Brandon Twp – If Brandon residents want a park then a park they shall have.
The park development will be located on Seymour Lake Road, west of Sashabaw and east of Cook Trail.
‘It’s important to remember that we’re not asking the community to raise taxes for this,? said Township Trustee Charlene Carlson.
Although images of the ideal township park are still only in the minds of the beholder, township officials say residents will have the recreational park they’ve been asking for.
More than 60 acres of undeveloped township property on Seymour Lake Road, in the southeast portion of the township, is the target spot for a modest multiple-utility recreational park. The township has owned the property for more than 10 years.
‘I hear people all the time say they want us to build a park, but don’t want to pay for it,? said Ron Lapp, township supervisor.
‘We are going to give you a park and not raise the taxes.?
Surplus funds of more than $100,000 were gained from renting cell tower space, on township owned property, to Nextel for the past four years.
Frugal spending and wise investments have afforded the township to gain a surplus of more than $169,000 to invest into the increasing demand for recreational space, according to Linda Ownen, who is the Brandon Township Treasurer and board trustee.
In addition, the township recently saw revenue of more than $60,000 from the sale of township property. These excess funds are the basis for an additional $400,000 loan, that will be acquired by the township, to establish park development.
A five year payback of the loan will cost the township an estimated $83,000 a year, but will not be added to resident’s tax bills because the loan payments will be taken out of the township millage budget.
‘With this (loan) we will be skimming $83,000 a year off the budget, from programs and discretionary projects such as fixing Hurd Road, or other project ideas we’ve had may go on the back burner,? said Lapp ‘But we are doing what is best for the community.?
On Aug. 4, the Seymour Lake Property Development committee presented the board with a summary package of almost a million dollars to develop the park.
The committee found that for a park of three soccer/football fields, plus two baseball/softball fields, the roadway infrastructure, and parking lots would represent the bulk expense of $433,000.
‘The 2004 tower money is not encumbered,? said Treasurer Linda Owen, ‘the interest rate is right and there is no better time to borrow the money.
‘I don’t feel this will strap the township too much and it will be a plus to the community.?
Spending the money judiciously is a primary goal in developing the park, according to Lapp, who told the board that the township will go as far as it can with the money and will build a quality park.
‘The property is tiered level fields, which will lend to a natural place for people to sit and watch a game,? said Lapp.
‘We need good sanitation, a water supply, parking and roads.?
‘It needs to be fenced in and we want to make sure it’s a sound plan with a sound infrastructure.
‘It will take a year and a-half-to get that thing done.
‘Let’s move forward at a reasonable pace with a quality park for the citizens,? Lapp said.

By Teri Stiles
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp – If Brandon residents want a park then a park they shall have.
The park development will be located on Seymour Lake Road, west of Sashabaw and east of Cook Trail.
‘It’s important to remember that we’re not asking the community to raise taxes for this,? said Township Trustee Charlene Carlson.
Although images of the ideal township park are still only in the minds of the beholder, township officials say residents will have the recreational park they’ve been asking for.
More than 60 acres of undeveloped township property on Seymour Lake Road, in the southeast portion of the township, is the target spot for a modest multiple-utility recreational park. The township has owned the property for more than 10 years.
‘I hear people all the time say they want us to build a park, but don’t want to pay for it,? said Ron Lapp, township supervisor.
‘We are going to give you a park and not raise the taxes.?
Surplus funds of more than $100,000 were gained from renting cell tower space, on township owned property, to Nextel for the past four years.
Frugal spending and wise investments have afforded the township to gain a surplus of more than $169,000 to invest into the increasing demand for recreational space, according to Linda Ownen, who is the Brandon Township Treasurer and board trustee.
In addition, the township recently saw revenue of more than $60,000 from the sale of township property. These excess funds are the basis for an additional $400,000 loan, that will be acquired by the township, to establish park development.
A five year payback of the loan will cost the township an estimated $83,000 a year, but will not be added to resident’s tax bills because the loan payments will be taken out of the township millage budget.
‘With this (loan) we will be skimming $83,000 a year off the budget, from programs and discretionary projects such as fixing Hurd Road, or other project ideas we’ve had may go on the back burner,? said Lapp ‘But we are doing what is best for the community.?
On Aug. 4, the Seymour Lake Property Development committee presented the board with a summary package of almost a million dollars to develop the park.
The committee found that for a park of three soccer/football fields, plus two baseball/softball fields, the roadway infrastructure, and parking lots would represent the bulk expense of $433,000.
‘The 2004 tower money is not encumbered,? said Treasurer Linda Owen, ‘the interest rate is right and there is no better time to borrow the money.
‘I don’t feel this will strap the township too much and it will be a plus to the community.?
Spending the money judiciously is a primary goal in developing the park, according to Lapp, who told the board that the township will go as far as it can with the money and will build a quality park.
‘The property is tiered level fields, which will lend to a natural place for people to sit and watch a game,? said Lapp.
‘We need good sanitation, a water supply, parking and roads.?
‘It needs to be fenced in and we want to make sure it’s a sound plan with a sound infrastructure.
‘It will take a year and a-half-to get that thing done.
‘Let’s move forward at a reasonable pace with a quality park for the citizens,? Lapp said.