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Residents urge Salisbury to restore City Park after water‑main work and press for better enforcement and transparency
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Summary
Multiple residents at the March 2 Salisbury City Council meeting reported tree damage and soil erosion from a water‑main replacement in City Park, urged restoration before contractor final payment, and called for improved public‑works communication, better enforcement of sidewalk snow rules and landlord accountability.
Residents used the council’s public‑comment period on March 2 to press elected officials for action after a water‑main replacement in City Park that speakers said began in early January.
Nancy Royce told the council the replacement runs about three quarters of a mile near Beaver Dam Creek and lies in the 100‑year floodplain. She said heavy equipment had scarred trunks, snapped branches and disturbed topsoil around mature oaks, hollies, pines and cedars, and she asked the council, “What will be done to restore the park, its trails, trees and open spaces?” Royce noted she had emailed multiple department directors and the mayor and urged the council to require restoration work before the contractor’s final payment, saying tree protection and site restoration are in the contract.
Mike Parensky echoed Royce’s concerns and urged better transparency and project supervision. “There’s gotta be a way for citizens to access information about public works projects,” Parensky said, recommending the city use existing GIS resources so residents can click on a project and find scope, contacts and status.
Monica Brooks, president of the Wicomico County NAACP, reinforced the call for accountability, noting community partnerships can prompt action; she said the NAACP helped secure a $60,000 grant and that “127 trees have been planted in Waterside Park,” an example she offered of community‑city cooperation. Brooks also raised separate concerns about landlord accountability for substandard housing and asked the council to enforce existing ordinances.
Joe Scafino praised city snow‑clearing work but urged stronger enforcement of sidewalk‑shoveling ordinances for property owners and suggested a one‑time mailing to property owners outlining responsibilities for public sidewalks.
Riley Smith criticized council transparency and described what he characterized as restricted notice and political favoritism in past notification practices, asking, “Who is really running the city of Salisbury?” The transcript records no direct council response to the substantive public‑comment complaints before the council adjourned to a work session.
Speakers asked the council to require restoration, to improve public‑works transparency and to enforce existing ordinances; the meeting record does not show immediate staff commitments or a timeline for repairs or follow‑up.
