After 30 minutes of discussion, the Hennessey Board of Trustees on Monday approved a project to revitalize the Pat Hennessey Park on Arapaho Street in the northwest section of town.

The work was proposed by HHS seniors Dakota Davis and Ricardo Ramirez as part of their Leadership Hennessey 2018 community service project.

The Davis-Ramirez team competed against 11 other five-person senior teams to complete their project.

The project includes adding a new swing set, rose bushes and refurbishing pre-school existing town-owned playground equipment. The cost is not to exceed a $4,000 budget sponsored by the Hennessey United Association.

The civic group teamed with the school and Enel Energy on the leadership program.

Davis gave his persuasive presentation on the project and stressed the poor condition of the historic park and the need for a park on the west side of town.

Ramirez made a Power-Point presentation for the team’s project which they used at the school. That technology was not available at town hall so Ramirez gave board members printed copies of their work that included photos taken by Davis that showed the disrepair of the park.

Board members Clif Vogt and Vice Mayor Bert Gritz questioned the costs and upkeep on a rose garden.

Davis, a two-time regional Lincoln-Douglas debate champion, countered that it is part of the town’s history.

(Note: Annette B. Ehler, an early-day civic leader/mayor/school board president, started the park in 1940 and included a rose garden.)

Curtis Turner, public works director, had told the students about the roses when they worked with him on their project. He said at last week’s meeting that he might have concrete donated for a walk-way around the garden.

Board members continued to question the viability of a rose garden.

From the audience, library director Ruth Ann Replogle said there are roses in the library’s Territorial Garden that early-day farm families had donated. She suggested those could be used.

Turner said he wasn’t a gardener and was not familiar with the upkeep needed.

Board members discussed the upkeep on a garden.

They also talked about the condition of the Pat Hennessey gravesite iron railing/fencing and sign, along with the brick tower there that once chimed.

It was suggested that the framing might need painting.

Davis said he thought painting the ironworks would take away from the historical value of the park.

It was pointed out that a Girl Scout group also worked on cleaning up the park last year.

Barb Walter of Hennessey United said from the audience that United would not write a check for $4,000 to the town, but would pay individual vendors when they received bills.

She also said that she wanted the team to have “sweat equity” in the project to help.

Mayor Mike Shaw, who’d served on a Leadership panel, said he thought that all of the Leadership students should work on the project.

Walter agreed.

High school and middle school students are scheduled to help with the annual Town Beautification Day Monday, April 29, said Tiffany Tillman, town administrator.

There was also discussion about lighting needed at the park before Shaw motioned and the board voted 4-0 to allow students to work with town staff to come up with exact plans.

Members present were Wes Hardin, Vogt, Gritz and Shaw. Absent was Keith Meek.