HomeMy WebLinkAboutHandouts_Workshop_8/2/2021 (2)Lori McWilliams
From: Laurie Brandon
Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 4:22 PM
To: Jeremy Allen; Lori McWilliams
Subject: Lauries statement for workshop
I did read this out loud and I got it under 3 minutes ... if that happens to be a detail needing to be met.
Good evening Mayor, Vice Mayor, and fellow council members,
While I unfortunately can not be there tonight, I do want to communicate to all of you where I stand at this time
regarding Tequesta Park.
Mayor, if you recall from our special meeting a few weeks ago I had asked you how official the park design had
to be for Senator Powell and Representative Snyder to be able to support it and send it up the chain for possible
approval of funds to enhance the State's park of which they own. You communicated that we would be able to
make changes to the park design later in time if need be, but that we have to decide by September if we want to
ask them for their support. Otherwise we would have to wait till next September of 2022.
I asked twice in that meeting for how official the design had to be. I was hesitant then, and I am hesitant now.
In my opinion, I don't see how a senator would support a park design that has a possible price tag of almost 8
million dollars without knowing the park design is set to go by having the details worked out such as
environmental concerns answered, future maintenance costs for a more actively used park, and MOST
importantly having the community support on a final desigri. '
I do not wish to spend money twice by doing a scaled version of the DRAFT design we have currently and then
later possibly changing a few things and having to do a second scaled version.
If we as council do the proper vetting process right now on Tequesta Park, it would include getting a scaled
version of the design that has been designed thoroughly much like we did with our new Community Center and
we won't have to pay for it twice.
I do think we need the State's help financially to clean up Tequesta Park especially since they own it. I do not
think we are at the point yet of being ready to vote on the draft design at hand. We have too many strings
hanging that need to be tied up to complete the package to send to them. If we do this correctly, we will
eliminate most of the possible objections that our higher government officials may have and in turn, have a
stronger possibility of getting the funding.
Let's also please not forget that we are asking the state for many grants for other projects in the Village.
We as a council should be making sure that any project funding that we ask from them has been vetted and
completely thought out to make a stronger presentation in better chances of getting some funding approved.
Everybody is always asking them for funding ..... so why not make sure that we as a small Village show them
how serious we are for needing the help by being fully prepared.
Let's stand out from the others and show them why they should invest in the Village of Tequesta!
Thank you. That is my 2 cents.
Laurie Brandon
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