$2M bond sought to repair, improve parks

Own anything long enough and, sooner or later, it’s going to need some work.

That’s true for houses, automobiles, even parks. It’s just the nature of the beast.

To help fix up and enhance Oxford Township’s aging and heavily-used parks system, voters are being asked to approve a $2 million bond proposal on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

“It’s not a want. This is a need,” said Parks and Rec. Director Ron Davis.

“We need to pay close attention to the facilities that are in desperate need of repair. Otherwise, we’re going to have to start shutting stuff down or look at alternatives – I don’t know what (those) would be.”

This proposal calls for paying off the bond debt over a period of 10 years. The estimated property tax levy to do this is 0.27 mill and, if approved, it would begin with the December tax bill.

The proposed millage would collect 27 cents for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value. A house with a taxable value of $100,000, for example, could expect to pay an additional $27 annually if voters approve this.

“For an additional $27 a year . . . you get over 500 acres of parkland to utilize, nature trails, fishing opportunities, disc golf courses, (a) splash pad, soccer fields,” Davis said.

Stony Lake, Seymour Lake, Powell Lake and Oakwood Lake township parks would have things repaired, replaced and added under this bond proposal.

“Every park will receive an improvement, all four parks,” Davis said. “There’s something there for everybody, from youth to adults to seniors.”

“The infrastructure that we currently have is starting to show wear,” Davis explained. “At Stony Lake (Park), you’re going back to the early (19)50s on some of those facilities (as to) when they were put in, if not earlier.

“As time goes on and the amount of use increases, it’s like anything else, it just starts showing wear. Some of the stuff is beyond repair and some of the stuff, if we don’t fix it now, will be probably twice, if not three times, (the cost) to repair. It’s just age.”

Here’s what the proposed bond would pay for:

In Stony Lake Park, the asphalt parking lot and boat launch would be replaced. All three pavilions would be sandblasted and painted, and have new roofs and lighting installed. Signage, benches, trash cans and barbecue grills would be added throughout the park. Retaining walls would be replaced, underground and restroom plumbing and septic would be improved, and the beachfront (including drainage) would be improved as well.

In Seymour Lake Park, the gravel road that winds through it would be resurfaced as well as three parking lots. All four tennis courts would be replaced. Proposed park additions include two new pavilions (one for senior citizens), a concession stand, an outdoor ice-skating area, bocce ball courts and horseshoe pits. The perimeter fencing for the tennis courts, softball fields and backstops would be replaced as would the roofs on the Smith Silo and Patch barn.

Powell Lake Park

has 632 feet of twisted and heaved boardwalk to replace and officials are looking to install a play structure, picnic shelter and observation/fishing pier adjacent to the Polly Ann Trail. Signage, benches and trash cans would be added throughout the park.

At Oakwood Lake Park, officials want to add a fishing pier at Rossman Lake, a picnic shelter and an observation tower overlooking the wetlands. Signage, benches and trash cans would be added throughout the park. Concrete tee pads for the new 18-hole disc golf course would be installed.

All four parks would receive improvements related to handicap accessibility.

All in all, officials are proposing to spend $544,125 in Stony; $916,240 in Seymour; $279,230 in Powell; and $71,025 in Oakwood.

Engineering and permit fees coupled with bond issuance costs account for the remaining $189,380.

Davis noted the parks/rec. department cannot afford to implement everything contained in the $2 million bond proposal using its existing operating millage and budget.

“Everybody thinks we’re sitting at one mill or a mill-and-a-half,” he said.

That’s not the case.

Last week, the township board approved a 0.8392-mill tax rate for the department for 2017. That equals slightly less than 84 cents for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value.

The approved parks and rec. operating budget for 2017 is $1.5 million. Of that, a little less than $640,000 is expected to come from tax revenue. The rest is derived from recreational user fees, rentals and other sources.

There is no sizeable savings account contained in the budget that could pay for everything this bond proposal aims to accomplish. That’s because Davis doesn’t believe in just “sitting on” money and letting fund balances grow to excessive proportions. He said his department continually invests in the park system, “so people can benefit from it” now.

“It doesn’t do me any good to sit on a huge fund equity if we’re not providing facilities (for) these people,” Davis said. “During the last four or five years when a lot of the parks and recreation departments were pulling back (on services and facilities) and (socking) cash away, our commission was investing in the community.”

Davis is “a firm believer that a strong parks and recreation department” helps communities do “that much better.”

“It retains families, which, in essence, helps the schools (and) helps businesses,” he said.

 

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