When Oxford voters go to the polls in November, they will be faced with a $2 million bond proposal to repair and improve all four township parks.

Last week, township officials voted 7-0 to place the question on the general election ballot.

The 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 this December.

One mill is worth $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value.

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

Here are some examples.

In Stony Lake Park, the asphalt parking lot and boat launch would be replaced, while all three pavilions would be sandblasted, painted and have new roofs installed.

In Seymour Lake Park, the gravel road that winds through it would be resurfaced as well as three parking lots and all four dilapidated tennis courts would be replaced. Proposed park additions include two pavilions, a concession stand, an outdoor ice-skating area, bocce ball courts and horseshoe pits.

Powell Lake Park has 632 feet of twisted and heaved boardwalk to replace and officials are looking to install a play structure, picnic pavilion and observation deck/fishing pier.

At Oakwood Lake Park, officials want to add a fishing pier at Rossman Lake, a picnic pavilion and an observation tower overlooking the wetlands.

All in all, officials are proposing to spend $524,125 in Stony; $916,240 in Seymour; $279,230 in Powell; and $71,025 in Oakwood.

Parks and Rec. Ron Davis Davis noted

he’s learned one thing cannot be paid for using bond money and that’s the estimated $20,000 worth of tree trimming and removal that’s needed in Stony. He included this in his original presentation to the township board at the March meeting.

“That’s a maintenance issue, so we had to pull that out of the plan,” he explained. “Everything else qualified.”

When Davis first pitched the bond idea to the township board, he explained his department can’t afford to tackle $2 million in capital improvements using funds from its $1.1 million operating budget.

The parks and rec. department’s 0.8471-mill operating tax generates $592,675. The rest comes from recreation user fees ($483,053), rentals ($37,225) and other sources ($23,000).