Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Presenter:  Tim Hogsett

Action
Local Park Grant Funding
2010 General Appropriations Act – Rider 35
January 27, 2011

I.       Executive Summary:  Staff will brief the Commission regarding appropriated funds in Senate Bill 1 approved by the 81st Texas Legislature for Local Park Grants in the amount of $1,000,000 for matching funds to projects in the City of Missouri City.

II.     Discussion:  The Texas Recreation and Parks Account Program (TRPA) was authorized in 1993 to assist local political subdivisions of the state in providing basic public recreation facilities.  TRPA revenue is generated from a portion of the state sales tax on sporting goods.  Senate Bill 1, art. VI-Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Rider 35, approved for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to provide matching funds that reads as follows:

Local Park Grant for Missouri City.  From funds appropriated in Strategy B.2.1, Local Park Grants, The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department shall allocate up to $1,000,000 of matching funds for a local park grant to the City of Missouri City.

However, as part of the agency’s five percent budget reduction in FY 2010, the approved amount for the matching grant to Missouri City is reduced to $950,000.

The City has submitted the required application materials to receive consideration for the specified funds.  A summary of the project is attached in Exhibit A.  The project is a mandated expenditure by the Texas Legislature, and does not require competition with other grants.

III.    Recommendation:  Staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:

“Funding for the specified project in Rider 35 as listed in Exhibit A is approved.”

Attachments – 1

  1. Exhibit A – Project Summary

Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit A

Project Summary
Sponsor City of Missouri City
Location Missouri City, Fort Bend County
Project Name Tennis and Recreation Center
Requested Funding $950,000
Proposed Elements Acquisition of 8.026 acres (by waiver) with improvements to be renovated with rooms for meetings, aerobic exercise, senior programs, special needs population programming, weight training, and tennis and basketball courts.
Match Source Voter-approved CIP funds