Delaware City Council on Feb. 6 voted unanimously to accept and approve the 2012-2013 proposed recreation and parks improvements and budget.

Council tabled the resolution in late January after council members Lisa Keller and Andrew Brush requested an itemized list of how much the money the city was spending at each park and where the money was coming from.

Smith Park is scheduled to get a $1.167 million upgrade this year.

At Keller’s request, the parks and recreation advisory board revamped an earlier proposal to allow for significant improvements at Houk park, including the construction of a $400,000 to $455,000 restroom-storage-concession building, with work scheduled in 2013.

At the Jan. 23 meeting of council, City Manager Tom Homan said funds for the Houk Road park would come from the existing parks and recreation levy balance of $320,000 and from roughly $300,000 saved by postponing minor improvements to both Mingo and Smith parks.

In addition to the improvements at Smith, council approved spending $388,400 at Mingo and a total of $385,000 at Kensington and Stafford parks. The total amount spent out of the park levy funds (which include construction of the new recreation center) is $19,467,378.

Council also approved raises for three city cashiers in accordance with the increase in the state’s minimum wage, from $7.30 to $7.70 per hour.

Jackie Walker, director of administrative services, said the increase would affect only two or three permanent part-time employees currently working as cashiers.

Council formalized the purchase of a 100-foot aerial platform ladder truck from Pierce Manufacturing of Wisconsin by voting unanimously to approve entering into a capital lease with Fifth Third Bank at $166,408.88 for seven years.

The new truck replaces a fire department ladder truck that is 31 years old.

Finance director Dean Stelzer urged council to approve the lease (not to exceed $1,090,176) “because (Fire) Chief (John) Donahue has already taken possession of the truck and I’d hate for him to have to send it back.”

Councilman Chris Jones told Donahue at the meeting, “I’m looking forward to seeing the truck out and about” before amending his comment, “In a parade, I mean, not on a fire run. Let me rephrase that.”