The Northampton County Park & Open Space Grant Program, now in its second year, has $67,236 available for the Borough of Northampton for 2014.

Borough council and the administration have been advised the submitted grant applications will be prioritized on a first come, first served basis. The paperwork has to be turned into the county in March.

In 2013, the first year for the county park & open space grant program, Northampton was the recipient of a $99,454 grant which allowed the borough to acquire and install three major pieces of playground equipment at its three borough parks, 26th Street Neighborhood Park, Municipal Park Complex and Canal Street Park.

"This was a 50-percent matching grant project, and we contributed in-kind labor by having our Northampton Public Works Department install the play equipment," Victor Rodite, borough planner, said. "It was not an easy task, but they did an excellent job of it." Rodite advised council it should adopt a municipal park grant resolution at its Feb. 20 meeting. Such a resolution would allow Rodite to move forward in assembling and submitting a grant application. The borough has not yet designated a specific project it would spend the grant funding on.

The 2014 grant application window opens March 1 and closes March 31. Rodite said he would like to submit the borough's application "as close to March 1, 2014 as possible."

Rodite said at a grant meeting he attended with Brian Cope, Northampton County Municipal Park Acquisition & Development coordinator, the purpose of the application submitted by the borough is to indicate the borough has a local 50 percent share and inform the county on whether the borough's public works department will construct the project. The park improvements should be based on a sustainable design and the use of recycled materials.

Rodite noted the project, facility and improvements need to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements. A description on how the proposed improvements will have a positive impact on the community should also be outlined.

Cope said the grant allows for soft costs, engineering, legal fees and others, but only up to five percent of the total grant sought. In addition, park improvements need to be justified by a recreation plan or be referenced in the borough's comprehensive plan.

Each municipality in Northampton County has a five-year-allocation of funds from the grant program.