Millsboro Parks Committee Meeting - August 13, 2026
Millsboro Parks Committee Meeting - August 13, 2026
The Parks Committee held its inaugural meeting on August 13, 2026, focusing on establishing a mission statement, defining goals and objectives for the fiscal year, and reviewing current and upcoming grant opportunities for park improvements. No public comments were received. The committee also discussed plans for a new park on Route 24, improvements to existing parks (Cupolo Park, dog park), and the pursuit of multiple grants.
Discussion Items
- Mission Statement: The committee reviewed five draft mission statements proposed by Chairperson Gary. After discussion and amendment, the committee blended the first draft with the second sentence of the third draft, adding 'to enrich the quality of life in Millsboro' and changing 'neighbors' to 'individuals'. The final adopted mission statement reads: "Our mission is to provide exceptional resources for the Millsboro community to utilize recreational opportunities and activities for all ages and abilities to enrich the quality of life in Millsboro. We build a healthier, safer community through accessible outdoor spaces where individuals can play, gather, and grow together." The motion to adopt passed unanimously.
- Goals and Objectives: The committee reviewed the town's global goals and objectives for parks. Members agreed to expand these for the committee, with initiatives such as obtaining funding for new park construction, rehabilitating existing parks (e.g., Cupolo Park bulkhead and dredging), maximizing grant receiving capability, and potentially naming the Route 24 park. A more formal list will be developed via email and finalized at the next meeting.
- Grant Opportunities: Town Manager Ashley Sander provided an update on active grant applications. Two DeNREC Community Environmental Project Fund grants (up to $50,000 for gazebos and up to $25,000 for adaptive swings), an ORPT grant (up to $200,000 with a 75/25 match for the new park), and a National Park Service Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program grant (up to $15 million, requiring partnership with Sussex County due to population requirements) are being pursued. Additionally, an American Lung Association grant (up to $20,000) could fund water bottle refill stations. The committee supported moving forward with all grants.
- Parks Projects: Engineering design for the Route 24 park is underway with Verdantis, with a draft expected by August 31st to meet grant deadlines. For Cupolo Park, a grant for bulkhead engineering has been obtained, and FEMA funds may be available for construction. The dog park fence gate is being repaired with CTF funding; a security camera (potentially solar-powered) was discussed as a deterrent for issues, with the committee agreeing to start with a camera before considering access controls.
Key Outcomes
- Mission Statement Adopted: The committee unanimously approved the amended mission statement as a living document that may be refined later.
- Next Steps: Goals and objectives will be collectively developed via email and formally adopted at the next meeting. Monthly meetings were agreed upon, with the next meeting scheduled for September.
- Grant Applications: Ashley Sander will compile a spreadsheet of grants and deadlines for the committee. She will continue pursuing all identified grants, including working with Sussex County on the Legacy Program grant. The committee will follow up on the county partnership at the September meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Uh the Tuesday Thursday, October thirteenth, I am first coming. One relation under uh agenda. There's one under the software. Underneath this. Okay, uh roll call. Um councilman Mac. Um assistance uh town manager Ashley Sander. Present. Uh town manager Jamie Burke. Present. Um councilman Mason present and absent today is councilman da Silva. Mary DeSilva. Um can I have a motion to a drop to agenda for today's meeting? So moved. Um second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Post. Motion passes. Um do we have minutes from the previous meeting? Do you know they were mailed out? If we can we can table this to the next meeting because I don't believe Mac was on mute. All right, you want to make a motion to table? I'd like to make more to table the minutes from the previous meeting. Uh so moved. Okay, public comments. Do we have any public comments? There are none. No public comments, nothing, Matt. Okay. Um as part of the agenda we put together, we have uh um goals and objectives. I uh in the handout I gave you is the uh goals and objectives that were presented to uh the town council as part of the global town goals and objectives. Uh I do believe that this committee should expand these goals and objectives for inside this committee. So at this point in time, if anybody has anything to add, we can. If not, what I would like to do is is have that thought process developed over between now and the next meeting so that we can establish clear goals and objectives for this calendar or fiscal year for the parks committee. Any comments as the on the goals and objectives that the uh has been presented as part of the town. I like the expat. Um I don't remember the way you worded it that we're expediting this to get to see if we can get this done in a uh quicker rather than a slower fashion that we can maybe have it ready for the 2027 year. Um that's one of the goals that I would have I would have had, and I really enjoyed uh reading that. So okay. So we can add like I say we can add goals to this. Um we've got the goals for the town, but I do believe you know we add stuff from the parks committee. Uh we can have our own uh objectives to exceed what the town has put forth. Uh I view the town's goals and objectives as kind of a minimum bar that we should achieve, and and we should strive to go beyond that if at all possible. Um I also next item on the the uh committee mission statement. I I do believe that this committee and maybe maybe others should consider having mission statements. Um I've put together um I believe five here, five mission statements that are potentially uh usable for this committee. We do not need to vote on these today. Um I think some of them are decent, and it may be the way something's written here, or it may be a blending, or it may be something totally new.
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