Peabody City Council hears about need for skate park
A request for city support for a skate park in Peabody was presented Monday evening to Peabody City Council members by Shawna Winter.
Winter is a member of Peabody-Burns Recreation Commission.
Winter said tentative plans are to build a park at Second and Locust streets across from the city park.
"The kids I've talked to are willing to help with fund-raising," said Winter. "They know this isn't going to be just given to them. They are prepared to work for it."
Winter said skateboarding is a popular sport with many youngsters. "It's not going away," she said. "There are younger kids out there coming up who will want to be involved in it.
"There is no place for the kids to skate now. They are skating in the street. How safe is that?"
Winter said the area will be about the size of a tennis court. She has researched skating equipment and thinks she can get some made locally. A tentative price tag of $9,000 was put on the park.
Winter said some rec commission funds probably will be available.
After discussion mayor Tom Schmidt asked city administrator Jeff Benbrook to get opinions from the city's insurance carrier and city attorney on liability issues. He asked Winter to return to the next council meeting with additional information on costs, design, equipment needs, and funding options.
Also in attendance was Shreves Avery representing Peabody State Bank's interest in the property at 309 N. Sycamore.
Avery told council members PSB had completely secured the house. He was in receipt of an estimate to rehabilitate the house and was awaiting a second estimate.
Avery said a decision will be made by PSB board of directors about the future of the property. He also noted he had not yet heard from the bankruptcy court about the bank's claim to ownership.
Council unanimously approved a 60-day extension of the nuisance hearing for Peabody State Bank.
City council members were informed by Benbrook that a Federal Emergency Management Assistance application meeting will be held Friday at Marion City Building. Benbrook said he will be better able to assess what the city might expect in reimbursement for storm cleanup after the meeting.
Council voted to hire a professional tree trimmer to remove hanging limbs at city park and salvage as many trees as possible. A community-wide effort to clean up the park will follow.
In other business the council:
— unanimously approved Resolution 021405 authorizing temporary notes to pay interim financing on the sewer project until all the money is received from Rural Development.
— approved bills from Reiss and Goodness for $3,000 for an environmental study and $60,456 for design engineering fees. Both bills are in conjunction with the new sewer project.
— tabled for more information a decision on raising user fees for sewer service. A decision will be made at the Feb. 28 meeting.
— approved a donation to Peabody-Burns High School after-prom party.
— tabled for more information a request from county commission to determine the city's participation in support and funding for a countywide economic development position.
— discussed contact made with the owner of a trailer at the trailer park on Peabody Street and agreed the owner has had time to abate the nuisance by either renovating or moving it. Council agreed to schedule a nuisance hearing on the property.
— discussed a travel trailer parked at Fred Yoder's residence being used as living quarters. Council members agreed that since all contact to date has been of an informal nature, it is time to prepare formal notification if a response of intent is not received by next meeting.
— approved a recommendation to grant an exception for the Baptist church to dump sump pump drainage into the city's sewer system.
— heard that city administrator Jeff Benbrook is working on a new contract agreement for the city's building inspection process.
