects will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21, at Town HJll.
“Following the public hearing on the proposed uses of funds, a Special Town Meeting needs to be scheduled too to approve the appropriations for the ARPA grant monies,” Kilduff said.
The council set the town meeting date as July 5, also at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.
One of the projects that the council had approved in 2022, a child care support program, never materialized, which resulted in $83,200 being reallocated for projects in the second round.
“This was a project that we were anticipating would be a need in the early days of the COVID recovery. The demand did not materialize. Additionally, Human Services was focused on standing up other programs where there was demand that time did not allow for another new activity to be planned and coordinated,” Kilduff said.
“With the retirement of David Melillo, it became clear this project was not going to advance. As a result, the recommendation to the council was to transfer the appropriated funds into a new activity that is ready to proceed,” he continued.
The use of ARPA money to make more room for pickleball will be welcome news for many in town. In February, the Town Council unanimously voted to use $10,000 of the ARPA funds to conduct a study to find suitable locations for pickleball courts in town after a vocal contingent of residents spoke up about the lack of availed courts in town.
At a meeting in May, the Park & Recreation Commission recommended resurfacing the basketball courts at the Indian River Complex as a viable area for Pickle Ball. $136,822 was allocated for Pickle Ball courts per the minutes of the council’s workshop.
Kilduff said that a small amount of money - $45,000 - is being held back from being allocated right now; however, it might be needed for the pickleball projects.
“The pickleball court project is being cost estimated now, and those additional funds could be needed,” Kilduff said.