Town takes steps for recreation

Saturday, February 17, 2007

The Bainbridge Town Council made quick work of the resolutions for a new community park located just north of town during Wednesday's council meeting.

The council has been working with the park board since November to create a new park on the north side of town. Town Clerk-Treasurer Jason Hartman told the BannerGraphic the property is located on the west side of County Road 200 East (the Bainbridge Roachdale Road) and just north of the last house within the town limits.

He also said the land encompasses 18.2 acres, which is currently being used as farmland.

Before the town can start creating the park, the council needs to approve the annexation of the property. Hartman provided the council with a timeline that showed when everything had to be done before the annexation process can be completed.

"The timeline is obviously pretty lengthy, it will take a while before we actually have the property annexed," Hartman said.

Annexation of the property is to be completed by Sept. 15.

Hartman informed the council that he had already submitted a public notice for publication. He also said the next step was to have the council pass Resolution 2007-1, adopting a written fiscal plan establishing a policy for the provision of services to an annexed area, if the council wished to continue for annexation process of the property.

The fiscal plan for the park describes the services that will be furnished to the area being annexed.

"In that fiscal plan, you have to include all costs associated with annexation of the area," Hartman said.

Council President Mike Smith and council member Richard Cope approved Resolution 2007-1.

Hartman pointed out to the council that the next step in the process was to have a public hearing on Wednesday, April 18.

The council also approved resolution 2007-2, authorizing application submission and local match commitment.

The resolution means that Smith has the authority to prepare and submit an application for grant funding for the park plan without having to come to the council each time for approval.

Along with that resolution, the council adopted the local displacement plan which means that those people or businesses who are displaced by the annexation will receive assistance from both the town and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

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