By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – A Wayne County Parks millage allocation will help cover the cost of one completed project and another that is being planned.
The city received $25,000 from fiscal year 2008-09 millage for the DeLuca Field backstop, which already has been installed, City Administrator Paul LaManes said. The allocation also will pay for new playground equipment, which is being reviewed.
County officials also have allocated funds for 2009-10 at the city’s request for Lankford Park; final agreement still is pending. Because the purchases are made possible by county allocations, the projects’ budgets are constrained by those figures as well, LaManes said.
At the Oct. 7 City Council meeting, Mayor Valerie Cadez expressed a desired to replace a high, old-fashioned slide with safer equipment. Councilwoman Stacy Striz said a young boy fell off the top of the slide last spring and broke an arm.
Officials have said they wanted to replace the older, less child-friendly equipment with new components when money from sources outside the city budget became available. About $16,900 still is left in the current year county allocation for park equipment.