Parkville is moving forward with its manhole evaluation program, checking on maintenance access points that have not been inspected for more than a decade.
During an online meeting held Tuesday, May 5 via Zoom, the board heard a presentation from Jay Norco of North Hills Engineering on the $30,000 manhole inspection project.
Last year, the board of aldermen approved a five-year agreement with North Hills to provide on-call engineering services for specific projects.
Norco said it had been 13 years since the more than 600 manholes in the city of Parkville had been inspected. Then, about a dozen were repaired. The rest of the needed repairs were deferred to free up funding sewer pipe replacements.
Over the years, manholes can vanish, Norco said, and sometimes locating them all can be a challenge. Over the years they can be covered by mudslides, roots can grow through the concrete, lids can rust shut and property owners can hide them with landscaping – or other objects.
The board also heard an update from city administrator Joe Parente about English and Platte Landing parks.
The dog parks in Platte Landing opened late last week, with social distancing requirements in place to keep patrons separated.
The board also heard a quick update on the wetland restoration project now under way in the park. The Army Corps of Engineers has planted native trees and shrubbery in the restoration area to kick off the project.
Shelters in the park are also available for reservation, but only for groups of less than 50 people. All applicants must submit a safety plan addressing social distancing guidelines before an application will be approved.
While the brick and mortar restrooms in English Landing remain closed, some more temporary restroom facilities remain open.
The board suggested the city work with the third-party contractors that maintains those facilities to step up cleaning and waste pumping efforts.
A meeting of the Community Land and Recreation Board will be held Wednesday, May 13 with the board set to discuss its application to the state TRIM tree inventory and pruning program and future pickleball courts.