By SALINA POST
What to do with the pond at Jerry Ivey Park is among the items on the Salina City Commission agenda for Monday.
About the meetings
Study sessions and city commission meetings will take place in–person in room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street, and via Zoom until further notice. Meetings also can be viewed at the City of Salina YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas.
To participate via Zoom, citizens will need to use the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89275984587.
The meeting also can be accessed by phone at 1-346-248-7799. Enter Meeting ID:892 7598 4587 when prompted.
If citizens wish to speak, either during the public forum or when the mayor requests public comment on an item, citizens attending via Zoom must raise their hands so that the meeting host can allow them to speak. Those who attend the in-person meeting will have the opportunity to speak at the podium.
Citizens also can send written comments or questions to city commissioners via email at [email protected].
In order for the commissioners to have an opportunity to review comments in advance of the meeting, please email your comments or questions by 5 p.m. the Sunday prior to the Monday meetings.
Study session
Commissioners will begin with a 3 p.m. study session. The topic of the study session is "Salina Drive Thru Recycling Center Lease Renewal."
Regular meeting
The regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
Commissioners are scheduled to consider a request from Salina Parks and Recreation to hire Water's Edge Aquatic Design out of Lenexa to look at options for the Jerry Ivey Park pond space, including repairing the pond, redesigning the pond, or repurposing the space for another amenity, according to information from the city commission meeting packet.
The cost of the study would be $18,800, and would be paid out of the yearly allotment of sales tax designated for park improvements via the Master Plan Priority List.
The pond was constructed in 1997. Since that time, the pond has encountered some issues. In 2007, two significant rain events caused 90 feet of the pond wall to fail. It was repaired at a cost of $14,262, with funds being reimbursed by FEMA.
Additionally, since 2017, the pond has had significant blue-green algae issues, according to information from Parks and Rec in the meeting packet. Blue-green algae toxin can cause illness and death in humans and animals.
"The Jerry Ivey pond is shallow with no filter system in place. The lack of filtration has helped contribute to the blue-green algae issue in the pond. The water quality issued at Jerry Ivey are affected by a combination of many factors including: sunlight, poor aeration, and high nutrient levels," Parks and Rec noted in the commission request.
Additionally, duck and goose excrement, as well as fertilizer, gas, and oil runoff from adjacent properties, streets, and parking areas contribute to a high phosphorus level, which is a key element to promoting blue-green algae growth, Parks and Rec noted.
Other items on the city agenda for Monday include the following.
●Consider accepting the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's consent agreement and final order for the former Schilling Airforce Base site.
●Consider awarding a contract for 2021 ultrathin bonded asphalt surface work
●Consider awarding a contract for 2021 mill and inlay work
●Consider Section 888 Special Alcohol Allocations for 2021-2022
●Discuss a Campbell Plaza redevelopment/acquisition request
●Consider a request from the Friends of the River Foundation and the Salina Family YMCA for a public/private partnership for the Smoky Hill River Greenway Trail from South Ohio Street to the YMCA. Work on the project was put on hold a year ago when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
●Consider a resolution authorizing the mayor to to execute a transferee agreement with Salina 2020, Inc., and Fourth & Walnut, LLC.
●Consider a resolution appointing a Human Relations Commission member to the Law Enforcement Citizens Review Board.
●Consider an application filed by Sunset Custard DT, LLC, requesting approval of an amendment to an existing PC-3 (Planned Shopping Center) zoning district at 916 East Crawford Street.
To see the full Salina City Commission meeting packet for Monday (378 pages), click here.