By Kellen Olshefski
Staff Writer
Funding for the purchase of White River County Park survived a challenge last week from a Walworth County official who still believes the county is paying too much for the property in the Town of Lyons.
Supervisor Carl Redenius presented an amendment to county’s 2014 budget to remove funding for the purchase of the approximately 190-acre park.
Redenius stated during the County Board’s Nov. 12 meeting he felt the park was overvalued and regardless of statements made by other supervisors, the purchase would cost the taxpayer in the long run.
“As I have said, it’s not that I’m against acquiring land for a park,” he said. “The property is overvalued.”
Redenius raised concerns that while purchase of the property would have at one time required a two-thirds majority vote, with the purchase included in the budget, it will now get its approval with a simple majority vote.
“Our citizens have more pressing needs and desire greater transparency from their county government,” he said.
According to Redenius, a resident wrote him a letter citing a 2012 Department of Natural Resources report, which showed land acquisitions with values averaging around $3,900 per acre, where the county’s offer for the Duane Clark property is about $10,000 per acre.
According to Supervisor Dan Kilkenny, the county has had numerous appraisals done on the property and he feels they are valid. He also noted the general numbers mentioned by Redenius don’t take into account the quality of the White River.
Redenius also noted his estimate of $1.05 million for the Clark Property does not include roughly five acres of R-1 zoned land and needed improvements.
“That is a far cry from the $1.9 million offered to purchase that was approved by a 7-4 vote pending receiving a Knowles-Nelson Stewardship grant,” he said.
Redenius continued, saying acquisition of the property may be the cheap part. Quoting Finance Committee meeting minutes from the March 21 meeting, with the barn on the property potentially becoming a nature or educational center, maintenance expenses might be around $22,000 per year and the 2018 Capital Improvement Plan also includes a $60,000 bridge.
Kilkenny said while there are ideas for the future of the park, none of them would become a reality without approval by the County Board, and there is currently no commitment by the board to spend any of the funds mentioned by Redenius.
“We’ve debated this, thought about it, and I think the time is now to reserve this land for the future,” he said.
Redenius’s motion failed and funding for the purchase of the park remains in the county’s 2014 budget.
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