LETTER: Peters council should survey residents about park
For some time now, I have been concerned with much of the news lately regarding another park being built in Peters Township, especially plans for a complex of outdoor water features to be built at the former Rolling Hills Country Club site.
In the May 5, 2019, issue of The Almanac, I believe many of the comments made by Peters Township officials do not reflect the will of most of the taxpayers in the township. Most, if not all, of these “resident interest hearings” have been conducted with only a handful of residents in attendance. From these very small gatherings our officials have formulated an opinion that supposedly reflects the entire populace! These gatherings/hearings/meetings are generally attended by some small fraction of the electorate who have the expectation that they will receive a disproportionately large amount of service while paying a disproportionately small portion of the tax.
A comment made by the township manager, Paul Lauer, “The real question is not whether a pool should be incorporated into the park, but rather, is now the time to do it.”
I believe the next comment that states many of the residents in attendance expressed opposition to embarking on such a project at any point reflects the true will of most of the township residents.
Another comment made by the vice chairman of Peters Township Parks, Jeff Crummie, “We unanimously agree the aquatic center should be built in the first phases of the park. Every time we have surveyed this community, the No. 1 item requested was a water facility, a swimming pool.” My reply, and I believe one that reflects most of the taxpaying community is, “Sir, you have never surveyed this community.”
I truly believe the decision about the park and aquatic center rests solely with elected officials, but shame on them if they do not feel compelled to first get a true survey that reflects the interest of the majority of all the tax-paying residents. We are talking about a major expenditure, $11 million for the aquatic center alone! The home rule charter may not permit a referendum as stated by Frank Kosir Jr., council chairman, so generate some other method of determining the true interests of most of the people that council members were elected to represent.
Tony Mikec
Peters Township