The Village of Greenport is supporting an application for funding to remodel the restrooms in Mitchell Park, submitted by The Friends of Mitchell Park.
At a regular meeting last Thursday, the village board passed a resolution ratifying approvals from a May 19 work session to enter an intermunicipal agreement with Suffolk County and execute an easement. The village also approved a negative SEQRA declaration, finding the proposed restoration will not have a significant negative impact on the environment.
The Friends of Mitchell Park is applying for $30,000 through the Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Program. The grant program requires a resolution from the village showing support for the project and in order to provide funding, Suffolk County needs an easement or other real property interest in the site of the project.
If the county approves the project, the village would be required to enter an intermunicipal agreement with Suffolk County.
Village administrator Paul Pallas said at a work session on May 19 that a contractor estimated the bathroom remodel could cost around $53,000 or $54,000. The goal is to request half of $60,000 since there can be up to a 50% match from the county, he said.
“We hit a lot of the points at the high end of the score so I think we’re in good shape for that,” he said. “The county has expressed interest in the project so I think I’m looking forward to getting the grant.”
He also noted that the grant requires an outside entity, which is why the village is working with The Friends of Mitchell Park. The bathroom was originally built through the downtown revitalization program in conjunction with the village Business Improvement District, Trustee Mary Bess Phillips said.
“I understand the mission statement for The Friends of Mitchell Park is not really to do infrastructure repairs, it’s for educational and cultural funding of projects,” Ms. Phillips said. “I do understand, as [trustee Peter Clarke] explained, that the board of The Friends of Mitchell Park felt that in order for them to continue that type of programming that the bathrooms needed to be improved. I just hope in the future that we don’t reach out to them for other infrastructure projects and work closely with them to create some more cultural events within Mitchell Park, as to their mission statement.”