Marathon City Councilman Mark Senmartin told the Weekly he has added an item about a city splash park to the agenda of the Tuesday, Aug. 12 meeting at 5:30 p.m. at city hall. He said he hopes the public will attend and offer input.
“The most important thing that I want to emphasize is that there will be minimal taxpayer dollars involved,” he said. His tentative plan calls for using $225,000 in city funds “designated to benefit children” donated by two developers, and about $200,000 from the proposed sale of a waterfront lot the city foreclosed on due to code violations. “If we start planning now, the project would be eligible for funding through two or three TDC cycles, as well,” he said, adding several citizens also propose to raise donations.
Senmartin estimates the splash park might cost $1 million and is most likely suitable for the Rotary Park he said is dated and in disrepair. “It’s a good opportunity to re-do that footprint,” he said.
Buy-out discussion
Also on the agenda for Tuesday, Aug. 13 is a discussion of the Volunteer Home Buyout Program, part of the Rebuild Florida program funded by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city has up to $5 million to offer homeowners of Hurricane Irma damaged properties (or homes with repetitive storm damage) in low-income neighborhoods. If the buyer accepts the offer, reportedly at pre-Irma valuations, then the house will be knocked down and the land used for conservation, recreation or stormwater projects. For more information about the program, contact garrettg@ci.marathon.fl.us.
Five for three
Former City of Marathon fire marshal Adam Geaneas has filed to run for the Marathon City Council election in November of this year. At presstime, he had yet to respond to the Weekly’s request for an interview.
Incumbents Mayor John Bartus and councilman Dan Zieg have also filed for re-election while councilman Steve Cook has said he will not seek another term. Newcomers Eugene Gilson and John Kissick have also filed.
The five men will campaign for the three seats, decided by the highest number of votes in the at-large election. So far, only two of the candidates have a war chest — Gilson has raised $300 and Zieg has raised $9,250.
