Brandon Twp.- A committee of Brandon and Groveland residents will be formed to examine recreation issues including travel teams and recently increased non-resident recreation fees.
Shawn Lovelace, a Brandon Hawks soccer coach, addressed concerns he and other parents have during a presentation at the beginning of Monday’s township board meeting. Lovelace noted that travel team members have paid fees contributing to the new park since 2005, yet were recently told the recreation department would no longer be associated with travel teams.
‘The new park has nice fields and we would like the opportunity to rent them,? Lovelace said. ‘We don’t want to displace rec teams. We support rec 100 percent. Most of our kids came through rec.?
The non-resident fees have increased from $10 per non-resident per event to $60 per non-resident or $125 for an annual family pass. Lovelace said while he understood it as a fiduciary responsibility of elected officials to their residents who pay the taxes for the recreation department, he hoped the officials would also look at revenue and talent lost.
‘If you call Clarkston, you will see there are kids playing there that should be here,? he said, adding that those kids and parents that would normally be eating at local places like McDonald’s and Frosty Boy and fueling their vehicles here are taking their business elsewhere.
‘There have been a lot of mistakes made, but it’s not too late to correct them,? Lovelace said, and then suggested the committee of Brandon and Groveland residents. ‘Let’s come together and move in the same direction. I didn’t come here to drive a wedge.?
Township Supervisor Ron Lapp suggested Lovelace make the same presentation to the Groveland Township Board.
‘Groveland also needs to step up,? he said and Lovelace agreed to approach Groveland.
Other suggested committee members so far are Brandon Trustees Charlene Carlson, Bob DeWitt, and Tom Stowell.