Councilman Chris Grace discusses details on the parks and rec master plan. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
The Chelsea City Council accepted a proposal for a Chelsea Park & Recreation System Master Plan project by Dix-Hite during the Nov. 15 council meeting. The company would do an assessment of all the facilities available to the city and see what could be added.
“It would involve public engagement, public comment and we want the citizens to be aware of it,” said councilman Chris Grace. “You’ll be receiving notifications publicly about a couple of activities that we will be conducting here in the city to elicit your feedback and desires about what our park system plan needs to include.”
Councilman Casey Morris said Preston Sorrell is the landscape architect in charge of the project, is from Chelsea and that he is excited to have a parks and recreation plan with someone who is familiar with the city.
“Hopefully we get a lot of citizen engagement and create a plan for us to run on,” Morris said.
During the mayor’s report, Mayor Tony Picklesimer said that groundwork has begun on Chelsea’s first hotel- LaQuinta Inn by Wyndham. The groundbreaking was held July 11.
“This has been a long time coming and we’re very excited to see that work begin,” Picklesimer said. “I want to say thank you to the Auburn Hospitality Group for hanging in there through a very difficult time in our nation’s economy and staying true to the project.”
He noted that there is also new construction behind Applebee’s (a childcare center) and beside Elite Auto Care (an ABC distribution center) and noted that city revenues continue to be extremely strong.
“We hope you’re starting to see a trend here even though we are in what some call an inflationary period. There's still construction and business coming to our city. That's a very good thing.”
Also during the meeting, the council:
- Awarded education funds to Chelsea High School
- Approved to reappoint Matt Lyons to the Chelsea Planning Commission
- Declared property as surplus and authorized its donation/disposal- including a 1985 volunteer fire truck that will be donated to the Southern Vintage Fire Apparatus Museum in Birmingham.
- Authorized insurance coverage for city of Chelsea retirees. Picklesimer said although the city is only 26 years old, they are beginning to have city employees to retire.
- “It's truly a milestone when you've got employees that have been around long enough to earn retirement for our city,” Picklesimer said.
- Authorized the conversion of unused sick leave to retirement service credit.
- Approved to pay the city’s bills.
- Important dates
Nov. 24-25: Chelsea City Hall closed
Nov. 28: Chelsea Planning Commission meeting, 6 p.m.
Dec. 1- Jan. 15: Nick Grant application period
Dec. 5: Chelsea Municipal Court, 6 p.m.
Dec. 6 and 20: Chelsea council meetings, 6 p.m.
Dec 17: 23rd Annual Chelsea Christmas Parade at 10 a.m. followed by Splash’n with Santa at Melrose Park Splash Pad from noon to 3 p.m.
