April 17, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
The newly created DeKalb County Parks and Recreation Committee is gearing up its efforts hoping to form a partnership between the county and the cities in search of grant opportunities
“I recently met with Meagan Reagan, Community Development Planner of the Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD) to begin organizing the committee’s efforts,” said committee chairman Tony Luna.
“Our first priority is to develop a comprehensive master plan, which is a prerequisite for securing state and federal grants. A significant opportunity is available through a grant that provides up to $80,000 to initiate this planning process. As a collaborative effort, the grant requires a 20% match, totaling $16,000, to be shared equally among participating municipalities and the county,” he said.
The committee is seeking participation from each city and the county in this effort in order to move forward with this initiative.
Funding Opportunity Overview:
• TDEC is funding a Parks and Recreation master planning grant.
• Two funding options:
• County applies individually for up to $60,000 with a 20% match.
• County partners with cities to apply for up to $80,000 with a 20% match.
• Funding is solely for the master plan, not for implementation work.
• The master plan can enhance eligibility for additional funding opportunities.
Grant Matching Requirements
• Individual county application requires a $16,000 match.
• For a partnership (e.g., county, Smithville, Liberty):
• Estimate is roughly $5,333 to $5,500 per partner.
• Discussion indicates Liberty may have budget constraints; potential collaboration with county and Smithville is preferable.
• Additional cities (e.g., Alexandria) may be considered to share the match despite uncertain interest.
Master Plan Development Process
• Engages pre-qualified consultants identified by the state.
• Consultant’s responsibilities:
• Inventory current assets, facilities, and recreational programs.
• Use GIS mapping, surveys, and public input.
• Analyze demographics, staffing, budget, and facility use (including facility lease agreements with entities like the Army Corps of Engineers).
• Public input process includes:
• Citizen workshops asking for the five most critical local issues.
• Collection of survey findings and community recommendations.
• Review of existing recreational infrastructures such as community centers, parks, and other facilities.
• Example shared from the City of Crossville (original in 2014, with simpler recent updates).
Additional Funding Opportunities and Grant Synergies
• A Parks and Recreation master plan may make the community eligible for:
• Local parks and recreation funds (e.g., ball fields, trail improvements).
• Healthy built environment grants (up to $80,000 for projects like water fountains, lighting, sidewalk or playground improvements).
• Other funding opportunities such as the Department of Health’s Project Diabetes (up to $450,000 over three years).
• TDEC local parks and recreation program can offer up to $500,000 in state funding (with federal funds possibly raising amounts substantially).
• Existence of other smaller grants that benefit from having a comprehensive master plan in place.
Key Stakeholders and Contacts
• Mayor Matt Adcock introduced the funding opportunity.
• Mention of discussions with Mayor Audrey Martin (Liberty) and Mayor Josh Miller (Smithville) for partnership and contribution confirmation.
• Discussion of potential challenges in engaging Alexandria.
Time Frame and Implementation Considerations
• The preparatory work on the master plan typically takes from one to one and a half years once funded.
• The planning draft stage is sufficient to begin applying for other grants.
• Coordination needs:
• Confirm city and county collaboration.
• Organize a meeting with stakeholders (Mayor Miller, Mayor Martin, and potentially others) to finalize partnership and matching funds.
• Budget integration is important; aim to include plans and proposals in the current fiscal cycle to position for summer grant awards (applications open around June 12 with award announcements by end of July 2025).
Next Steps
• Confirm internal support with relevant city and county officials (e.g., discussions with Mayor Miller and outreach to Mayor Martin).
• Decide on partnership approach (county-only versus county and cities collaborating).
• Apply for the planning grant for $80,000.
• Send and review the Parks and Recreation master plan document (example from Crossville provided, approximately 395 pages; only key sections likely to be printed for review).
• Begin the application process with support from a designated consultant once funding is secured.
• Use the master plan as a foundational document to leverage further funding opportunities (e.g., for facility improvements, staffing such as hiring a Parks and Recreation Director, and potential public-private partnerships).
Additional Considerations for Long-Term Planning
• Even if immediate improvements are limited (e.g., cosmetic upgrades like playground surfaces), a long-term plan creates a pathway for:
• Hiring a full-time Parks and Recreation Director.
• Upgrading and revitalizing underused or outdated community centers.
• Broadening programming beyond traditional parks (including theaters, community centers, and public art).
• Possibility to improve environments and create a forward-looking recreational agenda that sustains future community growth and program development.