Recommendation to authorize the City Manager to submit a grant application to the Georgia Coastal Incentive Grant Program in the amount of $80,000.  If awarded, these grant funds will be used for the design of the public amenities including pedestrian accessibility, trails, boardwalks, observation decks and potential educational components for the proposed Canal District Wetlands Preserve Park.

This competitive grant requires at least a 100% local match.  Matching funds for this grant will be provided from the Springfield Canal Drainage Basin drainage improvement funds approved through the Chatham County SPLOST 7 referendum. By committing to match up to 110% or $88,000 of the total estimated project costs, the grant application submitted by the City becomes more competitive when ranked against other statewide applications.  No additional funding commitments are required by the City.  The resolution is a required submittal document for the grant pre-application, which is due on January 12, 2021.

Approval