Letter to the editor: No justification for park

From the Times-News, a letter to the editor from R.J. Demartini of Flat Rock:

The numbers on the proposed Flat Rock Highland Lake Park are in. Approximately $1 million for land, $1.6 million for improvements and a $166,000 annual bill for operations and maintenance (low, if police are required). Project promoters wisely decided to explore investment and expense before deciding whether or not to recommend proceeding. Hopefully those numbers stay their hand.

Undertaking the project would consume more than half of the treasury reserves that preceding VFR mayors and councils painstakingly assembled over the village’s 17-year existence. Furthermore, annual maintenance and operating expenses would cripple our ability to ever restore those reserves. The funds exist to deal with contingencies and to insure against ever having to levy local tax to fund day-to-day operations.

Uncharacteristically among politicians, VFR administrations set challenging standards for approving spending, even forgoing pay for their services. Adding a park might be “nice to have,” but it in no way passes the test of filling a real need to justify its devastating cost. Proposed park amenities are already available locally at no additional cost.

Newspaper coverage declaring that promotional activity of a few reflects majority approval among 3,000-plus citizens misleads. All our people need to be heard now.

Check it out.