Invasive plants targeted in Alameda Park
Invasive vegetation will be removed from about 50 acres in Alameda Park.
The Butler County commissioners on Wednesday approved an agreement for a contractor from Mars to remove the vegetation starting at the end of May.
The agreement calls for ZFE Sprayers to remove vegetation from 38 to 40 acres at a cost of $250 per acre and remove knotweed from about 10 acres for $150 per acre.
The county received a grant to cover the cost from the Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management, said Lance Welliver, parks and recreation director.
Removing invasive vegetation was discussed by the park advisory board. It is needed for trail development and for the removal of trees that inhibit undergrowth, said Leslie Osche, commissioners chairperson.
“It’s been a long time coming to get these invasive species under control,” Osche said.
Welliver said native vegetation will be planted as a part of the effort.
The slide at the Alameda Waterpark will be restored without closing the pool, Welliver said.
The commissioners ratified advertising to restore the slide this year by removing rust and repainting.
In addition, Welliver said applications for jobs as lifeguards, cashiers, camp counselors and concession stand workers at the park are being accepted.
Seasonal job descriptions and applications are available at https://www.butlercountypa.gov/jobs.aspx?CommunityJobs=False&CatID=Seasonal-Employment-99.
Commissioners voted to add Kratom, an unregulated substance derived from a tree bearing the same name that grows in Southeast Asia, to the list of substances that adults and juveniles on probation can be tested for.
“If they test positive, they would in fact be in violation of their supervision,” said Doug Ritson, chief probation officer.
He said staff members asked him to have Kratom added to the testing list.
He said Kratom’s effects are similar to that of opioids. Legislation to make Kratom off limits to people under 21 has been proposed, but the substance is readily available at convenience stores.
“It’s an unregulated product that people can get a high from,” District Attorney Rich Goldinger said Thursday.
Kratom is not listed as a controlled substance, but police have filed driving under the influence charges against people who consumed it. People who use Kratom drive erratically, appear under the influence and fail field sobriety tests, he said.
“The Legislature is going to have to address it sooner or later,” Goldinger said. “We’re seeing it more. It’s easy to obtain.”
The commissioners allocated $50,000 from the $5 fee on vehicle registrations to Petrolia for a stormwater repair project on Route 268 and Spring, Lower Spring and Taylor streets. The existing stormwater system is clogged and in disrepair. The borough will clear pipes and catch basins and add 15 new catch basins.
The commissioners also agreed to purchase insurance from the Pennsylvania Counties Risk Pool for a year ending June 1, 2027 at a cost of $734,001, a 9% increase over this year’s premium of $673,986. The insurance includes coverage for property, general liability, law enforcement liability, vehicles and public officials.
