The future of Edith Kell Park is still in question as the Salem City Council took no action on Monday night to declare the eight acre park on the city’s south side as surplus property.
City Manager Rex Barbee says the closed session discussion centered around the best use of the property. The eight acres is split in half by a creek and has to be accessed from different roads. Right now, there is only a basketball goal. Barbee says there is an expense to keep the grass cut through the summer months. He reports the council wanted additional information before making a decision. If the property is declared surplus, the city can seek sealed bids and sell it to the highest bidder.
The council approved the rezoning of the former Reaching for the Stars Day Care building at 622 North Marion from Single Family to Multi-Family esidential. The move will allow the purchase of the property by RTKS Properties of Kell to rehab the building to house three apartments. Barbee said it will be a nice improvement for the neighborhood and will be nice to have the property back on the tax rolls.
The council approved a four year loan with Marion County Savings Bank at 1.87-percent interest to finance purchase of a new street sweeper which will cost
$155,870 after the trade in of the old unit. Barbee says new unit has already arrived. The old sweeper was plagued with constant mechanical problems.
The Grace Nazarene Church was given permission to hold a Family Fun Day in the park on Sunday, June 13th. There will be a color fun run, disc golf, entertainment on the stage, food vendors and some free passes to the pool.
Non-union city employees were given the same 2.75-percent raise for the current fiscal year earlier granted to union workers in their contracts.
There was no decision on a design to be included in the repainting of the water towers this summer or on changes to the Pyrotechnic Display Ordinance designed to allow Salem High School to be able to continue to have some fireworks display. More discussion is planned on both at the next meeting.
