The idea of constructing a modest community center in Oxford Township is moving forward.
Last week, township officials, in successive 6-1 votes, authorized building the center in Seymour Lake Township Park and hiring an architect to draft plans that will be subject to their review and input as well as that of the five-member township Parks and Recreation Commission.
‘This is long overdue,? said Parks Director Ron Davis.
He presented the township board with a $651,158 cost estimate to make it happen.
The concept plan calls for renovating and expanding the existing maintenance building, located just east of the park’s entrance, so it can house new offices for the parks and recreation department, a multi-purpose community room and a 2,800-square-foot senior citizen activities room complete with warming kitchen.
The warming kitchen would basically be a simple residential-type facility with a stove, refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave.
‘None of it would be commercial-grade,? Davis said.
Outside the building, there would be shuffleboard courts, horseshoe pits and a gazebo.
Constructing an addition for the senior activities room would cost an estimated $214,700, while renovating the existing building to create a community room and parks/rec. offices would cost an estimated $161,000.
‘This is the best plan that I can see,? Davis said. ‘We’ve run it past our senior citizens . . . and they love the idea about having other outdoor facilities (at the park) that they can take advantage of.?
Davis described the plan as a ‘bare-bones minimum? to ‘meet the needs of our seniors and our community,? yet still be fiscally responsible with public funds.
‘This is a glorified pole-barn,? he said. ‘It’s a steel-sided, steel-roofed pole-barn. That’s pretty much what it is, folks.?
On top of the aforementioned costs, there would be an estimated $63,600 worth of sitework for the center, $36,858 in professional fees, permits and inspections, and a $175,000 expense to construct a new 5,000-square-foot maintenance facility in the park further to the south and closer to Coats Rd.
‘You can’t build a community center without moving my operations somewhere else,? Davis said.
Right now, the township has $420,713 earmarked for a community center. These are the funds it netted from the Aug. 4 sale of the Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center, located at 28 N. Washington St., and the 43-space parking lot behind it. Due to a deed restriction put into place when the township bought the building in 1980, all sale proceeds must be used for the development of a community center.
But even with the Vets Hall money, the project still faces a $230,445 funding gap.
‘Where’s the money going to come from? I have no idea, but I’m open to all suggestions,? Davis told the board.
Davis made it clear his department is not in a position, at this time, to help fund the project.
‘I have nothing to contribute to this,? he said. He explained the department only has $160,000 in reserve monies and the amount of tax revenue it receives annually has diminished significantly.
‘In 2009, we were collecting $780,000 in taxes,? Davis said. ‘This year, we’re collecting $600,000. We never went back and asked for more money. We’ve worked within our means.?
‘I’m going to sit here and toot my horn. If a department is wise with their funds, it’s us,? he later added. ‘I’ve been here 20 years. We don’t even have a new piece of furniture in our office. Everything’s been hand-me-down(s) or borrowed.?
Davis also mentioned his department is still repaying the township for the $212,000 it borrowed in 2010 to purchase 7 acres of land located at 510 S. Coats Rd. Included was a farmhouse, three-car garage, barn, shed and small pond.
In order to buy it, the township loaned the parks and rec. department the money at a 3 percent fixed interest rate for seven years.
‘I’ve already paid you $135,000 on that note, and I still owe you another $100,000,? Davis told officials. ‘You’re charging me $33,650 a year on that. I’ve made four payments. I owe you three more.?
Davis noted it’s been suggested the department could sell the house and funnel the proceeds into this project.
But he’s opposed to that.
‘That doesn’t make sense and I don’t want to sell that house,? Davis said. ‘Once you sell it, you’re never going to get it back. That’s not an option.?
However, Davis noted if lacking that $230,445 is something that’s going to put the kibosh on this project, he’d be willing to approach the parks and recreation commission about borrowing the money from the township.
‘If that’s what’s really going to hamstring this thing, I’ll do it,? he said. ‘I hate to see the whole project squashed because of $200,000.?
It was noted the township currently has a hefty fund balance (or reserve monies). According to Clerk Curtis Wright, it amounts to approximately $2.2 million.
Treasurer Joe Ferrari favored dipping into the reserves and giving the parks and rec. department $300,000 that night. ‘I don’t want bare-bones,? he said. ‘If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right. Let’s get it done.?
The township has previously dipped into its fund balance to aid its departments. For example, it kicked in $425,000 for the recent addition to downtown’s Fire Station #1.
Trustee Sue Bellairs expressed her desire to see a more piecemeal approach in which the community center has room for future additions. She used the township hall as an example. It was built in 2006, but the meeting room and sheriff’s substation were not added until this year. ‘I don’t think you have to do everything all at once,? she said.
Trustee Jack Curtis cast the lone dissenting vote, twice, because he opposes building the center at Seymour Lake Park. ‘To me, that’s not the place to put it,? he said.
Curtis doesn’t like the fact the center would located in the township’s west end.
‘This thing needs to be more centrally located,? he said. ‘I’m at the other end of the township and I’m a senior. I (have) got to go clear across town to go to a community center. I don’t think that’s the right place.?
Davis argued because ‘the majority of the business that takes place through our department,? such as special events and youth sports, happens at that park, ‘there’s no better place? for the center.
‘I’m telling you as the parks and rec. professional, that’s where it needs to be,? he said.
Although Supervisor Bill Dunn agreed with Curtis ‘it’s not the ideal location,? he prefers it to building the center on private land that would then become exempt from property taxes.
‘That’s why I’m agreeing to have it there,? he said. ‘It’s not ideal, but again, (a park is already) nontaxable property ? we’re not hurting anything.?