Parks and Recreation Director John Simeon told city council at its budget work session this afternoon the city has already received $17,000 in funds for a master plan for the project which includes Chaloner Recreation Center and Wheeler and Martin Luther King parks.

The master plan, he wrote in the outline for his budget presentation, “will allow us to seek grants from the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation and also the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund for this project.”

The city can apply for a maximum of $150,000 from Reynolds and $500,000 from the parks and recreation trust.

(The city's next budget work session will be next Thursday, April 21, at 3 p.m. in the first floor conference room at city hall, where council will review the proposed public works budget as well as Human Resources Director Kathy Kearney's)

Simeon said he has already spoken with Site Solutions, which crafted the county's recreation master plan. He said a series of public meetings would be held, much like those which where held when the county was putting its plan together. Those meetings would allow the public to give input on what they would like to see at the parks.

Public meetings on the matter could come in May or June, he said. “K.B. Reynolds has been a part of this since a year ago. They are very positive about this project. We are just getting started with the master plan.”

Simeon said following the meeting the amount the city would apply for, most likely in the fall cycle, would be based on the public meetings.

It has already been documented, Simeon told council, Wheeler Park is in need of playground equipment and picnic tables. Chaloner's pool is failing and the playground is prone to flooding.

Possible improvements to MLK park may be benches, more lighting and a walking trail. “These parks are a very good fit for K.B. Reynolds,” he said.

Meanwhile, in other budget items, Simeon made the following requests:

• $19,500 to replace the HVAC control panel at T.J. Davis

• $18,000 to replace the circa-1957 basketball goal assemblies at T.J. Davis

• $14,000 to add back to the maintenance and repair budget which was cut from the previous year

• $15,000 for replacement of bleachers and picnic tables at parks where the equipment has not been replaced over previous years

• $51,478 to fund the T.J. Davis supervisor position which has been frozen