Butler City Council will consider applying for a state grant that would be matched by the Butler A.M. Rotary to install playground equipment in Memorial Park next year.

Councilman Jeff Smith outlined the project and funding at Tuesday’s forum meeting. A resolution to apply to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will be considered at Thursday’s regular meeting.

The Rotary is asking the city to apply for a $40,000 grant and is offering to provide a $40,000 match for what would be the second phase of playground installations at the park, Smith said.

The Rotary is planning to buy new playground equipment for another part of the park with money raised at the recent Carved In Ice festival and have the equipment installed this year, Smith said.

He said he has talked to the Rotary about maintaining the playground and equipment to avoid creating additional work for city public works employees.

“I want the Rotary to maintain it. It gets the community involved with the community. It’s a win-win for everybody,” Smith said.

Smith said he also is seeking a business or organization to become the sponsor and assume maintenance responsibilities for the skate park at Father Marino Park.

The skate park hasn’t been maintained since it was installed 15 years ago, he said.

A lot of children use the park and Smith said he talked to some of them recently and was told the trucks on their skateboards get caught on the lose metal plates.

Screws are loose and no one knows what’s in the concession stand there, he said.

In unrelated business, a motion to approve an agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 32 and Sgt. William Mayhugh in accordance with a Jan. 30 arbitration award will be on Thursday’s agenda.

Ben Smith said the agreement covers back pay awarded by the arbitrator. He said the amount will be available Thursday.

Mayhugh, who was fired last year for allegedly punching a prisoner in the Butler County Prison in February 2017, was ordered reinstated with back pay through arbitration.

He has been reinstated, but is using accumulated vacation time and hasn’t returned to duty, Ben Smith said.

Mayhugh is working as a deputy county sheriff.

In other business, Councilman Kenny Bonus he will ask council to consider buying a used truck for the street department from Butler Township for $8,000.

If council approves the purchase, he said he wants to sell a 1997 truck the department uses now.

Councilman Michael Walter said the township truck comes with a plow and salt spreader.

Ben Smith said he will ask council to approve allowing Butler Downtown to move its office into an unused office in City Hall. He said the organization uses most of its $10,000 allocation from the city to pay rent to the Butler County Chamber of Commerce.

Council will also vote on the retirement of Capt. Theodore Codispot from the fire department on April 15 following 30 years of service.