WARSAW — After the normal Warsaw Park Board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 16 the board remained for a public post Stellar meeting.

After not receiving the Stellar designee, the Warsaw Parks Department has decided to move on with their projects by applying for grants. The particular grant discussed during the Tuesday meeting was a community development block grant for the public facilities program.

This grant has a maximum project budget of $500,000 with a local match of at least 10 percent. If won, the parks department plans on applying the money to the Ker Park project and the Richardson-Dubois Park project.

“It doesn’t look like, based on [the project] budgets that we would have to scale back,” said Kathleen Weissenberger, a consultant for the city. “We would be able to get both projects done.”

The city will have to submit a letter of interest to the Office of Community and Rural Affairs by this Friday, Aug. 19. This letter will allow the office see if the projects fit the stipulations of the grant. The office should get back with Warsaw during the week of Aug. 26, confirming if the projects are applicable.

If applicable, the city of Warsaw will then start the full application process. This application will include a detailed budget, environment review and a few more steps than what was necessary for Stellar. The full application is due by Oct. 14.

“The whole idea is that we are moving ahead with these projects,” said Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer. “And this really shows the [Stellar] committee that we are doing what we promised.”

Announcements on the grant selection will be made in December. If the park projects are selected, the city will have 18 months to complete them.