The Soldotna City Council passed an ordinance that would increase estimated revenues and appropriations by $51,694.54 in the COVID-19 Relief Special Revenue Fund by accepting grant funds provided by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. The city is eligible for an initial grant allocation of $25,847.27 from the Healthy & Equitable Communities grant funding and it was requested that a portion of the Borough’s allocation be awarded to the City of Soldotna.
City Manager Stephanie Queen:
“This program was described by the state as being more broad in its scope and its objectives as well as trying to achieve more long-term health outcomes with communities. So, it’s a little bit different than some of the COVID relief funds that we’ve previously brought to you in projects as this one is targeted broadly at improving health outcomes in communities, specifically reaching underserved populations, which may not have an equitable access to some of those opportunities. In reviewing the grant criteria, we worked with the parks and recreation department and identified a scope of a project proposal that fits the needs of the program and I think would supplement some of our existing ongoing parks programs. That is by supplementing our ability to deploy a mobile rec unit both in the winter and the summer to our different parks for different events. The granting agency has reviewed the scope of work that’s included in your packet and determined that it meets all of the requirements for the program and the memo that’s included as well as the attaching documents shows, generally, the scope of how we would intend to use those funds.”
The Healthy and Equitable Communities grant program is intended to support strategies to improve health outcomes for Alaskans, particularly among underserved population groups (including children). The eligible activities include increasing or improving access to facilities and community spaces that promote health and physical activity and serve high-risk populations.
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