By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A dog park could be coming to Ann’s Park on Cedar St. if the Marion Girl Scouts’ idea pans out.

The Cadettes told city council members Monday that they want to develop a dog park there and offered help to the city for the project.

Council members suggested the scouts work with recreation director Margo Yates, who had already explored the notion of putting a dog park in Marion.

City administrator Roger Holter told council members the city was not awarded a Community Development Block Grant to assist with a $4.2 million waterline project. This leaves the city $600,000 short on funding.

Potential options include seeking a United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan, having the engineer bid the work as a base project with two or three alternatives, and issuing improvement bonds to cover the $600,000.

“We’ll continue to work on options and we’ll get back to you,” Holter said.

Commissioners voted unanimously to renew the city’s Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance next year. The insurance company’s renewal bid is a 4.23 percent reduction from what the city is paying now, Holter said.