(Lake Park)– The city of Lake Park is miffed that it’s grant application through the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission has been denied. It had the city council Monday evening stopping just short of withdrawing the city’s membership in the commission.
The city had applied for a 100-thousand dollar grant over three years to help fund a storm sewer project, but was denied. Dick Ramsey, a founding father of the commission, was at Monday’s Lake Park City Council meeting. He told the council the grant failed to meet several criteria…the most important is one that prohibits member entities from applying to avoid potential conflicts of interest. That drew fire from councilman Lance Heiken. He says the city was promised it would be able to apply for funds when it joined the commission several years ago. Heikens demanded to know when the criteria was changed, and who was responsible for it. He says he wants to have words with them…especially if they are the same people that made the promises to the city initially.
Mayor Ann Dittsworth is concerned with the commission’s daytime meetings, saying it’s impossible for Lake Park’s representative to attend. Commission Chairman Ron Walker told the council changing the meeting times may be an option.
The council took no action following the discussion.
