The steering
committee which was going to report on the Atkinson Forest has decided to delay
their much-anticipated report to the city council. Probably a good idea
considering the crowded agenda tomorrow night.
I haven’t
said much since suggesting the formation of a forest foundation late last year.
That idea was not met with applause by the proponents of the forest. They tout
$350-thousand dollars in donations and in-kind offers of help for the project.
I believe them. I thought they could form a 501C3, name a foundation board and
start work. They clearly were not interested in my idea. They want tax money to
be invested. And they want that to happen sooner rather than later.
The real
problem is getting the city and the park district together on Atkinson.
The park
district manages….and loses money on….the golf course and the swimming pool
despite their best efforts to turn a profit. The city has stiffed the park
district on thousands of dollars in TIF money. Promised them a percentage of
the collected funds back in 2014…when the TIF was extended…and then.. gave them
nothing over the last year. It’s the
monster under the bed if the city actually reaches out to start discussions
about Atkinson with park officials.
It will take
that. The city will have to make the first move…and they will have to bring
their check book. It is, by most accounts, not a very deep bank account. That’s
why the Mayor used TIF money to do a water infrastructure project downtown. He
didn’t have the money elsewhere.
So, let me
recap. No money at city hall. No money at the park district. Sounds like a
theme…
…a theme
that isn’t going to change even with the postponement of the steering
committee’s report.
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