A local group of senior citizens now have a temporary place to socialize and recreate together thanks to the Oxford Village Council.
Last week, council voted 5-0 to allow the Oxford Senior Citizens, a nonprofit group, to utilize the village community room, located inside the W. Burdick St. municipal complex, three days a week until Sept. 30, at which point the arrangement can be reviewed by officials.
‘I don’t have an issue with the seniors using our facility,? said Councilman Bryan Cloutier. ‘I guess the only concern I have is when you’re looking at three days a week, wrapping a room up almost all day, how long can we sustain that??
The seniors will use the community room to play bingo from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. On Thursdays, they will play euchre from 12-3:30 p.m.
A temporary gathering space is needed for the seniors because they’re about to lose their current one.
For many years, the seniors have been meeting at the Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center, commonly known as the Vets Hall, located downtown at 28 N. Washington St.
However, in May, township officials voted 4-3 to accept a $450,000 purchase offer for both the Vets Hall and the 43-space parking lot behind it.
The sale is expected to close on or before Aug. 5.
‘They’ve made no preparations for where the seniors are gonna go,? explained Oxford resident Barbara Kozma, the group’s vice president, who attended the council meeting.
‘We have a committee that’s looking into that,? said township Supervisor Bill Dunn.
The committee consists of township Treasurer Joe Ferrari and Trustee Buck Cryderman.
Dunn explained proceeds from the Vets Hall sale must be used for the development of a community center based on a deed restriction put into place when the township purchased the building for $48,000 in November 1980.
‘I believe parks and rec. is going to take the lead in trying to come up with a venue for (the seniors) along with maybe a small community center,? the supervisor told council.
This reporter contacted Ferrari to learn what progress has been made with regard to finding the seniors a new spot to call their own.
‘Right now, we’re going to probably form a committee with parks and rec. to figure out how we’re going to handle this,? he said.
Current options range from re-purposing the maintenance building located near the entrance of Seymour Lake Township Park to constructing a new facility on township-owned property along Dunlap Rd., north of Seymour Lake Rd., according to Ferrari.
Parks/Rec. Director Ron Davis confirmed a committee, consisting of parks/rec. officials and ‘some other community leaders,? is going to be formed to ‘figure out what we need to do to service the needs of everybody.?
‘We need to look at all facets ? not only our seniors, but our youth and those adults who like to take classes,? he said. ‘The last thing I want to do is just rush to judgment and do something that really doesn’t service everybody.?
‘Let’s look at what would be in the best interests (of the community as a whole) and be fiscally responsible with the money that’s available,? Davis added.
Not all of the $450,000 the township will receive for the Vets Hall and parking lot must be put toward a community center.
That’s because although they’re being sold together, the parking lot and Vets Halls are separate pieces of property.
As such, the deed restriction does not apply to the parking lot, therefore, any proceeds from its sale would go into the township’s general fund.
How will the $450,000 be divided between the community center and general fund?
‘That’s a good question,? Ferrari said. ‘The board’s going to have to determine that. There’s going to be a split.?
Dunn told this reporter he’s personally in favor of devoting 100 percent of the sale proceeds from both the building and parking lot to the future community center.
‘It’s not like the township needs the money,? he said. ‘We’ve still got a good-sized fund balance. I’d rather see that money (from the sale) benefit our seniors and the rest of the community than just sit in the bank.?