The Director of Recreation and Cultural Affairs, Grant Brown, said the project is having a hard time getting momentum mainly because of those rising prices.

“We have run into a funding situation where we do not have our first phase funded. So, we do not know when we will be able to begin construction. The first phase, phase one-A is what we are calling it, including the drainage necessary to build a roadway through that property from Coastal Gateway Boulevard all the way to County Road 6 or Oak Road East.”

Including in that plan were the first of the amenities for the 127-acre park but the price tag was higher than city officials expected.

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“It would have trails around the lake, a pool and a pool area with additional amenities and it was about a $15 million project,” Brown said. “Unfortunately, with our construction projects that are ongoing, that are vital to the community, we are running short on capital money.”

Mayor Robert Craft said this is the result of having grant money secured for project three years ago that are just now being developed and money for other projects had to be used to shore up shortages on bigger projects.

“Prices have increased on everything we budgeted and bid years ago,” Craft said. “The funding was so slow to arrive, particularly on our RESTORE grants that the price kept going up and the funds never did change that much. We had to finish them. Once you start a project like that, we have to finish it. So, we had to cut back. It’s unfortunate and it’s just the way the world works with pricing and budgets and we just couldn’t do it all right now.”

Craft assured the citizens this project was not “gone” and Brown said the rumored timeline would not stand.

“At this point, we do not know when we will be able to build the full-blown amenities at the park,” Brown said. “I don’t think it’ll be 10 years.”

During the work session, the council also discussed:

Authorizing a contract with Dream4 for $102,150 for city employee leadership training from June of 2024 until February of 2025.

Approving an amendment of $28,700 to the agreement with Jade Consulting for the design of the Windmill Ridge Road and West Fourth Street revitalizing project for $290,000. This will pay for the design of a 10-foot multi-use path along West First Avenue from West Fourth Street to West Sixth Street.

Declaring certain items owned by the city as surplus and approving their sale on govdeals.com. Included in this lot are two 2014 Tahoes and one 2013 Tahoe formerly used as police vehicles.

Allowing the fire department to apply for a FEMA Port Security Grant to add a 29-foot fire boat to the city’s fleet. The boat has a price range of about $700,000 – or less considering options – and the city will have to have a 25 percent match.