Madison Township aims to save parks

June 27--Madison Township officials are exploring ways to sustain five township parks amid decreasing general fund revenue and unexpected costs from its failing five-year operating agreement at Bill Stanton Community Park.

But Madison Township Trustee Kenneth Gauntner explained at a recent trustees meeting that the parks have been without a "permanent revenue stream" for decades, even when there were only two parks.

Since then, the number of township parks has grown while the park budget and manpower have declined, he said.

"The only way I even see us saving the park system in the township is creating a park district with a park board like Lake Metroparks has," Gauntner said at the June 24 trustees meeting.

"If people really want the parks in this town, put a levy on."

Stanton Park, a former Catholic Diocese camp the township purchased using federal highway dollars in 1998, sits at the center of the problem with an eroding lakefront, costly utilities and a handful of vacant buildings.

Compass Pointe Management, a for-profit company, had operated the park for nearly 16 months under a five-year operating agreement with plans to develop the park into a hub for arts, wine and regional assets.

The company ceased operations April 29 after the township issued a default notice to the company's head, Pete Spittler, over unpaid property taxes, utility bills, liability insurance and lease compensation.

Several township officials have said a termination agreement is in the works, and no action on the parks future can be made until such an agreement is approved.

"I said from Day 1 that I believe in a public-private partnership because this township cannot afford Stanton Park," Gauntner said. "I am not sure what we're going to do with it. It was a great idea when the trustees bought it, they had hopes for it but we can't afford it."

At the June 24 trustees meeting, Madison Township resident Chris Ritter urged officials to revisit an effort to get Lake Metroparks to operate the park.

The county-wide district operates 11 parks under full or partial lease agreements, said Executive Director Paul Palagyi by phone June 25.

Palagyi said that for years, the district's opinion has been consistent about Stanton Park -- it's not interested.

"Stanton Park, as it is today with its various structures, isn't a sustainable model as a park," Palagyi said. "It is very expensive to maintain buildings."

Fourteen structures sit within Stanton Park's 32 acres, and of them, four are publicly rented facilities, Madison Township Service Director Paul Cook said.

The others include: one barn used for storage, one shower house, three houses -- two of which are vacant, a cabin used by the Madison Soccer League, three cabins used by Rabbit Run Community Arts Association and two empty cabins -- one of which was used for crafts.

At the meeting, Ritter said residents "need to step up and lobby (Lake Metroparks) for better support."

He said the district has enough money to subsidize golf pricing and already operates and invests in Painesville Township Park.

Despite the two parks' similar acreage and eroding waterfront, Palagyi said Painesville Township Park is "not a comparable property," having only one rental building and a concession stand to maintain. He also said the park district is "already managing quite a few parks in Madison." Among the six Madison parks, two of them -- Arcola Creek Park and Erie Shores Golf Course -- sit north of Interstate 90.

While officials explore a future for Madison Township parks, Fiscal Officer Terry Ditchcreek-Gerred said she needs to tackle another problem -- paying for the maintenance and utilities of all five parks.

Before the Stanton Park agreement fell apart, the township budgeted a little more than $30,000 to operate Unionville Park, Skate Park, Madison Township Park and Tuttle Park this year.

Soon after taking over Stanton Park, another $26,060 was allocated for park maintenance and utilities.

At the June 24 meeting, Ditchcreek-Gerred urged trustees to allow new reservations for weddings and other events at Stanton Park so the township can collect revenue while it honors the 14 events that were scheduled by Compass Pointe.

She said she knows two people who are eager to rent a facility for a wedding and company meeting.

Bodnar advised the trustees to inspect the rental properties before making a decision.

Gauntner said he's already done that, found worse than "atrocious" conditions, and is against the fiscal officer's suggestion.

"When you start renting them, people expect a higher level of maintanence, and the level of maintenance we're putting on that property right now is very minimal." Gauntner said.

"If I was a bride having a wedding this weekend, and I walked on that, I wouldn't be very happy."

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