Troy City Council hears park proposal, votes for zero tolerance

Recreational additions were proposed to be made along the walking path in Roosevelt Park on Thursday at the Troy City Council meeting.

The idea suggests inserting several stops for various excerices. Troy resident Zach McNew presented the idea to the council.

“I imagine signs explaining the different health benefits of various exercises,” McNew said.

McNew is hoping to gain funding for the idea and donate the additions to the city after installing them. Council members and Mayor Tony Brown were fond of the idea, realizing it is likely far off.

The board said the next step would be presenting the proposal to their insurer. The board will also look into maintenance costs and potential to increase revenue.

“I just want to know where the sitting bench would be,” Councilwoman Fran McCully said.

Councilman Phil Fisher said he would consider such an addition a positive contribution for the park. Councilman Joe Arts said he believes the addition would benefit current Troy residents and help attract people to the town.

The board also voted on whether to keep the last chance agreement in the drug and alcohol policy of its contract with city workers. City Attorney Heather McDougall said she was advised that the city should remove the clause.

Fisher and McCully voted to remove the agreement while Arts and Councilwoman Crystal Denton voted to keep the clause. Mayor Brown split the vote when he voted for removal.

“I think this is about protecting the employees of Troy,” Arts said of the clause.

 The meeting started on an unusual note when a man rose during public comments and warned the council about Agenda 21, a UN action agenda which inspired Glenn Beck’s 2012 dystopian fiction book Agenda 21.