The Edmonds City Council during its Tuesday night study session received updates on several projects of interest to citizens, but one in particular is likely to be celebrated by local children and their parents: The long-awaited water play feature at City Park will open the week before Memorial Day.

An exact day has not yet been chosen for the spray pad ribbon cutting, but the hope is to have it on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon after school, so that children can be involved, said City Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Carrie Hite. The spray pad, which will feature specific areas designed for toddlers, families and teens, will be known as the Hazel Miller Spray Pad, Hite said. The $784,487 project was partially funded by a Washington State Recreation Conservation Grant, a Hazel Miller Foundation Grant and a donation from Snohomish County.

Hite noted that most spray pad components will be removed during the winter months, but the pad itself can be used by skateboarders during that time.

Councilmembers also announced their appointments to the restructured nine-member Citizens Economic Development Commission. The appointments are for either two years or three years. The appointments, by councilmember, are as follows:

Kristiana Johnson: Mary Monroe

Tom Mesaros: Matt Waldron

Neil Tibbot: Darrol Haug

Dave Teitzel: Jamie Reece

Adrienne Fraley-Monillas: Aseem Prakash

Neil Tibbot: Darrol Haug

Mike Nelson: Stephen Clifton

Diane Buckshnis: Nicole Hughes

Mayor Dave Earling, who is on vacation this week, announced his two appointments to the commission last week. They are Michael Schindler and George Bennett.

The City Council allowed the previous 17-member Economic Development Commission to sunset at the end of December. Earling proposed to the city council establishment of a new, smaller commission, and that was approved in early February.

The council also agreed, after hearing updates, to place the following items on next week’s consent agenda:

– Amending the Edmonds City Code to include a state law, passed by the Legislature in 2004, regarding cyberstalking.

– Authorizing the mayor to sign special event contracts. In her presentation, Hite noted two changes: the Classic Car Show is expanding from 5th Avenue South east on Dayton Street just past 529 Dayton Street, and the Garden Market will be moving from the Public Safety Parking Lot to Bell Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue. The latter change was made to accommodate likely construction of the Edmonds Veterans Plaza next to the Public Safety Complex.

There are no significant changes to the Edmonds Arts Festival, 4th of July Parade and Fireworks Display, or the Taste of Edmonds contracts, Hite said.

Councilmember Teitzel asked Hite how noise generated from the Taste of Edmonds Beer Garden is measured to ensure that it complies with city code. Hite responded that the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the Taste of Edmonds, has a decibel meter and checks noise levels regularly. Edmonds police also respond to citizen complaints, Hite said.

– Allowing Snohomish County to prepare a Hazard Mitigation Plan for the City of Edmonds.

– Approving an Interlocal Agreement with Olympic View Water & Sewer District to fund grind and overlay of 102nd Ave from just south of 238th Street to the south end of the cul-de-sac.

– Authorizing the Mayor to sign Deed of Right for Civic Field, and in a related matter to approve vacation of Edmonds and Sprague streets related to the Civic Field purchase. The city last year closed on a $1.9 million deal to purchase Civic Field from the School District  The city received two grants to help with the purchase of the property. A $1 million grant from the Recreation Conservation Office came with the condition the city needs to protect this land as park and open space land in perpetuity. The grantor requires the City to record a Deed of Right outlining this agreement. Also during the property purchase, the city determined that Edmonds and Sprague streets technically run directly across the Civic Field. Official vacation of the two streets is necessary for the city to protect this property as open space and parkland.

– Approving the acquisition of a 0.19-acre strip of land that has been used for public access for water craft launching and fishing on the Edmonds side of Lake Ballinger. The city already maintains the site, and Hite said no one realized that it was actually owned by Snohomish County until the city was notified that a private party had offered to buy it. The county gave the city the right of first refusal, and a decision was made to buy the land for $1,069.

Councilmembers also listened to a presentation from Public Works Director Phil Williams regarding a request that the mayor be authorized to sign an agreement with the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services for an energy saving project at the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The project would include replacing a failing 1988 belt press, used to process treatment plant solids, with new 2,500 lb. screw presses, plus other related equipment. The total project cost would be $3,700,416 but the city would receive $125,784 in utility incentives from Snohomish County PUD, bringing the project cost to $3,574,532. In addition, the city’s wastewater treatment partners — the Ronald and Olympic View sewer districts and the City of Mountlake Terrace — would share expense ($1,759,184) with the City of Edmonds’ allocated expense at $1,815,449. The project would be completed by September 2017.