Sheldon Community Betterment plans to clean up city park

Nevada Daily Mail

Sheldon's park will get a sprucing prior to the Old Settler's Picnic as decided by Sheldon Community Betterment Committee on Monday.

The group plans to meet at 8 a.m., Aug. 9, at the park to clean up trees, fix up the bathrooms, plant flowers and pick up trash around the park. Phyllis Sprenkle said she would look into getting students involved with the clean up. She said she would also ask the board of aldermen to take on a project before the picnic.

Becky Morgan added mosquito dunks that are not harmful to animals will be scattered in standing water to help control the mosquito population.

In an effort to boost morale and encourage community pride, the committee awarded Yard of the Week recognition to four candidates. The first winner is Linda Elderton, and John Jackson, Edith Davisson and Ruby Wright won the consecutive weeks. The Yard of the Week award will switch to Yard of the Month in August. Morgan takes nominations throughout the month.

In other business, Sprenkle asked the group to look over a map of Sheldon and consider adopting one or more of its 40 blocks.

"It would encourage getting to know your neighbors and keeping the block cleaned up," she said. "We talk about not knowing our neighbors, and we should know them in Sheldon. We are small enough to know them."

In the park board report, Amanda Hall said the board is raising money to purchase Simon Says playground equipment, which includes three slides, one inclined wall climber, one whistle, wood playground mulch, playground border with surfacing and an accessible half ramp.

"It will cost $17,000 for everything," Hall said. "We will need a community build day because there's no way we can afford the installation, too. The equipment will be in red, black and white -- Sheldon's colors."

Sprenkle said the park's land and water grant provides funds for playground mulch as well as a walking trail around the park, taking an additional $750 off the equipment's price. She also suggested applying for a KCP&L grant for up to $3,000 to help fund the project.

In other business, Sprenkle said she had plans to speak with MoDOT to have lights at the I-49-Sheldon ramp, a rest stop in Sheldon and flowers along the approaches. The group will look into making its own sign on Darlene Sheridan's property because MoDOT's signs cost $1,500 a year.

The sign would feature businesses in Sheldon as well as mention Mac Hornecker's sculpture at the park. Marlene Moran said Marie Hornecker, his wife, will attend the picnic and will have a book signing and talk about her husband's life in Sheldon. Judy Cole added she called Barton County Electric's newsletter staff to see about including a story about the sculpture.

In other business, Morgan said Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission's building inspector examined four properties, in effect six buildings, on Main Street. The Board of Aldermen will discuss what to do with the report at its meeting 7 p.m. Aug. 10. Sprenkle also mentioned there is a farmer's market at Chiggers on Tuesday afternoons.