News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Putnam County, Baxter, Monterey will pursue the development of a countywide Parks and Recreation Master Plan through a UCDD grant.
Monterey Aldermen agreed Monday night to the proposed plan. Cultural Administrator Rafferty Cleary said the master plan would examine land and facilities in Monterey parks and create long-term goals for how to use them.
“There are certain grants that the state offers, certain grants that the state offers that we are not eligible in obtaining because we don’t have a master plan by the state,” Cleary said. “It’s crazy.”
Cleary said Cookeville and Algood already have master recreation plans in place already. He said Putnam County would pay $15,000 of the $25,000 needed for the grant, leaving $10,000 split evenly between Baxter and Monterey.
Cleary said Local Parks and Recreation Fund grants are a great example of resources that are very valuable to parks but are not available to Monterey. He said the city applied and was set to receive a grant in the past, but had it rescinded because of the lack of a master plan. He said the plan is a living document that can be updated as new plans develop.
Monterey Mayor Mark Farley said parks and tourism are a huge part of Monterey, so working on another tool to help make that grant happen would be worth the expense.
“We’re a small town, and we need all the help we can get to get our grants and stuff so that we can do bigger things with it,” Farley said.
Farley said he is excited to spread the word about the growth of parks in Monterey so that more people can get excited about what is to come for the city’s outdoor attractions.
