By John Estridge
It was seemingly Old School versus New School at the Brookville Town Council meeting concerning the formation of a park board.
Some with more seniority on council warned about possible drastic changes at the town park while those who were recently elected seem to be seeking change with the Brookville Town Park.
BTC President Curtis Ward is trying to get a park board formed. He said it will be a greater gateway to receiving park-related grants for future projects. Also newly elected BTC member Chuck Campbell said he is in favor of a parks board just for the possibility of getting grants for the park.
However, there is concern among some of the council members that with the formation of a park board, council would lose control over the park, and it would become a sports complex pushing out the current family atmosphere of a beautiful hiking trail, river scenery, picnic areas and shelters.
BTC member Catherine Pelsor said she likes the park the way it is with walking trails, shelters, picnic tables and different venues for families and people of all ages to enjoy. She is concerned the park may become a sports complex.
She said a park board could take the park in any direction it wants; thus, she is scared to have a park board. Pelsor called the possibility of the park being changed from what it is now to a sports complex as “tragic.”
“I love our park the way it is now,” Pelsor said. “What we have is phenomenal.”
With a parks board, the parks board members would make decisions concerning the park. Ward said the BTC controls the parks board budget, so if the BTC does not like a project the parks board is doing, it could control the situation by not budgeting money for that project.
BTC member Brooke Leffingwell, who started her first term in January, said if new town council members are elected, then those town council members could take the park in a whole new direction. She said she did not see that as any different than a park board pushing for some different uses for the park.
Leffingwell also wanted council members to serve as park board members, but BTC Attorney Tammy Davis said that is not possible. She said there are four board members to a park board.
“No municipal executive or member of county fiscal or county executive body can serve on the board,” Davis said.
Also, she said no more than two board members can be of one party. However, when that is not possible, there can be some exceptions. The school district and the library district can appoint members to the park board, Davis said. However, those members are not considered true members of the park board, but can vote on issues.
Town council can appoint park board members; however, the board members must be Brookville residents, and she said town council has had a hard time finding residents willing to sit on different boards and commissions the town council already appoints to at this time.
Council member Eric Johnson was not present for the meeting; thus, Campbell suggested discussing the issue once again when Johnson returns.
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Perhaps the BTC should put an ad in every type of media asking for volunteers. In addition to asking for volunteers, they should also list what is expected of them and approximately how much time each month they would spend with park board duties. Town Attorney Davis stated that volunteers are hard to find, and we all know this is true. But if the word doesn’t get out or folks don’t feel like they’re welcome to apply, they will not step forward. Brookville is historically cliquish and either you”re with the “in” crowd or an outsider. I think people want to help make Brookville the best it can be. Unfortunately their ideas are ignored and their voices are quieted because they don’t bow down to those that run this town. I see a change coming and I say it’s about time. There’s a council member or two looking to join the self proclaimed elite of this town. Why not try uniting the town rather than striving to be its self serving leader? For once the laws are on the side of the real people and this council that wants to control EVERYTHING is held back. It’s about time.