FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — A lifesize statue of stone-skipping world-record holder Russ Byars, who passed away in October, will be built in Riverfront Park after the Franklin City Council gave its approval at Monday’s monthly meeting.

(Photo of Russ Byars. Photo courtesy of @MackinacStone)

Brian Barnett, High Commissioner of Pennsylvania Stone-Skipping, and a resident of Franklin addressed the council about the statue, which will be made of bronze.

“Russ was Franklin’s world ambassador,” Barnett said. “He was a world-record (Guinness-verified) with 51 skips. We want the statue to serve his memory.”

Barnett said the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did a story on Byars, who passed away on October 7, about a decade ago and that story went viral to the point where Byars traveled to many different countries and became a great ambassador for Franklin.

According to Barnett, he tracked down the sculptor of Oil City’s Chief Cornplanter statue and got a price for the statue.

“It was going to cost $50,000.00, but I got it down to $40,000.00,” said Barnett, who is raising the money. “It shouldn’t cost Franklin anything.”

The location of the statue would be right at the bluff overlooking where the annual stone-skipping competition is held with Byars facing the water.

“We would like to put it where we set up the tent,” Barnett said. “He would be facing the river.”

According to Barnett, they are looking to possible etch the names of anyone who donates over $1,000.00 in the stone at the base of the statue.

All the money raised will go through the Franklin Fine Arts Council, and Barnett anticipates using the rest of this year to raise the money and then having a statue reveal in August 2019.

Councilman Jim Marshall asked if Barnett would be able to keep city manager Tracy Jamieson updated on the progress, and Barnett said he didn’t see that being an issue.

MILLER-SIBLEY BALL FIELD AGREEMENTS

The council gave permission to the Franklin Little League and men’s softball to use the ballfields at Miller-Sibley Park.

They also heard a presentation from Herb Bigley about putting in a new fence at the softball field and also about putting steps with railing. Bigley asked for help from the council in finding someone who could design the steps, which the city is requiring.

Franklin City Manager Tracy Jamieson said she could talk to the city engineer about it, while Councilman James Johnson said he would also ask around.

Bigley said the softball league would be supplying the labor for the fencing, which it had originally hoped to get down in the fall.

NEW STREET SWEEPER NEEDED

Jamieson told the council that a new street sweeper is needed. The current street sweeper, which was purchased for $40,000.00 in 2014 with 36,000 miles on it only has half of it working and parts are harder and harder to come by.

“We are going to have to rent one for the spring at a cost of $11,500.00 for six weeks,” Jamieson said. “Then, we are going to have to figure out what we want to do.”

Jamieson, who said that a cost of a brand new street sweeper would be around $280,000.00, said two options that have been uncovered include purchasing a demo-model one for $175,000.00 with the company taking off the $11,500.00 rental fee and also giving the city an undisclosed amount in trade in or buying a 2012 used one with 39,000 miles on it for $135,000.00.

Jamieson said any purchase would require the city to take out a loan, and, when asked, she said there wasn’t much money left in liquid fuels money after the purchase of the dump truck that could be used. Only about $9,000.

CITY TO SUBMIT REQUEST FOR DCED FOR RELEASE OF 2016 CDBG FUNDS

On or about March 26, 2018, the City will submit a request to the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for the release of FY-2016 Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBG) under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

The project is in the amount of $50,000.00 and will be for condemned structures located at 744 15th Street, 1407 Eagle Street and 327 Pacific Street. The city says the projects will have no significant impacts on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for these projects and is on file at the Franklin Community Development office and may be examined or copied weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in accordance with City policies.

Any individual, group or agency disagreeing with this determination or wishing to comment may submit written comments to the City of Franklin Community Development Department. All comments received by March 23, 2018, will be considered by the City of Franklin prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

DCED will accept objections to its release of funds and the City’s certification for a period of 15 days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the certifying officer of the City of Franklin; (b) the City has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the grant recipient has committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of the release of funds by DCED; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the Department of Community and Economic Development, Center for Community Building, 400 North Street, 4th Floor Commonwealth Keystone Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0225. Potential objectors should contact DCED to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

OTHER BUSINESS

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