KRS 147A.028: Public purpose -- Local government parks and recreational facilities

fund established -- Distribution of funds by commissioner.

(1) In enacting a parks establishment aid law, it is the intention of the General

Assembly to supplement local efforts to establish park and recreational facilities.

The inadequacy of present facilities and the high cost of acquisition and

establishment of park recreational facilities are hereby declared to be matters of

public interest and concern and vital to the promotion of the health, welfare, and

industrial development of the inhabitants of the Commonwealth.

(2) The commissioner of the Department for Local Government shall cause to be

established in the Treasury a special fund to be known as the local government

parks and recreational facilities fund, to be administered by the commissioner. The

fund shall be comprised of grants, contributions, appropriations, and

intergovernmental transfers. Moneys in the fund shall not lapse at the end of the

fiscal year.

(3) The commissioner may, when he determines that a proposed local government plan

for a park or other recreational facility would serve the public interest, use moneys

from the local government parks and recreational facilities fund to aid local

governmental units in th eir acquisition and establishment of local parks and

recreational facilities, provided that local governmental units must provide

matching funds for the project. The Department for Local Government may grant an

amount up to five hundred thousand dollars ($ 500,000) for any one (1) project,

which amount shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the cost of the entire project.

For the purposes of this section, local governmental units shall mean county

governments, urban -county government, and governments of cit ies of any class.

Title to parks and recreational facilities acquired by the use of funds authorized by

this section shall vest in the local governmental unit which proposed the project and

provided the matching funds.

(4) In September of each year, the co mmissioner shall determine the amount of funds

available for distribution by December 31 of that same year. The commissioner may

prescribe standards for determining the amounts to be granted for local projects and

any administrative regulations as may be n ecessary to implement the provisions of

this section. Funds granted by the Department for Local Government shall be spent

by the local governing authorities only for the acquisition and establishment of

parks and recreational facilities or major improvemen ts or additions to existing

parks and shall not be used for operating or maintenance expenses.