Brandon Twp.- Without public input, it is difficult to know what the community feels is a fair non-resident recreation fee, says Township Supervisor Ron Lapp.
To learn township residents? opinions on the matter, a hearing has been set for 7:30 p.m., July 31, at the Brandon Middle School cafeteria, 609 S. Ortonville Road.
‘We just want people to show up and give us their thoughts,? Lapp said. ‘It’s difficult to get the tenor of what the community wants.?
Lapp invites the community to come to the public hearing so officials can make an informed and educated decision on what rate to set the non-resident recreation fee.
In February, the board unanimously approved raising the non-resident recreation fee from $10 to $60 per individual and event, or a $125 annual family fee. A decrease in participation in the recreation programs now has several boardmembers reconsidering the decision.
A recreation subcommittee recommended reducing the fee to $25-$30 for non-residents, a figure Lapp says is too low.
The fee was initially raised after Groveland Township officials delined to increase their $15,000 annual contribution to $42,144, the figure Brandon officials said would be required to sufficiently fund the recreation program for Groveland residents, 388 of whom participated in Brandon recreation programs last year. Groveland officials additionally decided to withdraw the previous annual contribution, saying their residents were polled and preferred a user fee.
Groveland Township Supervisor Bob DePalma said that even if Brandon officials lower the non-resident fee, he doubts Groveland would reinstitute the $15,000 contribution.
‘My residents wanted to know why we were giving it to begin with,? he said. ‘We have no input on their rec department.?
DePalma noted that before Brandon Recreation was created, there was BGO (Brandon Groveland Ortonville) and both communities had input in how recreation services were handled. When Brandon Recreation was created, BGO was absorbed.
‘At that time, they asked us to give a contribution and I said as long as the rate stays the same, I guess we could do that. We didn’t decide to make an in-house rec service. It was their decision to do and operate as they see fit. The question is what do the residents of Groveland want to do and the majority made clear they don’t want to pay for the rec service unless its pay as you go.?
Lapp said he has heard from residents on opposite sides of the issue, and he is saving e-mails that he hopes to read into the record at the hearing.
‘This is an important opportunity for the taxpayers to come out and express their feelings and how their tax money should be spent,? he said.