Almost $250,000 of Platte County’s parks and recreation sales tax funds were awarded to area organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic at this week’s regular administrative session of the Platte County Commission.
Commissioners met Monday, Aug. 17 after a brief CARES business grant award meeting. At that meeting, the Southern Platte County Athletic Association was awarded $20,167 from the CARES “survive and thrive” business grant program, with presiding commissioner Ron Schieber abstaining as his wife runs SPCAA. The organization was awarded another grant from the parks and recreation program, although commissioners did express concerns about “double dipping” in grant programs.
Director of parks and recreation Daniel Erickson said his department was working with the Platte County Economic Development Council – which administrates the CARES grant program - to cross-check applications.
It was noted that the SPCAA grants covered different costs and they did not consider those grants to be problematic. Premiere Basketball also appears to have received grants from both programs.
Erickson said the department received 22 grant applications from 21 entities, requesting $327,000. While all grant applications were funded, not all were funded at the full amount requested as commissioners had set aside $250,000 for the program.
Grants were awarded to the Southern Platte County Athletic Association, uniforms, $37,500; Aplomb Martial Arts of Parkville, scholarships, $12,000; Beatniks Dance Studio, COVID compliance, scholarships, $9,000; Club North Volleyball, COVID compliance, equipment, $5,000; Edgerton Pioneer Days, parking signs, barricades, PPE, $3,620; Elements Dance Academy, COVID compliance, equipment, $9,000; Harper Haus Music Company, scholarships, $8,601; KC Premiere, PPE, program and office equipment, $6,840; Lone Wolf Martial Arts, curriculum, scholarships, equipment, $12,000; Midwest Adaptive Sports, school program and camp, $7,400 and $5,400; MOKan Girls Hockey Foundation, scholarships, equipment, supplies, $15,514; North Platte XC and Track, equipment, $6,398; North Platte Youth Cheer, safety equipment and uniforms, $2,100; Northland Sports LLC, COVID compliance, $22,566; Northland Swim Conference, COVID compliance, $9,300; Northland United Swim Team, equipment, $5,096; Northland Wrestling Club, wall mats, cleaning supplies, scholarships, $10,530; Unified FC Foundation, scholarships, $13,857; Premiere Basketball, scholarships, uniforms, equipment, $13,000; University of Missouri Extension, scholarships and programming, $20,276; YMCA, sports scholarships, $15,000.
SALES TAXES APPROVED
The two sales tax issues approved by voters during the Tuesday, Aug. 4 election were officially approved by commissioners, with the paperwork prepared to send to state authorities in Jefferson City.
Collections of both the reduced one-quarter cent parks and recreation sales tax and the new one-quarter cent law enforcement tax will begin on Jan. 1, 2021.
Commissioner John Elliott said work is under way on supplemental language in support of the new law enforcement tax, clarifying that proceeds cannot be used to fund construction of a new jail facility.
911 FEE
Commissioners also approved an order reducing the one and one-half percent 911 user fee for land-line telephones to zero as of Jan. 1, 2021. Mobile lines will not be affected.