Residents press council for clarity on Rogers High dirt removal and bond allocations

Residents at the June 11 public hearing pressed the council for a clear plan and timeline to remove the large dirt pile next to Rogers High School and to remediate contaminated material reported beneath it.

Pete Rice, a neighbor, asked repeatedly about the status and cost of what he described as the removal of 50,000 cubic yards of dirt and whether the $10 million figure remained in city planning. Councilors and the finance director said the bond referendum approved by voters reserved funds conceptually and that detailed appropriations will come back to council as individual actions. "Number 1, that dirt will be removed. Guaranteed," Councilor David Carlin said during the exchange; Finance Director Jim Nolan described the projected debt service and timing for principal payments tied to the Rogers/Pell bond.

City staff acknowledged uncertainty about how much of the existing dirt could be reused for landscaping and that remediation under the pile was the substantive issue. The harbor and bonding discussion clarified that some bond items are allocated in concept and that specific dollar figures and appropriations will be presented in later council actions.

The council did not adopt a separate remediation schedule at the meeting; staff said they would present individual appropriations and timelines in follow-up docket items.