Dear editor:
(In response to ‘Recreation fee reduction eyed by township,? The Citizen, July 5, page 4)
Could this have anything to do with this upcoming election?
‘We’re revisiting the issue, because we’re concerned it’s hurting participation levels,? said Trustee Bob DeWitt. ‘Between people not being able to afford it and being upset about the fee, we’re considering a reduction.? In February of this year, the Brandon Board unanimously voted to increase the non-resident fee for participation in recreation programs from $10 to $60 per event and participant, or $125 per family annual fee.
Why did the Brandon Board think when they increased the non-resident participation fee so dramatically that people would pay it? Were they trying to discourage non-residents from participating in our recreation programs? One of the arguments was that with the non-resident participation there was not enough room for our local children to participate. It seems that has not come to fruition. Even some Brandon residents, including those that had volunteered their own time for the good of the community working on our new park, protested on principle alone. Do our surrounding communities feel they are subsidizing Brandon residents by letting our residents participate in their recreation programs by charging an extra $10?
I know that those surrounding communities are benefitting from the decisions made by our representatives in our local government. The perception is that our representatives tried to punish our non-resident brothers and sisters once they pulled their annual contribution, after they were told their voluntary contribution had to increase or else. Once again, we are Brandon Township, not Clarkston or Troy. We need one another to make things work around here. I hope our local government is seriously reconsidering the manner in which they went about raising rates in order to cover their costs. I hope they use better judgment in the other daily decisions they make on our behalf.
Ronny Arndt
Brandon Township