A budget adjustment to temporarily complete road and parking improvements at Civic Center Park, in the event the Orion Township Board of Trustees decides not to continue the other phases of the project in the near future, failed to receive support at the Oct. 6 board meeting.
The board was asked to approve a budget adjustment of $35,175 from the General Capital Improvement Fund to the General Fund, so that a top course on phase I and II portions of asphalt paving could be applied for the park road, off Joslyn Road near Orion Township Hall.
The park project originally had five phases, but due to a possible loss of revenue sharing, parks and recreation director Rock Blanchard said it does not seem likely all the phases will be completed in the next two years. He said township engineers recommended that a top course of asphalt be placed on phases I and II while the contractor was still on site.
“I have mixed feelings because I’ve always been in support of developing Civic Center Park…but I have some concerns,” said clerk Jill Bastian, adding that all five phases of the project were originally estimated to cost a little over $1 million.
“This is part of the frustration…we start something and we have good reasons for wanting to do it, but we also have to be responsible,” she said.
Bastian said phase five originally called for a second layer over the asphalt, and wondered if the budget adjustment meant it would be done twice.
According to Blanchard, if the board decided not to go through with the other phases for a few years, the road should be capped at this time.
“Because the asphalt won’t hold up,” he explained. “We were pretty up front with what (the project) was going to cost, totally. It’s not in next year’s budget due to revenue sharing concerns.”
Matt Pilarz of Orchard, Hiltz and McCliment, the township’s engineers, said the asphalt shouldn’t be left exposed for long periods of time.
“We recommend if it was going to be capped within a year or two, it could last…but it’s really not meant to stay in its present condition,” he added.
“We have over $3 million in our capital improvement fund and we’re talking about maybe one percent,” said supervisor Jerry Dywasuk. “So I don’t think that’s an issue. I have to believe the people over there for soccer and baseball and everything have to appreciate what’s being done there.”
Trustee Michael Gingell said that with funds taken out for other projects such as West Nile Virus prevention, the board will have already spent about $625,000 of the capital improvement fund this year.
“That’s almost one third in one year,” he added.
The board will reconsider the request at the next board meeting on Oct. 20, when more information is available.