Conference committee backs $4.5 million youth recreation grant proposal, debates $1 million sewer upgrade at International Peace Garden site

At a conference committee meeting, members proposed adding $4.5 million in outdoor recreation grant funding for youth summer activities and debated whether to include a $1 million sewer upgrade alongside a revitalization appropriation for the International Peace Garden Music Camp.

The discussion focused on two adjustments committee members offered in response to recent Senate proposals. Chairman Sandler said there was “general agreement on just about everything on the budget,” but the committee had “a couple of pieces that we want to offer for consideration.”

Representative Martinson read a proposed amendment for park grants: “4,500,000.0 for outdoor recreation grants to an organization that supports youth summer activities, including but not limited to soccer, swimming, baseball, and other recreational activities.” He also read a provision limiting spending: “The Parks and Recreation Department may spend the funds appropriated in this section only to the extent the organization has secured matching funds from not state sources on a dollar for dollar basis.”

Committee members asked for the amendment language in writing so they could review eligibility and scope. A committee member requested the text be sent to staff member Molly to draft the formal amendment; Representative Martinson said he had already sent it to Molly.

The group also revisited funding for the International Peace Garden Music Camp revitalization and a related sewer system upgrade. Senators and representatives discussed whether to restore the project’s original $1 million request — which included $100,000 for an engineering study and about $900,000 for construction — or to keep the Senate’s approach of funding only the $100,000 engineering study until the project is shovel-ready.

Senator Becknell described the Senate’s position: “We were not really prepared at this time to go into actual construction … That's why I think you see the $100,000 to put some funding out there to get to a shovel ready project.” Chairman Sandler and others expressed a preference to coordinate the Music Camp revitalization and sewer work so any construction would proceed in a single effort rather than stop-and-start.

A staff member, Joe, summarized the accounting difference between the lines: “That's the way I'm understanding your ask. Yeah. … that hundred thousand dollars is the same hundred thousand dollars we're talking about. It's just the 900,000 for actual improvements to the physical structures that we're different on.”

No formal vote was recorded in the transcript. Committee members agreed to review the written amendment language before the next conference meeting and to seek clarifying information from project representatives. Representative Martinson said he would reach out to Tim at the International Peace Gardens for additional details, and members planned another conversation or visit to determine project readiness and funding needs.

The committee adjourned after setting those follow-ups and agreeing to take the amendment language up at the next conference meeting.