Sweetwater Mayor Doyle Lowe, Vice-Mayor Julian Walton, Parks and Recreation Director Greg Newman, and City Recorder Jessica Morgan traveled to Nashville on Monday, to receive a check for an LPRF grant to build a playground at the parks and recreation complex. Sen. Randy McNally, who was instrumental in obtaining the grant for Sweetwater, was also present for the check ceremony.

Sweetwater received its last LPRF grant in 2009 to redesign and enhance Engleman Park. The grant process involves an extensive scoring and application process, which includes inspections prior to grant awards.  "Grants are one of several reasons we try our best to keep superior park maintenance, and continually improve our facilities. The pre-grant inspections can make or break the application process," said Newman.

"Over the past three years, Sweetwater has received nearly $3 million in grant funding used for projects ranging from fire fighting equipment to parks facilities to energy efficient upgrades. Many of the grants have been obtain with little or no cash matches from the general fund," said Morgan. "Without grant funding, so many of our recent projects would not have been possible."

See full release in the Sunday, Oct. 21, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.