ORANGE PARK – Town council members endured a marathon three-and-a-half hour meeting Tuesday night, again talking about Bradley Park and rejecting a contract.

The town announced it received a $200,000 matching grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection for the Rob Bradley Park at Nelson Point. The grant application calls for improved restrooms, a multi-use shoreline, a nature trail and observation areas.

According to town documents, the town is using $65,000 from the Capital Improvement Plan for restroom roof and tree plantings. The remaining $135,000 is earmarked for construction.

Several public commenters also voiced concerns over spending on the park, with a couple of people storming out.

Councilmember Susana Thompson, the lone vote against the agreement, said several facets of the plan weren’t signed off on by residents.

“I want to know how this grant was applied for without it coming to council,” Thompson said. Town Attorney Sam Garrison said the charter is flexible in what the town can do with a piece of property. The charter did not prevent the government from adding to the property or selling it.

“Council made the decision to take the parcel. You gained control. You also gained responsibility for any financial liability associated with that,” Garrison said. “There is not a requirement to do anything.”

Mayor Randy Anderson asked for Bradley Park to be an agenda item at the regular Sept. 20 council meeting.

In other business, town council member Alan Watt brought back a recommendation from the town’s Public Safety and Public Works Committee to use $50,000 in federal disaster relief on traffic calming measures. They recommended 10 radar speed signs and poles to deter speeding.

“Frankly, this was the only viable option,” Watt said. “The action is either accept this or do nothing for the foreseeable future.”

Thompson said she was concerned about paying $50,000 if a speed deterrent may not work.

“We don’t have the data at this point, we have other priorities,” she said.

Watt said the recommendation could be a motion, but it didn’t have to be decided Tuesday. Anderson recommended waiting for supporting documents for the signs.

Next, the town denied a $26,701 pay increase on a construction contract. Though the town was quoted at $163,035 to pave six roads, they were billed $189,736 for the work when the scope was misjudged by 2,245 square feet.

Town staff reported the money to pay the increase could impact other funds. The contractor, Hubbard Construction, was not present Tuesday night. Town council members unanimously denied paying the increase.

At several points in the meeting, residents criticized town staff. Council Member John Hauber said they shouldn’t be barraged during public comment.

“It’s getting irritating to see how our staff is treated,” Hauber said. “To have them come up to this podium and then to point fingers is unacceptable as a resident of this town, and as a resident, I shouldn’t have to be saying this to another resident because we’re all supposed to be treating each other as one.”