Months since electoral defeat of the open-space millage proposal, township officials want to know if residents support it.
For Independence Township resident Michael Powell, the question is almost too much to bear.
‘It’s typical of Independence Township to ignore the people again and use our money on something that’s already been voted on,? Powell said.
Powell, who fought the millage proposal as a member of Citizens Against Taxes To Buy Vacant Land, checked a current survey concering Independence Township Parks and Recreation’s master plan and found two questions of interest.
One sought opinion on funding park improvements and the other, funding land acquisitions.
The questions were drafted by Township Planner Carlisle/Wortman and Associates based on surveys in other communities.
‘It probably could have been worded better,” said Dick Carlisle. “I think what is being referred to there, is land acquisition for the purpose of parks. When we do parks and recreation plans, we frequently do surveys. That’s not an unusual question to be included, but we also assume this is a survey they can edit it anyway they want to.”
Kelly Hyer, recreation supervisor for Parks and Rec, said the millage was not a township initiative.
‘The brainchild wasn’t here, it was a citizen group,” Hyer said. “This citizen group came to the township board and said, ‘here is the ballot language we would like put it on.?”
The township board approved the language, but parks and rec didn’t write it, she said.
‘To the average person, I can see where that would be confusing,? she said.
Parks and Recreation posted a similar survey on their website last year about this time, Powell said.
‘You don’t need to have another survey so soon after the last one, even though this one does ask a few more questions,? he said.
‘I think you could have gotten enough of a feel from the other one without spending more money, I don’t care if it’s a dime more.?
Hyer said the last survey, “Park Facilities and their Value,” was conducted between December 2006 and February 2007.
‘We have two surveys that we always have up (on our website.) That’s a room, pavilion rental evaluation and a program evaluation.?
She also noted they only pay $200 a year as a subscriber to surveymonkey.com, which allows them to post as many surveys as they want.
To Powell, the survey is a ‘sneaky? way to keep pursuing the millage. However, Parks and Recreations Director Mike Turk said there is nothing sneaky about it.
‘If you don’t feel a millage is appropriate, put ‘no’ down and then we’ll follow that. Plus the master plan is a five-year plan,? said Turk. ‘It gives us good direction of how we’re going to proceed in the next five years. I think all of those questions are important. If the residents don’t want it, it’s something we don’t look at and we’ll focus on something else.?
Trustee Mark Petterson agreed.
‘It’s just a sample. It’s just to find out what the people want, I think it’s important for them to ask questions like that because it gets everything out on the table,? he said. ‘You never know unless you ask. I think it was their way of getting citizen input, even if it raises an eyebrow.?
Petterson noted, the township board did not have anything to do with it, but was something between Carlisle/Wortman and Parks and Rec.
Treasurer Curt Carson said the survey and the election millage were ‘two different things.?
‘One is just a survey for anyone who wants to respond to it, so we can come up with a master plan for the Parks and Rec. The other was an actual millage proposal that was put together that the community voted down,? he said. ‘Even, if there appeared to be a lot of support for the concept of capital improvements or purchase of lands in this survey. That doesn’t mean that we’re coming up with another millage request.?
Supervisor Dave Wagner also agreed the survey is a different issue then what was proposed on the ballot, but he said ‘it still looks the same, and still smells the same.?
‘But still you’re acquiring property and people said ‘no we’re not interested in it.? Why are you going to add parks when you can’t pay for the parks that are here,? asked Wagner. ‘It makes no sense, absolutely none and I’m completely opposed to that.?