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CHELSEA – The Chelsea City Council’s approval of nine more Nick Grant fund resolutions marked a significant milestone in the history of the young school grant program.

The Council’s unanimous vote on March 2 to award $124,515 in Nick Grant funds to the city’s five schools brought the program’s total to more than $1 million since its inception.

“The Nick Grant Program, which was born on Oct. 1, 2019 with a 1-cent sales tax, has now with the addition of these grants broken the $1 million mark,” Mayor Tony Picklesimer said. “We’ve given $1,032,350 to our five schools. That’s pretty incredible, so thank you to everybody that’s made that happen.”

The Nick Grant Program was formed after the Council approved a 1-cent sales tax increase to generate funds for projects at the city’s schools: Chelsea Park Elementary, Forest Oaks Elementary, Mt Laurel Elementary, Chelsea Middle and Chelsea High schools.

Funds generated from the tax increase are managed by the Council and earmarked for education.

The Nick Grant Committee has authorization to approve grants up to $10,000. Beyond that amount, the committee must recommend the grants to the Council for approval.

Picklesimer thanked the committee’s members for their work in reviewing all of the grant applications.

In other business, the Council approved a $1,500 sponsorship and support of Chelsea High School’s senior prom, which is being organized and held by a group of parents this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“A group of senior parents have put together an event at a different venue on their own time and asked the city to help support that this one time,” Picklesimer said. “Thank you to the Council for filling this gap that’s left by COVID, but I also want to say thank you to the parents that got together and stepped up. Proms are a big deal, and I’m glad we were able to help this one.”

The Council also:

• Voted to accept a quote of $14,828.66 from Leisure Creations for outdoor furniture at the city’s new splash pad.
• Voted to authorize a renewal contract with Avenu Insights & Analytics LLC for a duration of 19 months.
• Voted to approve an annexation request submitted by Ronald and Belinda Jeffords for their property located on Old Highway 280 in Chelsea and consisting of 1.72 acres.
• Approved a proclamation declaring the week of Feb. 21-27 as Arbor Week and Feb. 27 as Arbor Day, and another proclamation declaring the week of March 21-27 as National Safe Place Week.