Howard parks board vs. proposal
Published 4:26 pm Wednesday, November 1, 2006
By By NORMA LERNER / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS – The Howard Township Parks Board voted not to support the Cass County Parks 0.50 millage levy proposed on the Nov. 7 ballot.
The board says it already has five parks with a $50,000 budget in Howard Township.
The parks board took the action at its October Parks Board meeting, stating the millage increase and the allocation of the revenues do not serve the best interests of Howard Township and the Howard Township Parks Board, according to Sig Slavik, parks board treasurer.
He said an adopted resolution stated that the proposed millage increase is unnecessary and will only serve to increase property taxes.
The resolution stated a portion of the revenues generated will be released to the townships or municipalities only if those entities meet qualification requirements not yet announced.
It claims the revenues generated could replace funding already provided to park districts. It further states the proposed millage would serve as one of revenue replacement rather than an enhancement.
The resolution also states local control of park programs would be relinquished to the county.
Slavik said last week that the parks board "takes our job seriously." He called the proposal a scam. "It's a bribery to the voters to think they will get something and they are not."
Scott Wyman, Cass County Parks director, answered the proposed millage increase is necessary for the continued maintenance and improvements to Cass County parks. He said the parks appropriation from the county has dwindled to $41,000 in the past few years. "Anyone close to the parks knows how we have been struggling to maintain facilities and to serve the people of Cass County. He said the county cut funding at least by one-half. We had to close one county park, Point Park on Kelsey Lake."
Wyman said the west side of Russ Forest in Volinia Township has been closed on week days and is only open when there is a reservation. The east end remains open.
Wyman said the parks staff went from three full-time and four part-time employees to one full time and one part time due to the lack of funds. "Everybody can do a little more," Wyman said.
In response to qualifying requirements not yet announced, Wyman said those requirements have been announced and approved at a September Cass County Board meeting. It has not been determined who will serve, however, to meet the requirements.
Wyman responded revenue replacement rather than revenue enhancement is speculation. He said this would be up to the individual entity about what it would do with current funding replacement.
In regards to losing local control of park programs, Wyman said the Cass County parks Department has no intention of taking control of a successful parks system such as Howard Township's. "We have checks and balances before distributing funds. We don't want to micromanage them ( parks). They do a wonderful job of administrating their parks," Wyman said.
For the first year of the four-year proposal, the 0.50 mill levy would generate $720,166. Of that, 50 percent of the generated funds would go to the Parks Department for operating and maintaining parks with the other half going to townships, villages and cites for their own recreation purposes. An application by the municipality would be filled out for what it wants to do, a public hearing would be held and then the requests would go to a seven-member Recreation Enhancement Committee for review. Final approved is needed by the county board of commissioners before a check is written to the municipality.
Wyman said after the four years and if the money is not used, it would revert to the county fund.
Howard Township's portion of the proposed 0.50 millage based on population would amount to $44,488.94.[ok]