City Council Approves Vision Fund Project Recommendations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/December 6, 2016

 

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES VISION FUND PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS

 RAPID CITY--The Rapid City Council approved the list of Citizens Vision Fund Committee recommendations for funding from the Vision Fund at Monday night's (December 5) meeting.

            After 90 minutes of presentations, questions and discussions, the Council voted 6-3 to approve funding the recommendations.  Voting in favor of the recommendations were Council members Lisa Modrick, John Roberts, Ritchie Nordstrom, Jason Salamun, Charity Doyle and Brad Estes.  Voting against the recommendations were Amanda Scott, Steve Laurenti and Jerry Wright.  Council member Darla Drew was absent.

            The next step in the process will be negotiations of contracts and agreements between the City and the Vision Fund recipients. 

            The nine-member Citizens Vision Fund Committee has been meeting since early September, vetting over two dozen proposals.  The process included reviewing follow-up information from applicants on the proposals, conducting two days of public hearings on the applications, attending several site tours of project locations, reviewing the complete history of Vision Fund project requests and funding dating back to 1995, and reviewing the applications with the goals and values presented in Rapid City's Comprehensive Plan especially the Plan's Seven Core Values.

            A total of $6.5 million for projects was made available through the Vision Fund by the Council.

            Projects approved for funding:

**Disabled American Veterans: Flag Pole for $21,000.

**Community Health Center of the Black Hills: Mental Health Pod for $523,406.

**Wellfully: Premier Adolescent Care Center (LAB Space) for $1,125,000.

**Rural America Initiatives: Community Center for $2 million.

**Rushmore Little League: Field Lighting Project for $25,000.

**South Dakota School of Mines & Technology: Turf and Beautification of Corridor for $1,897,604.

**Central States Fair: Stall Barn Expansion for $550,000

**Summer Nights:  Stage for $127,990.

**ASA Softball:  New Concessions/Bathroom Building for $200,000.

**The Skin Institute:  Shade Structure installation for $30,000.

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