The main topics of discussion for Emporia city commissioners Wednesday revolved around streets and the David Traylor Zoo.
On the topic of the David Traylor Zoo, commissioners received an update on the strategic plan from Zoo Director Lisa Keith. She tells KVOE News the zoo enjoyed a good year in 2015, and this year looks to be even better.
{wbty_audio audio_id=”14364″ audio_title=”Keith: Great Things to Come”}
Among those good things to come is the annual Friends of the Zoo Roundup Benefit Auction on March 4. This year’s event will be held in the Fairgrounds Anderson Building. Tickets are on sale now, $20 for individuals or $160 for a table of eight. For information, call 341-4365, go to www.emporiazoo.org or visit a Friends of the Zoo member. Keith also mentioned the Mission: Madagascar project, which is coming along smoothly and is still set to be finished by late spring. Additionally, Keith mentioned the possibility of getting otters and bears into the zoo in the near future, but no further information on those plans is available.
Commissioners also got their first look at the 2016 Street Rehab Project suggestions. Those include:
*South Merchant from Kansas to South Ave.
*Randolph from South Neosho to S. West.
*7th Avenue from Prairie to Woodland.
*S. Cottonwood from Potwin to Kansas Ave.
*2nd Avenue from Cottonwood to Market.
*Congress from 8th Ave. to 12th Ave.
*Anderson St. from U.S. Highway 50 to Burns St.
*State St. from 12th to 15th Ave.
Total estimated cost for the project is over $445,000. City Manager Mark McAnarney says they have $500,000 budgeted for the project, with that money coming from the state gas tax. The plan should be finalized later this spring, with construction to begin at its usual summer timeframe.
In other business, commissioners reviewed 2015 finances and accomplishments, and went through their strategic goals for the year. Following the meeting, commissioners held a joint luncheon with the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.
