Flat Rock council: No tax increase necessary for park

From the Times-News:

Flat Rock can afford to buy Highland Lake Golf Course and develop it into a passive park in phases without raising taxes, Vice Mayor Nick Weedman told an overflowing room during a public hearing Monday.

Weedman presented a financial analysis, based on numbers from an exploratory committee report, showing it would cost the village about $1.21 million through 2019 to operate the park, averaging about $200,000 per year.

While creating the 66-acre park would shrink the village’s fund balance from $5.6 million to slightly more than $3 million by 2019, he said no tax hike would be necessary to run it. Taxes have been the main bone of contention for park opponents....

Weedman, the council’s finance officer, said the key is spreading the costs of park development over several years. He outlined a plan that would spend $1.4 million in 2013 to get the park up and running, and roughly $982,000 over the next six years, assuming $200,000 in donations for a playground in 2016-17 and a $460,000 state grant....

However, a few park opponents were undeterred by Weedman’s analysis. Kenmure resident Warner Behley, who was instrumental in creating that subdivision’s park, said, “I think you’re greatly underestimating the cost (of maintenance)” and predicting the park would be “underutilized” except by dog walkers....

The vast majority of those in the packed room spoke in favor of the village buying the land, saying it would protect a valuable gateway to the community from possible development while providing kids and adults alike with places to exercise and play....

A decision about whether to buy the property could come as early as the next council meeting Thursday, Mayor Bob Staton told the audience.

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