June 30^th, 2011

The 4^th of July is quickly approaching and we will have a full weekend of activities.  On Saturday there will be  a co-ed volleyball tournament at the North Park and the annual street dance downtown (gates are opening at 7).  Sunday the Wellman Ball Association is sponsoring a car show at the ball fields.  On Monday the 4^th the day starts with the 5K Freedom Run at 8 am beginning at the Bidwell-Slockett park.  The kiddie parade starts at 9:30 with the main parade following at 10.  This year Royce and Betty Buckwalter will be our grand marshals.  There will be activities, ball games, and food at the North Park all afternoon and the garden tractor pull will be at 2 pm at the soccer fields (the garden tractor pull has been moved this year from the South Park to an open area at the soccer fields due to the construction of the water plant).  Entertainment in the bandshell begins at 7 with the fireworks following at about 9:30.

One project we wanted to have completed by the 4^th this year was the improvements to all of the benches and picnic tables in the park.  The materials we received to replace the wood with recycled plastic composite boards was not what we ordered, so we have to wait for the company to send the correct materials.

The water plant improvement project is continuing to move forward and we are planning to be on-line towards the end of July!  The Council recently approved a change order for the project that involves lining the old jordan well next to the plant.  This well has been in use since 1955, although we greatly reduced the amount of water we acquire from it since we drilled the new well in 2003.  This well is in desperate need of repair and since the government requires we have two water sources we had to decide whether to drill another new well or reline the old one for about one tenth of the cost.  Assuming the relining goes as planned this well should last another 40+ years and this part of the project will not affect us going on line in July.