Many have been weighing in lately in the aftermath of Charlton Park getting swept in a doubleheader (if you’ll forgive yet another sports metaphor) Aug. 8, but I think there is another factor that’s been overlooked. In case you were on another planet last week, the quarter of a mill renewal proposal for Charlton Park was turned away by a convincing 59 to 41 percent margin. The request for an increase of a quarter of a mill went down in flames to the tune of 70-30 percent. Explanations have included disillusionment with the Barry County Parks and Recreation Commission, the increasingly poor economic climate for Barry County citizens, Commissioner Mike Callton’s columns explaining why he opposed the increase and his statements about the burgeoning number of local millages, from none to five in the last 20 years, and last, but not least, dissatisfaction with fewer special events offered at the park. I suggest it’s all of the above, and I’d like to add another one — Charlton Park’s recent history of turning away from serving its core constituency, its neighbors, and instead unsuccessfully courting tourists from the surrounding urban and suburban areas, like Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, Lansing and Kalamazoo.
The few times I’ve visited Charlton Park in the last few years I have rarely, if ever, seen anyone there except the director and the volunteers. If this is supposed to be a wonderful late 19th century slice of history, a poor man’s Dearborn Village, it is failing to attract tourists with big dollars to spend and not offering things for those tourists to spend money on when they do show up. The Banner in an editorial a couple of years ago asked just what the purpose is for Charlton Park’s existence. Some say it should become a money-making tourist trap and others insist it should be an educational resource. The Banner suggested it should be both. I really don’t see how Charlton Park, as wonderful as it’s cracked up to be, can be the kind of tourist attraction a Dearborn Village or even a Gilmore Car Museum has been. Most suburban people within 50 miles of Hastings don’t pile their families into the SUV on a Sunday afternoon for the express purpose of going to little old Barry County in order to see blacksmiths, a general store from the 1890s, a more than 100-year-old township hall or a one-room schoolhouse, especially when there is also Bowens Mills in Yankee Springs offering the historical flavor Charlton Park has as well as the multiplying number of other things for families to do on weekends in the area- including the favorite American tradition of staying home and watching NASCAR on TV.
The park has done itself no favor by declining to advertise in local media while chasing the mirage of rich yuppies in big neighboring cities, taking the local audience for granted. The result has been that not only did the out-of-towners fail to show but that the Barry County citizens who should be flocking to the park to enjoy its offering have mostly forgotten it exists- it certainly didn't help when fees were raised and the park lost a couple of its high profile events, leaving its summer selections down to just one or two big events and leaving the park empty much of the main tourist season.
What packs in tourists and the hope they bring along lots of money, is stuff like the Civil War re-enactments, the gas and steam shows, the car and truck shows, the medieval festivals and other traveling entertainment extravaganzas. And virtually no one begrudges Charlton Park for trying to make a few bucks on Saturdays and Sundays. But during the weekdays, the park and its staff ought to do a much better job of working with the five public school districts within Barry County, local Christian schools and some other schools near our borders, like Caledonia, Gull Lake, Wayland and Bellevue. The park ought to make certain all elementary children spend part of a day at least once a year at Charlton Park, not just to gain a slice of local history appreciation (which in itself is a worthy goal and something I enjoyed as a child but my informal survey leads me to believe no longer happens as much as it should), but also so the kids will go home to mommie and daddy and tell them what a cool time they had at the park local taxpayers support.
In a nutshell, folks, put Charlton Park to work, let it prove its worth by arranging to have a lot of Barry County residents, particularly children, visit. And the rest will take care of itself as people will see the value they get in supporting the park and might actually go there and spend their money voluntarily instead of having to be begged for it at the ballot box.
However, all I’ve seen lately from Charlton Park is this continued effort to lure outside people who aren’t really interested or have other things to do. And the director often tells us we can use the Thornapple Lake swimming area free. But that perk isn’t enough to bring people in and encourage them to feel about this place.
I think the time is now to begin the process of re-introducing Charlton Park to the people of Barry County and beef up the number of weekend events people can attend for pure fun. It’s good economics and good public relations.
But before all this can happen, some of the old guard on the Parks Board should step aside (or be dragged away kicking and screaming if that's what it takes) to make way for new and fresh ideas. Clare Tripp and Ken Neil ought to announce their resignations for the good of the future of Charlton Park. They bring with them too much negative baggage that will endanger chances of passing the renewal. If they insist on seeing this through, so be it, they’ll taste defeat yet again, and after January a new Board of Commissioners can begin the task of making new appointments. Will all of his experience and knowledge of parks, newly-elected commissioner (if the recount fails to provide Tom Wing with the 10 votes he needs to overcome his primary defeat) Jeff VanNortwick should certainly be welcomed back to a seat on the Parks Board, two years after he was unceremoniously removed simply for asking too many questions.
The point here, however, is that Charlton Park must begin now to rebuild by no longer taking for granted its major funders, the taxpayers of Barry County, through the childrens' visits weekdays and through increased weekend entertainment. Then maybe there will be a Charlton Park most voters won’t mind supporting with their tax dollars.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
37 comments:
I agree. I believe alot of our so called "tourist" attractions have outlived their former usefulness with the older folks. As the baby boomers replace them, these places need to juice up or close. The Gilmore Car Museum is probably the most popular spot for visitation, the Yankee Springs/Gun Lake area for camping, etc.
Juicing up would be allowing the Casino to open up and quit having the DeVos clones keep blocking it?
The Prarieville Farm Days on the decline, as is the Museum on Delton Road. Seen them once, that's enough. The Ice Cream Socials are the past. Fast cars, puters, Cedar Pointe, Casinos, is the way to go, like it or not. We're living in a different age. We need to let go of the past, to an extent, and move on!
Maybe that's why Michigan is dragging, we're going through such a transformation from older to baby boomer, we don't have a firm grasp on who we are and where we want to be in five years or longer!
Pol Watcher has it mostly right.
I see the central problem the lack of vision in any way whatsoever demonstrated byt the Charlton Park Board. The makeup of the board was designed for CONTROL, not visionary undertakings, or just ordinary good sense. Stagnant thinking, when any thinking takes place if at all has led to public mistrust and a downward spiral.
The park has imense potential. Potential is somehting everyone with an overpriced business trys to charge a purchaser for. Potential is just that. Potential.
Of course Trip and Neil will resign forthwith if they truly want the renewal to pass. The board will have a quorum without them and can function no worse until the new County Board of Commissioners fills the vacancies.
Having no idea as to when Clyde Morgan's term on the Planning Commission ends it would help if he would resign as well. Certainly his tenure on the Planning Commission should be ended as soon as possible.
A good start might be for the new board majority to pledge to sweep these bozos off the Park Board no matter what.
The pattern of appointing political cronies and sycophants to citizen boards over the years has discouraged qualified people to even submit their names for consideration and be humiliated by either being ignored or passed over to consolidate power rather than seek out ideas.
I also remember going there on school field trips, and believe that this should be a part of any new deal that a sale to a private entity should entail.
Board resignation or not, the future of Charleton park should be in the hands of private ownership. No reason to read between the lines here, the only message being sent to the board is that what was promised has not happened. Sure it is a small amount of money to be spent by any homeowner, but it is money that could just as easily be spent on more worthwhile ventures. The voters gave it a shot in previous milages, and should be commended for trying to make a difference on what seemed at the time a worthy goal.
Previous milage requests almost assured that the park would eventually have an income made from attendance, and the park would be more self sustaining, this has not happened.
The voters are not an unreasonable mob cutting off its' nose.It is likely that whoever is on the board,the park would likely be too bogged down in political shenanigans to ever become as productive as it could in private hands.
In this case it is time for the powers that be to realize the will of the people, and get on with the business of running the government as a business.
Agnos. But, the government is NOT a business nor should it be run as such. The proverbial "bottom line" is not the measure of success of a government entity. In the case of the park, do we trash remnants of our heritage and sell artifacts to the highest bidder? Would the highest and best use of the park land be a subdivision or condos? There have been arguments in this blog against the sale of the old RR ROW for a few pieces of silver. How is what you propose for Charlton Park any different? With that said, the park board has made some terrible decisions and the county board is culpable. With a change in county board, hopefully the park will get some new leadership and direction.
The lowest bidder isn't necessarily the best deal for the taxpayer. We have seen the effects of the fed government privatizing federal services and its been an expensive failure. Besides, I heard the park board outsourced management of the car flea market to an Indiana firm.
It reminds me of when Wing proposed outsourcing county services. Just what we need, the lowest bidder handling our personal financial information.
Some things are just inherently govenmental.
Sentinel
As a "fiscal conservative" you do no justice to your movement, when you make the claim that government should not be run as a business.
The rail bed sale as far as I know is being done without the full knowledge and approval of the people of Barry county. As far as I can remember that land was to be given back to the people who own property next to it, and it was withheld by the county for the pipe dream that has not happened yet. Another instance of the govenment being too big for their britches.
As for your comment about condos, that is merely the kind of scare tactic that would be used by those that have already gained too much from the generosity of the people. I do not advocate the park being torn apart, but I favor putting it into hands that may be better equipped to take advantage of its strong suits.
I hope we don't stray from this issue by debating privatization. Government is intended to be run like the most efficient possible business and the only difference is what the "ownership" determines to be done with the "profits" The concept that self-interest motivates people is correct, but removing money from the system corrupts it.
There is a really important fact that has, so far, evaded the discussion. There is much homework that has not been done, and some "informal surveys" are being touted that are mere guesswork, at best.
First, if you have looked at the "Barry County Parks and Recreation Plan" of February, 2004, which it does not appear that any contributor has done so far, including the media, and then looked up the statutes referenced on the second page after "Contents"),Act 261, Public Acts of 1965, MCL 46.351 through45.367, MSA 5.570(101) through (117), you will begin to understand the dysfunctionality.
The statute allows the County Board to set up a Commission with 10 members that must include specific officials. This is NOT the Charlton Park Board. There are NO STATUTORY members of the Charlton Park Board. Even the members of the current Board do not understand this concept.
On June 13, 1967, the County Board set up the statutory COMMISSION, which should have then immediately established as ONLY ONE of its subsidiary Boards, the Charlton Park and Village BOARD. Being basically lazy, and perhaps eager to not relinquish control of their "jewel of Barry County" they failed to set up what they considered a duplicate Board. Since they would have appointed the same people to their comfy little "good ol' boys club" Board, they were in line with their own thought process. This failure to establish two separate entities has finally become the predictable chaos.
It may help you to understand this better if you stop using these TWO entities interchangeably. There is really NO CHARLTON PARK BOARD!
For further clarification, there probably could have been a McKEOWN BRIDGE PARK BOARD set up back in 1967, under the statutory Barry County Parks and Recreation COMMISSION. This would have done two things. It would have made it more obvious that the proponents of the Charlton Park Village do not have a COUNTYWIDE responsibility, and should not be expected to have any vision beyond the one piece of property. Irving Charlton did not build the bridge across from Thornapple Manor!
Perhaps, the McKeown Bridge Board would have approached the development of the huge vacant lot across the river from TM and across the road from MBP in a different way, and perhaps that might have lead to a lighted athletic field instead of the current weed farm. Any discussion that does not recognize this as an important difference in governance will merely lead to another pointless and partially informed rant.
We don't need to attack the "Charlton Park Board" because there is no such thing. The County Board needs to instruct the County Parks and Rec COMMISSION to do their job and CREATE a CHARLTON PARK BOARD! Most of the oldtimers will want to abandon the Commission to devote their energy to improving Charlton Park. This will make room for fresh members on the COMMISSION which, obviously, should not include names that should no longer be heard from in Barry County.
Excuse the lengthy and repetitious dissertation, but I am really getting sick and tired of people confusing this already chaotic situation. I have purposely avoided mentioning the issue of the rail trail development since I have heard that some Commissioners-elect are opposed to the concept. It would obviously be the responsibility of a brand-new BOARD under the jurisdiction of the Parks ... COMMISSION.
Have you ever asked yourself why the Chair of the Road Commission would be statutorily assigned to the Village Board? It further proves the intent to think "out of the Park"!
Another clarification.
"Privatizing Charlton Park" implies continued county ownership. This is not what I advocate. It should be sold outright to any entity that would continue its basic mission.
Parks 102
Barry County Parks & Recreation COMMISSION - Established in 1967 by the County Board.
Charlton Park Board - Does not exist.
Barry County Parks & Recreation Commission "Needs Survey" - Required by law and attempted in a wierd way by Dr. Peter Forsberg. Inconclusive results extensively reported, mostly based on insufficient statistical population data.
Barry County Parks & Recreation Commission "Parks & Recreation Plan" - does not exist. There is an assemblage of wish lists, minutes of meetings, assorted partial maps and mental meanderings gathered in a single document.
Vision - not the same as "my preference", or "my opinion".
Privatization - a rant by a highly funded non-profit using the words "Mackinac Foundation" to imply a gathering of geniouses. Concentrates on isolated anecdotal evidence of success to prove that private ownership and contracts are of some benefit to the public because we all know the government can never do anything right and corporations always operate in the best interest of the general public, ie. Amway. The truth, the truth, and nothing but the truth.
Profit - a good word which normally indicates providing enough value to attract more revenue (including tax subsidies, as in farming) than expenses that must be spent to generate the service. Used to increase assets or to enrich stockholders.
It matters not what the governing body is called...whoever is in charged with responsibility must be purged. Let's not get lost in semantics.
I doubt many voters are really fretting about who controls Charlton Park. Paraphrasing Bill Clinton, "It's the economy (and taxes) stupid."
People aren't passing millages on what is seen as "luxury" items. If a tax is being phased out and the new one proposed is less than the old tax, then it has a good chance. Roads and Safety millages are passing, because people are willing to pay for those sorts of things.
I know the big renaissance fest in Kalamazoo was kicked out of the county park there--CP made no play. The reniassance fest folks went to calhoun county. CP could also be a good haunt attraction, but the CP gang doesn't want to adapt.
The Charleton Park folks promised self-sufficency in our time, they have not delivered. With the current mood of Barry County voters, I doubt the voters will give CP folks much to crow about.
Pat,
I understand that you would see the difference as semantic, but if you were to actually study the issue you would discover that it isn't. Jeff MacKenzie used the law of 1965 to load up the COMMISSION with his County Board friends, and you might discover that the decline gained momentum from that point. This is not the only discussion that I am involved with, but the others are not having difficulty understanding that the world does not revolve around the non-existent Charlton Park Board. Once you get past that hurdle you will see that isolating CP from the larger picture allows them to concentrate on what they do best, maintain the Village. A more wise and visionary Parks&Recreation COMMISSION could be formed that would not get bogged down in assumptions.
Jay,
Road millages are functions of Townships and not Counties. This is a frequent misunderstanding of County government.
We fund the Economic Alliance that promised self-sufficiency and everybody is too afraid of the Banner to point it out.
Fear is a wonderful motivator.
Those things having been said, however, President Bush considers the law of privacy to be just "semantics" and Attorney General Gonzales agrees.
It is always easier to cast blame in a general direction than it is to do the homework required to discover specifically who and what is responsible. The "whole" truth is harder to locate than just some random truths.
Barb,
Those are some great ideas, and I think they could help bring Charleton park to the forefront of summer vacation must sees.
A miniature railway, (another wonderful idea) has already been proposed and been turned down by the voters. This in my opinion had nothing to do with who is on what board, but simply was the people saying they don't want to throw more money at something that has not produced what was promised. The original milage intent was to shore up the buildings, and provide what was needed to keep things from getting run down. It was proposed as a one time tax to ensure the park would not fall to the raviges of time. It was not to be a long term tax that would eventually turn into an entitlement.
When I propose selling the park I have more in mind something the likes of the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, or a poor mans Fredrick Meijer Gardens, only with an accent on history.
While I have no idea if there are benefactors the likes that may be needed in the case of Charleton park. I am sure that the funding needed to make the park more viable would be more abundant to such an organization than it would for a county owned and operated park.
el grillo, try to comprehend...If it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck and acts like a duck it may well be a duck.
The Boad...Recreation....Parks, Charlton Park which controls Charlton Park is the only BOARD any of us are speaking of.
The important question is the removal of the people who have brought about the problem.
I am well aware of the manuver McKenzie used in his manipulations.
Unlike you I merely seek to speak in the same language that folks apply to the contorling body at Charlton park, and not to demonstrate seemingly superior intelect. That the Board of Commissioners chose to use a single entity to encompass activity is well known.
You win Pat,
Thanks for the "whole truth".
el: Counties can pass road millages too [See Allegan County].
"whoever is in charged with responsibility must be purged."
I agree.
Name one.
I looked again at the numbers of CP's defeat. It passed in only two precincts. It was within a 20-vote margin in three others.
In order to win this request, the CP backers need to mount a legitimate multi-facetted campaign (besides throwing up a last minute ads in the paper).
If the commissioners pass this request, they doom the millage to failure because CP backers will not have enough time to mount a successful campaign. I know commissioners like Jim French think that if the millage is delayed we jeopardize ever restoring revenue to the park, but passions need to cool and strategizes analyized, because right now the CP gang is set to repeat history.
Agnos, you say sell the park but force the new owners to maintain the heritage part? Would you entrust the new owners with our artifacts, or put deed restrictions limiting their "best use" options? I still respectfully disagree with your comment about a government running like a business. We can demand accountability of governmental employees and elected officials and optimum efficiency of operations, but the redistribution of taxes via services is not profit driven. It never will be unless we change our definition of government. Self-anointed fiscal conservatives are running this country and look at how fiscally screwed up things are. Reagan wanted to sell off our national parks and most recently Bush proposed selling tens of thousands of acres of federal land to pay for education. If he pulled out of Iraq, we could save $2 billion per week and begin to pay down the half trillion dollar debt owed to China and Japan! That makes good business sense to me. How bout you? Run it as a business you say? And don't even get me started on outsourcing, that euphemism for privatization.
Here's how I would rework the millage request. I'd handle CP like the State handled the State Fair. Right now the millage for CP accounts for 60% of revenue. I say we put CP on a six-year plan where we ween CP 10% each year. With the State Fair,, the organizers went back to what they were good at, showcasing agriculture. CP should advertise itself as a history zoo, a la the air zoo. This will allow CP to plan for it's future. It would still be in the public trust, just not sucking at the public teet.
wade & jay,
It's great to have some folks starting to brain-storm ideas that are productive. Wade will need to take snacks and drinks when he takes the family to CP. He can leave his billfold at home because there is almost nothing there he can spend his money on.
In less than 20-minutes, Hoot and I came up with a constant barrage of money making ideas that would have made Irving Charlton proud. We got so excited we almost wanted to buy the place and get filthy rich!
We both have been out of Barry County, and we spent money at some great theme parks. Some were hillbilly places, some had water attractions, and all of them had T-shirts. One might have said "Uncle Wade took us to Charlton Park, and I'm still wearing this same dirty T-shirt!", or "Uncle Wade took me to CP and then we drove to Nashville for an ice cream cone and a bottle of water".
Word on the street is that it isn't about the Park, or "the economy". The chatter is getting personal about making immediate changes to the management and only one of the many names begins with Doctor. If you want to be part of the action you will want to do your homework. Merely pointing fingers won't have any affect.
status rep Name expires Action 1/1
statutory County Don Nevins 12/31/06 Appointed
optional County Clare Tripp 12/31/06 Replace
statutory Roads Don Willcutt 12/31/08 Appointed
statutory Planning Clyde Morgan 7/1/09 Appointed
statutory Drains Tom Doyle Appointed
William Weissert 12/31/06 Replace
Tim Weingartz 12/31/07 Replace
Ken Neil 12/31/07 Replace
Sharon Rich 12/31/08 Replace
Catherine Dayo-Young 12/31/08 Replace
Barry County Parks & Recreation COMMISSION, January 1, 2007
statutoryCounty Don Nevins 12/31/06 Appointed
statutoryRoads Don Willcutt 12/31/08 Appointed
statutoryPlanning Clyde Morgan 7/1/09 Appointed
statutoryDrains Tom Doyle Appointed
________________ 12/31/07
________________ 12/31/07
________________ 12/31/08
___________ 12/31/08
________________________________ 12/31/09
________________________________ 12/31/09
Charlton Park BOARD, January 1, 2007
Tim Weingartz 12/31/07
Ken Neil 12/31/07
Sharon Rich 12/31/08
Catherine Dayo-Young 12/31/08
__________ 12/31/09
__________ 12/31/09
McKeown Bridge Park BOARD, January 1, 2007
________________ 12/31/07
________________ 12/31/07
________________ 12/31/08
___________ 12/31/08
________________________________ 12/31/09
________________________________ 12/31/09
Barry County Non-Motorized Trail BOARD
________________ 12/31/07
________________ 12/31/07
________________ 12/31/08
___________ 12/31/08
________________________________ 12/31/09
________________________________ 12/31/09
There's talk that Tom Doyle may not want to continue to serve and may put his deputy in his place...
I must admit, I like this conversation over the soundbytes that have been thrown around thus far on this issue.
The fear mongering, and finger wagging at voters, written in letters to the editor in the Banner last week were meant to stifle and shame the voters who I feel have been quite charitable thus far.
I believe we all agree that there must be some action in order to preserve what has been done at Charleton park. In my opinion shuffling the chairs on the deck will not suffice this time.
With the possibility that the SBT will be repealed, without replacement in the near future, and rising gas costs, and so many other things that could cause financial burden on the electorate, there really needs to be a more permanent fix than a recurring millage.
All I mean to do is offer ideas, for options,in order to avoid the day we have none.
I agree Agnosti, however most of the Commissioners don't hear the message (Hoot and Callton seem to be the exceptions). They'll ruber stamp another request and set CP's fate.
Actually, the fatalistic stuff that inspires 4th graders to write to the Banner, is nothing but fear-mongering. As was pointed out at the Commissioner's meeting, Wednesday night, there is enough money to keep the welfare checks in the mail to Charlton Park through 2007.
By then, the Commissioners who don't seem to understand the word "no", will have wasted a General Election opportunity to develop a real business plan (like any legitimate business would have to have to take to a commercial lender) and to conduct a real scientific survey of needs (instead of speculative blarney).
The attitude of the outgoing Commissioners that the millage failed due to the complications of required millage request language is based on the belief that the voting public is not capable of grasping the need for new management.
Thus far, the public seems to be amazingly polite when it comes to the Park Director and the non-statutory members of the Parks & Recreation COMMISSION. As the issue heats up there will be an increase in stone-throwing. It was bad judgement for Dr. Shannon to be absent from that meeting where he should have been gasping for air.
Nobody on the County Board has specifically demanded updated and accurate information, yet. When the alarm clock buzzes, there will be more than just the ailing Tom Doyle who will want to find less stressful work.(Our prayers are with him).
Wednesday night was more of the same. Jim Brown obviously spent a lot of time trying to develop a presentation of a future vision for the CP. He had talked to several Township Supervisors who are concerned. He was ignored.
During "limited public comment", Eldon Shellenberger made a serious attempt to point out the need for a legitimate "business plan" and was challenged and inappropriately interrupted by Wayne Adams who insisted that the "Parks & Recreation Plan" contains a "business plan". Adams obviously has never seen a real business plan, and his interruptions were allowed by the Chairmarm.
It is impossible for me to imagine the current lame duck County Board having time, energy, or sufficient business sense to deal properly with this issue.
Finally, a real debate.
Looks like the Allegan County Commissioners are drinking the same water as their Barry counterparts. They are going to rerun a parks millage that was defeated by a 55% to 45% margin. They are reducing the size of the millage, but these proposals/renewals are seen as frivilous items at present. If they waited for the voter mood to calm, maybe they'd have a chance.
The voter mood will not calm as a function of time. That would be an underestimation of the intelligence of the few people who were willing to show up for the primary. The lame duck County Board members that allowed this disaster to happen are still convinced that tweaking the ballot language and not having to deal with "politics" will sell the same old issue to a larger and dumber audience. I predict that even more people will vote and will vote in the same proportions against the millage request.
The taxpayers are entitled to a thorough accounting of how their tax money was spent for the last ten years. Four-year old data partially distributed to a naive County Board is not worthy of a PhD or even a bogus Charlton Park Board Treasurer.
In spite of the harangue by Wayne Adams against Eldon Shellenbarger at the Board meeting last Wednesday night, the 2004 Parks and Recreation Plan is not in any way a "business plan". Eldon isn't an accountant, but his request was reasonable and allowing him to be rudely argued with was unworthy of any public Board. Clare and Wayne should be ashamed of their behavior.
The taxpayers of Barry County are exceedingly generous, but they are not stupid.
If Dr. Shannon is not capable of producing an up-to-date financial statement and a legitimate business plan in 30 days or less, he should be replaced by a capable administrator. This ineptness definitely would qualify as "unqualified to perform the duties of the position". I have my own copy of the Plan, and it is a shameful excuse for the document required by law to be submitted to the DNR, and reflects a redneck sloppiness on Barry County.
The taxpayers will respond favorably to a legitimate presentation that demonstrates value. They will not reward the bawling of a brat throwing a tantrum to get what it wants.
A full accounting is a must, but do not believe for a moment that it would be treated by the voters as a reason for voting for the milage request.
Any accounting at all will show one of two things:
1) funds were spent frivolously. (I do not think this is the case)
2) In order to make Charleton park more viable as an attraction, more money will be needed
from the taxpayers for improvements.
Either way it is a bust. Imagine going to the taxpayers once again and asking for more money because "We Really have a plan.... now"
If you must misspell Irving's last name, make it "Charlaton". He knew how to make a buck! He would be my first choice for Park Director.
1. The tax money for Charlaton Park was not spent frivolously. The problem is that not enough "additional" money has been earned. One way to earn money is to apply for State and Federal Grants. All grants, not just a few small ones that are easy to apply for. There are also Foundations, etc. that would enjoy applications for grants for money that is going begging. Any "Theme Park" worth its salt has items for sale, services to provide, thirsts to quench, and a long list of revenue producing activities being performed. Irving would not consider his legacy one of providing charity services to the poor. He was one of our most successful entrepreneurs.
2. Yes, money will be needed, and lots of it. Without some viable plan to manage the park as a revenue producing entity it will fail to provide the desirable benefits the public is willing and eager to pay for. It will end up as a decaying ghost town filled with unidentified rusty relics. Someday an archeologist would discover it and wonder how a village could last so long without producing anything of value.
Sorry but Charlton does not come easy to me. (I think of the door man on Rhoda)
I understand what you are saying. I just think it is likely the funds available from foundations, and grants would be more easily had by private enterprise.
(Maybe that was Karlton!?)
You really should talk with Bonnie Ballinger. She is one of the many people in Barry County who should be working for big bucks for somebody like Bill Gates, but chooses to live in Barry County for our quality of life.
Again, it is a matter of "value". Grants are not awarded to people who don't know how to sell an idea. This might be what has given you the impression that private businesses win the money. Once you get addicted to welfare, it is hard to produce a document that promises that you will get up and go to work.
When most people find out how much money gets reinvested by foundations for lack of applications, they say "Hey, gimme some. I need it and I deserve to get my share". Sounds like a recent millage failure sales pitch.
You may be right. The "Parks & Recreation Board" may be "charletons", and not "charlatons".
Otsego County Parks & Recreation Commission earns about a $million without benefit of an historical village or museum. They have a lake and a place to park your campers. I wonder if we have a place like that anywhere?
Post a Comment