SALISBURY – The City Council’s agenda this week was brief but the following items were discussed and approved.

New Crosswalk Near SU Planned

A resolution accepting the gift of $4,879 for a mid-block pedestrian crosswalk on Milford Street was approved by the City Council.

City Administrator John Pick explained that during a recent review the Public Works Department noted that there were a number of students jaywalking on Milford Street between Wayne Street and Route 13 and felt that for safety sake it would be a good idea to install a crosswalk.

“The item is a bit of good actually,” Pick said. “It is a reflection of the cooperation between the city and the university.”

The city does not have the funds to cover the costs of materials, resulting in Salisbury University offering close to $5,000.

Public Works Director Teresa Gardner said the project will cost the city zero dollars, only labor fees from the department’s traffic section.

“Thanks to the Salisbury University realizing that this is a university generated need … but at the same time it is a wonderful thing that they were able to accommodate that for the safety of all pedestrians which are heavily students at that juncture,” Council President Terry Cohen said.

Conditions Met For
Building Water Tower

The next resolution on the table approved terms and conditions for a Maryland Department of Environment loan to build a water tower on Milford Street.

Bond Counsel Lindsey Rader summarized that the city will issue two separate bonds to the Maryland Water Quality Financing Administration (MWQFA). One bond will be in the amount of about $1.6 million, be tax-exempt, bear interest and have a stated principal amortization, and the other bond will be in the amount of $ 1.5 million, have no stated principal amortization, be treated as taxable, and provided the city does not default under the corresponding Loan Agreement within 10 years after the closing date, will be deemed forgiven on the 10th anniversary of closing.

Also, the city is required to establish and maintain a debt service reserve account in the amount of $66,000. MWQFA will advance proceeds of both bonds to the city to pay project costs. The Loan Agreement relating to the $1.6 million bond also allows MWQFA to accelerate payment of that bond if a covenant or payment default occurs.

“This is to help finance a 2 million gallon elevated water storage tank which will be located on Milford Street in the city,” Pick added.

Harbor Pointe Special
Assessment Established

An ordinance was passed in its final reading establishing the Harbor Pointe Planned Residential District as a special assessment district for the purpose of financing the cost of the sidewalk by assessing each lot owner.

City Attorney Mark Tilghman explained that the purpose is to establish the special assessment of $23,375, which will be assessed on 207 lots in the Harbor Pointe Planned Residential District, and the special assessment will be collected from each of the lot owners in equal installment of $22.58 for a period of five years for a total of $112.92 per lot.

Insurance Money To Fund
Painting Of Zoo Buildings

An ordinance was passed in its first reading to appropriate the funds received from the Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT) for damage incurred by a lightning strike to the Salisbury Zoo’s telephone and Internet systems.

Zoo Director Joel Hamilton explained that the recovery of LGIT funds returned to the city's General Fund resulted from damage to the Salisbury Zoological Park's telephone and internet systems during an electrical storm in August of 2011. The repairs have been made and the systems are working. The total cost of the repairs was $4,677. After the deductibles were accounted for the insurance claim paid by LGIT to the city amounted to $ 3,640.

Upon approval, the funds will be returned to the zoo's buildings line item. The funding will then be utilized for necessary painting in the jaguar and monkey buildings to bring the buildings into compliance with the USDA requirements. There is currently insufficient funding in this line to cover the costs of the painting.

Hamilton added that the jaguar and monkey buildings paint is peeling and is a violation during a USDA inspection.

“It is a really tough paint and withstands the daily cleaning, bleaching and all that we do on a daily basis, as such it is not inexpensive to apply,” Hamilton said. “Licensed applicators have to apply it … It does become expensive but it lasts a long time so that is what we are trying to do with this recovering money.”