Minutes - 19871123 - Laserfiche WebLink

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312 there was no need for a park in the Cedar Grove area. Dennis Hills, (Cheeks Township resident, Chairman of the Parents Advisory Council of Efland-Cheeks School, Executive Director for the Orange County Soccer Association and coach-,:~ for the Hillsborough Rainbow Soccer Program), expressed the concern that the #1 resource of the County, the children, had ~ been focused on by only one person. His concern was the lack of permanent, multi-use athletic fields and parks for those children to play and participate in team sports. He asked that the Boards consider very seriously the need for basic and fundamental recreational facilities in Orange County. Ben Lloyd, Cheeks Township resident, concurred with the concerns expressed by other citizens regarding greenways and their locations. He noted that he was pleased that there was no intent of condemning property for the parks, particularly since he owns property on both sides of McGowan Creek and both sides of Seven Mile Creek. He indicated it was a well designed plan but there were problems. He expressed concern that, this year, the taxpayers of Orange County would be paying the largest tax increase in the history of the County. He expressed concern that the fund balance was at an all time low. He stated, that with the need for funds from Chapel Hill School System and Orange County Schools, he felt it was unrealistic to anticipate the kind of burden the Recreation and Parks Plan would place on the taxpayers. Ms. Marshall stated that the fund balance did not hit the 3.1~ low that was anticipated but is now 5.25 and perhaps should be back to 8~ by the end of the year. Pat Davis, Acting Executive Director of OWASA, summarized his~~' prepared statement on the Draft Master Recreation and Parks Plan. (Copy of complete statement is in the permanent agenda file in the Clerk's office.) Ron Hyatt spoke as a member of the Master Plan Advisory Group. He referenced the former Recreation Plan and noted that only three parks had been built since that time and that none of them conform to that plan. He indicated he felt total county planning had been involved in the development of the Plan. He expressed to the Orange County School Board members present that there seemed to be a breakdown in communications since one of the Assistant School Superintendents had attended several of the planning sessions. He assured those members that information would be sent to the School Board. He noted that all the meetings were public and everyone-was invited to comment and make recommendations. The intent is to have the best for the citizens of Orange County and provide for the children of our future a place to play that is wholesome and safe where fun can be had. Oscar Compton, Cedar Grove resident, expressed concern with the cost of the parks and questioned the. need for so many, ~ parks in such a rural county. He stated that recreational facilities such as tennis courts, swimming pools and lighted ball .fields were already in existence in Cedar Grove Township and were not being utilized anywhere near to capacity. He expressed the concern with the amount of money proposed to be