June 2003 Summer began in earnest with the announcement of several special events for residents. The first of three scheduled musical events, An Evening of Music at the Park was held on June 9, 2003, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Marriott Park. James Elmer acted as Master of Ceremonies. Featured were Bob Hirschi, a Slaterville Primary Choir, Karen Mecham, and The Pastels Plus. June Meyerhoffer and Pearl Stanger shared memories of "the old days" with the audience. A sing-along of old favorites was also enjoyed. Additional musical evenings are scheduled for July 7th and August 4th The Parks and Recreation Division is providing tennis lessons this summer with Steven Ito as the instructor. He has completed his Level 3 tennis certification with the U. S. Professional Tennis Association. They will begin on June 19 and continue until mid-August at the tennis courts on BDO. Free lessons are available for our senior citizens. Because of the recent burglaries in the community, residents were reminded to lock-it-up, meaning keep your home, property and automobiles locked. Earlier this year, mail boxes have been ransacked, so be cautious in mailing checks. If unusual activities are noticed in the neighborhood, consider reporting them in case it may be a criminal activity. We are fortunate in having a Community Resource Officer in Mark Lowther, a Deputy Sheriff assigned to our city. Residents were reminded that the Building and Fire Codes require that all houses have an address posted. If there is no address on the home or mail box, it is possible that in the event of an emergency, you or your family might be at risk. The Emergency Management Planning Committee is currently preparing an emergency plan for the city. City officials have suggested that if residents have an old car parked in their yard, it be donated to the Kidney Foundation or other similar plans. This would not only help the organization, and provide the individual with a tax deduction but, at the same time, improve esthetics of the yard and community. Both Scott Van Leeuwen and Carolyn Deru donated a new flag to the city this year. The Slaterville Cub Scouts conducted a ceremony this month to retire an old worn flag and replaced it with a new one. Scouts involved were Jonathan Spencer and Cody Sandburg, with leaders Bart Spencer and Brian Cutler. Several new businesses were licensed in June: Pioneer Communications, Handy Man, and Laser Magic Images. There is a new owner of the 12th Street Phillips 66 Station, who also has a beer license. Preparations for the annual July 4th festivities were well underway this month with Pam Slater again serving as Chair. Darren DeVries will be in charge of the July 3rd activities at the Slaterville Park. A Capital Improvement Plan for the city must be prepared each year. This year's was updated by Bill Morris for review of the Council at the June meeting. Mayor Butler would like to see a five year program developed, as some projects require more than one year to bring to fruition. With the nationwide concern about the West Nile Virus which is carried by mosquitoes, it is good to know that the Mosquito Abatement District has increased spraying this year. This has led to fewer of the pesky insects in our community, although some residents may not believe it. Many have seen more of the visiting "vampires" hunting for a drop of our blood than we like to find.