Kearney Opens Lion’s Park Refurb for Bids

The City of Kearney took another step toward the reconstruction of Lion’s Park and splash pad at the Board of Aldermen meeting on August, 17th . The decision came despite knowing if the city can completely afford the renovation of the park.

Completion of park renovation and splash pad construction projected for May or June of 2021

Project Manager of SC Planning and Design, Steve Casey, talked to the board about the history of the plan, including a grant for $250,000 from the state of Missouri for park development. Casey believes it is time to move forward with the park by opening the bidding process now in order to break ground on construction in October. The completion of the park renovation and splash pad construction is projected to be in May or June of 2021.

City Administrator Jim Eldridge also believes that moving forward with the bid process sooner than later is important because of potential inflationary impacts, as well as to determine the affordability of the project.

“We’ve been anticipating borrowing $1,000,000 with the expectation the Kearney Enrichment Council was going to contribute $350,000 at some point into the project,” said Eldridge. “They’ve raised approximately $30,000. I don’t know that’s possible that they will achieve their goal. So we’ve got to be preparing our debt schedules based on the funding for the whole amount.”

Eldridge believes that even though there may be a shortage of funds from the Enrichment Council, the city can afford the renovation to the park. Eldridge submitted a cash flow schedule to the board which combines some of the City’s other leases, that when retired, the Lion’s Project would assume those revenue streams.

“We’re on a tight budget, we understand that,” stated Eldridge. “But we’re at a point where we either put it on a shelf and let inflation keep on working on it, or [put it out to bid] and see if what we got will fly or not.”

After discussion of park details, it was decided that the city needed direction to authorize bids in order to proceed. Alderman Dan Holt made a motion to put the project out to bid to get numbers back. The board unanimously passed the motion to begin the bidding process.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story