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 their 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 cities 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 commissioner 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 necessary 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 improvements or additions to existing parks and shall not be used for operating or maintenance expenses. Effective: July 15, 2010 History: Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 117, sec. 9, effective July 15, 2010. -- Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 47, sec. 70, effective June 26, 2007. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 69, sec. 56, effective July 15, 1998; and ch. 597, sec. 3, effective July 15, 1998. -- Created 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 162, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982.