FARMINGTON — At the June 11 Select Board meeting potential funding for police equipment and upgrades to Dragon’s Nest Skateboard Park were discussed.

Town Manager Erica LaCroix said two departments that submitted Congressional Earmark requests received positive news. Senator Collins has moved the Police Department request for security equipment forward to the appropriations committee, Sen. King moved the skateboard park request forward, she stated.

“You never know what is going to speak to each individual, so this is the first hurdle for maybe getting some funding, so congratulations to both departments,” LaCroix noted. “It would be wonderful to get both of them. I know that is probably pie in the sky thinking. At least they made the first round of cuts.”

Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Foster said he was considering applying for a Land and Water Conservation Fund [LWCF] grant, which was used for building Walton’s Mill Pond Park. That application process was done by the Atlantic Salmon Federation because staff resources and time wanted to be kept down, he stated. “I really wanted to get the experience of working on that,” he noted. Foster has been authorized to apply for different grants.

Previous town warrant articles regarding grant funds authorized acceptance of state and federal grant funds, didn’t specifically say LWCF or the recreation trails project [RTP], Foster said. Those need to be included in the warrant because there is perpetual care that comes with properties awarded those grants, he noted.

When the skateboard park was created in 1991 it was the first such park in Maine. It was resurrected in September 2020. In December 2021, a $4,000 donation was accepted from Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Seth Webber golf tournament for the park reserve account which had $4,700 in it from a similar donation previously approved.

Two years ago, $8,000 was approved to design plans for the park update. Last July the board voted to use $50,000 from the Judith Bjorn donation for the skateboard park and hire a company to design a “Comprehensive Parks Master Plan” for the Parks and Recreation Department.

“Hippach Field is already a LWCF site. I am trying to do some behind the scenes work to make this happen and it seems like we do have a few options,” Foster said. New 2024 guidelines weren’t received in time for the annual town meeting in March, they weren’t looked at then with a due date of late June, he stated. If Farmington had a council, it could have approved it but because the Select Board is not the governing body, a special town meeting is needed, he noted.

One will probably be needed later this summer, the article could be added then, Foster said. “I have spoken with the state about that, I should be able to get the grant application in and approved and in the running with what I have worked out,” he noted. “For future considerations the LWCF language is very specific, has to say LWCF because of the perpetual care. If that language were included, if we ever do want to apply again in the future and not run into a mess, if we just put LWCF and RTP in there, I was told that would be fine.”

LaCroix said names for the biggest grants should be included as well.

“It makes sense,” Chair Joshua Bell said. It doesn’t mean we are applying, gives us the option, he stated. He asked what the applied funds were to be used for.

“Dragon’s Nest Skateboard Park,” Foster replied.

Selectman Dennis O’Neil said some funds might be coming from Sen. King.

“Earmarks generally won’t fully fund a project,” LaCroix stated.

Foster said the skateboard project was not favorable to all. He wasn’t sure how great a chance getting that funding was.

The LWCF grant is due in June, usually hear back around November if approved, Foster indicated. Word the funds are here is received the following spring, he stated.

When asked what portion of the project was involved,  Foster said, “It’s a pretty big portion, half of the funding.” Maine Skateboard Association plans some fundraising, probably in the $15,000-$30,000 range; $50,000 from the Bjorn donation is earmarked, he noted. Estimates for the project are between $200,000 and $240,000; Foster said he was shooting for $240,000 based on last summer’s figures.

“That’s easy enough to do when the warrant article comes in,” Bell said. “It makes sense.”