MARRIOTT-SLATERVILLE CITY HISTORY May 2006 Our city is busy with the real arrival of warm weather this month. Gardening is in full swing throughout the community. Now that our new office building is completed, occupied, with both government offices and the senior center running well, plans are being made for landscaping and developing the surrounding area. A new park is planned for the land behind our building. Brent Perkes, Jonathan Saunders, Dorothy Slater and Linda and Val Currie were members of a committee designated to make tentative plans for the park. At the May 18, 2006, city council meeting, Brent Perkes presented the plans the committee is recommending. Community input was requested and the committee tried to accommodate the ideas in their plans. Many citizens would like a walkway; trees were a common request. The committee recommended a paved walkway around the perimeter of the park, planted with trees. Restrooms, a water fountain, a natural amphitheater, with lights and a speaker system, picnic areas, play area, pergolas, horseshoe pits, and an enlarged group gathering area adjacent to the patio were a part of their recommendations. They considered utility, safety and cost maintenance in their plans. He estimated the development cost to be about $180,000, which could be less if community volunteers helped. The council discussed the advantage of adding a bowery to the plan. Mr. Slater questioned if there could be a security fence around the playground. The council accepted the general plans from the committee and will forward it to the planning commission for consideration. Mayor Keith Butler and Chairman Dennis Illum thanked the committee for their hard work in developing the plans. Mayor Butler announced that Marriott-Slaterville has again been named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day foundation for 2005. The staff has obtained several informal bids on the landscaping for the city office. Mayor Butler recommended Combe's Tree Farm as the lowest bid. It would include 90' of curbing, 300 square feet of cobble, 125' of planters, 13,000 square feet of sod, 40 five gallon plants, and 10 trees (1 1/2-2" caliper trunk). They will also donate 4 large shade trees to the city, and would commence work in about one month. The council granted Mayor Butler authority to negotiate for landscaping around the city building for an approximate cost of $25,000. Brent Perkes was presented the monthly Mayor's Service Award, at the May 18, 2006, Council Meeting, for his volunteer work. Three public hearings were conducted on May 18, in conjunction with the council meeting. The first concerned fees for the Pioneer Special Service District. These services are extra ones provided for several new subdivisions that are part of the district, including pressurized secondary water, flood control, open space, maintenance fees, sidewalks, curb and gutter and street lights. They will be paid only by residents of the special service district who receive and pay for the services. Following the hearing, the staff recommended that some modifications suggested by the State Auditor's Office be followed. These included extending the budget an additional six months, putting the district budget on the same fiscal year as the city, which should double the estimated revenues and expenditures. They suggested tracking the budget as an Enterprise Fund so it can be amended without public hearing. The resolution was passed unanimously by the council. The two other public hearings concerned the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 budgets. The resolutions concerning these budgets were also passed unanimously, after the conclusion of the hearings.