With hopes of using an in-kind donation from the Village of Leonard to help foot the bill, Addison officials Oct. 24 voted unanimously to pay back dues owed to the Polly Ann Trail Management Council (PATMC).
Addison voted to leave the trail council in August 2005 due to budget constraints. According to Addison Twp. Treasurer Dan Alberty, they ‘didn’t notify (PATMC) as timely as we should’ve,? leaving the township with a $3,287.50 bill.
PAT manager Amy approached the Addison board last month about rejoining the council by paying the $8,305.27 for the full year they were absent, but the board said they couldn’t afford that amount.
Addison Township Clerk Pauline Bennett made the motion at the special meeting to pay back the $3,287.50 to the council contingent upon receiving a $2,000 ‘in- kind? service donation from Leonard, which was suggested by its Village Manager Geno Mallia.
The township would combine those two numbers and subtract the total from the $8,305.27, then pay 50 percent of that number, paying $4,796.38 for last year’s dues, even though they weren’t involved with the trail.
‘Part of the logic for doing that is because we did not participate in anything that went on during that period of time,? Alberty said. ‘Why should we have to pay the full boat??
But trail manager Murray said, although they haven’t formerly responded to Addison yet, the council is more than likely sticking with their original request for them to pay the $8,305.27.
‘The council made the decision that for Addison Twp. to return to the council, as a gesture of good faith, they should pay in full from the previous year,? Murray said.
At the Oct. 25 Oxford Township board meeting, officials voted 5-1 to require Addison to pay the full amount of $8,305.27 as if it did not opt our of the original contract.
Murray said the council is concerned that Addison’s withdrawal and then re-entry without paying the full amount would ‘establish a precedent with other communities.?
‘I do think they were really serious about Addison paying the previous fiscal year’s dues, but I don’t think they’re going to shut down their conversations with Addison Twp.,? Murray said.
The PATMC is still looking at adopting a new funding formula which would use 50 percent of a community’s population and 50 percent of their trail milage to establish funding.
Oxford Township offcials voted 5-1 to adopt the 50/50 split.
Currently, the funding formula is based on 55 percent population, 15 percent trail milage and 30 percent total State Equalized Value. That formula was adopted in 2000.
Should the new funding formula be adopted, Addison would pay 22.55 percent, Oxford Township would pay 27.6 percent, the Village of Oxford would pay 6.04 percent, the Village of Leonard would pay 4.73 percent and Orion Township would pay 39.6 percent towards the trail.
With the new formula, Alberty said Addison’s funding of the trail would actually increase to $9,618.69.
The Addison board also voted unanimously at the special meeting on Clerk Bennett’s second motion for the township to offer a more suitable office space for the PATMC at $4,000 a year, should Leonard approve the $2,000 in-kind donation. Currently, the council’s office is in downtown Leonard.
Alberty said if the council agrees to accept the township’s offer, the rental fee would shave off a decent amount of money from the $9,618.69 Addison would owe for the current fiscal year, leaving their funding at $5,618.69 per year.
Murray said the $4,000 rent is probably ‘higher than the council is willing to pay? and that in-kind contributions are typically reimbursed after a community makes their full payment ? not used as part of the payment.
‘Even though they haven’t come to an agreement yet, I think both parties are interested in resolving it so that Addison Twp. returns to the council,? the trail manager said.
The PATMC will discuss Addison’s request at their Nov. 15 meeting.
$5,618.69 per year.
Murray said the $4,000 rent is probably ‘higher than the council is willing to pay? and that in-kind contributions are typically reimbursed after a community makes their full payment ? not used as part of the payment.
‘Even thought they haven’t come to an agreement yet, I think both parties are interested in resolving it so that Addison Twp. returns to the council,? the trail manager said.
The PATMC will discuss Addison’s request at their Nov. 15 meeting.