Brandon Twp.-About 15 citizens attended an Oct. 30 recreation workshop in which the planning commissions of both the township and the Village of Ortonville took public input on the recreation master plan.
The township’s 5-year recreation plan expires this year and needs to be renewed. The village wants to add information to the plan in order to obtain grants.
‘It went really well,? said Village Manager John Lyons. ‘The residents were happy to hear that the village and township are working together and they were enthusiastic with programming of parks and rec and the possibility of paths and trails.?
Controversy has surrounded recreation, particularly in the last few months, with questions arising regarding recreation budget shortfalls, and management of the department by Director Fred Waybrant. A motion calling for his termination by Township Trustee Jayson Rumball was rescinded and the board appeared to be attempting to start anew with formation of a new parks and recreation subcommittee last month, but that also failed.
Lyons said with the public comments, he is hopeful officials will break off into committees to start writing the recreation plan. A firm will be hired to help the officials with the 5-year rec plan, which he estimates will cost around $6,000. He hopes the plan will include upgraded playground equipment and possibly additions to the park system itself, including paths and trails.
‘It’s good to see the township and village sit down and do something together with no political flare-up,? he said. ‘The public input meeting was mandatory, the next thing is to agree on who is going to help us. We are set to continue on our own if the township doesn’t want to do it. We hope both boards understand the necessity to work together and get this done for the community.?
Township Supervisor Kathy Thurman said she will take a proposal to the township board at their Nov. 10 meeting requesting approval to do a joint recreation plan with the village.
The recreation plan will include a community profile, a recreation inventory describing facilities, the components of what is in the existing recreation plan, public participation and needs assessment, as well as the township master plan. New to the plan will be eight acres of land acquired by the township across from the Brandon Township Community Park, 1414 N. Hadley Road.
Thurman said it will be a lengthy process to update the recreation master plan.
‘We have a whole year to do ours, the village wants theirs done by April,? she said. ‘We’ve had a lot of comments wanting more trails and the purpose of having a plan is to get grant funding. Both the township and village need to have a plan in place.?