Local News – Wednesday, May 24th, 2017

Congressman Jason Smith congratulated Congressional Art Competition finalists and announced the winner during a reception at Mineral Area College on Saturday. Makayla Cahill from Salem R-80 High School won the 8th Congressional District Competition with a mosaic of a young girl from Salem entitled “Reflections of Youth.” Cahill stated she chose to do a mosaic because it was something she had not tried before and thought it would be a good medium to present her artistic vision. Cahill’s piece “Reflections of Youth” will be displayed in the United States Capitol for a full year and she will receive two round trip tickets to Washington, D.C. to attend the Congressional Art Competition reception with other art competition winners from across the country. There were six finalists from across the 8th Congressional District. In addition to Cahill, Baylee Bilyeu from Salem R-80 High School was also a finalist. The Congressional Art Competition is an annual event for high school students held each spring.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board held a meeting last Thursday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. After a closed session, Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon said 191 children participated in the City Soccer program this spring and it was a success. Lydon stated 415 children had signed up for the softball, baseball and T-Ball leagues. He also discussed the opening of the pool is scheduled for May 27th, but there had been some issues with the pool leaking that could delay the opening. Lydon did report there would be some slow pitch tournaments and baseball tournaments this year. Lydon did say the city had hired Don Smith as a part time Field Supervisor for field prep and in getting the fields ready for games. Guest Stevie Seay asked Lydon if he had a protocol for hiring umpires for the baseball and softball leagues and he said not really except that they need to know the game and be of good moral character. Park President Stan Podorski reported on the budget status and that the budgeted amount of sales tax revenue was reached in 11 months at $375,271.65 received over the $375,000 that was budgeted. Over the first 11 months of the fiscal year, revenues exceed $412,000 while encumbered expenses came in at $225,813.00 with many purchases still to be made in June. Podorski also said a launch meeting was held May 10th for the TAP grant for the new trail at the city park and the LWCF grant for the All Accessible Playground. The engineers now have the designs to work into a plan for the city to move forward. Lydon reported on the Pool House shower improvements and the tree planting and flower bed gardening done at the city park with help from the Spring Creek Garden Club. Lydon also said the “Volunteers for America” cleaned the stream ditch in the city park and he also wanted to thank the high school for the “cleanup day” that allowed students to put down rubber chips in the Al Brown Playground. Podorski reported work is still expected to be done on the Al Brown Fields for a new concession stand with a handicapped accessible bathroom, sidewalks and more. The old concession stand has been cleaned and may have to be used until the new concession stand can be put in, but it still needs a new roof. He also mentioned the city is looking at replacing five light poles with metal standards and new lights in the future. Podorski told members he verbally committed the Park Board to providing $50,000 over two fiscal years to a NAP project submitted by Healthy Dent County for a new Gym on the back lot of the Salem Community Center @The Armory. Without a quorum, a vote on this will have to wait until the next meeting which should be in a couple of weeks. On a request from the Salem News about adding the old middle school property as another park, President Podorski indicated the Salem Park and Recreation Department was not in a fiscally responsible position to look into adding another park. They have long term commitments already established including the work at Al Brown, the City Park’s All-Inclusive Playground and the new Soccer Park that would have to be done first. He said he was speaking personally for the board since there was no longer a quorum where a vote could be taken. The meeting was then adjourned.