ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Updates at a Delta County park will move forward, despite a recommendation to “halt” the project by the Parks and Recreation Commission.
On Tuesday, County Commissioner Kelli Van Ginhoven made a motion to “pause” plans to change the layout of the day-use area at O.B. Fuller Park. The plans include the construction of a pavilion and a parking lot.
Van Ginhoven read a message to the county administrator from Jon Mayes, Recreation Grants Manager for the Michigan DNR, who encouraged a different layout for the plan.
“Our office does not agree with relocating the day-use away from the river and launch area,” Mayes wrote in March of 2023. “That would not be consistent with the intent of the original acquisition grant application.”
The Board of Commissioners also discussed the topic of potential Native American artifacts on the site. Van Ginhoven said that according to Mayes, it was “within the board’s authority” to delay the project and get clarification on that issue. Commissioner Matt Jensen questioned the validity of a paper presented to the board regarding the artifacts, citing what he believed to be formatting and reporting irregularities.
“I believe we need to follow proper process by allowing the Parks and Recreation Commission we put in place an opportunity to do their due diligence,” said Van Ginhoven, “update the county’s five-year rec plan, review the Trust Fund recommendations in collaboration with the DNR and Jon Mayes, review the MAEAP plans regarding the area, commit to making an effort to hear all the citizens’ ideas, and bring back the recommendations and official plans to decide what is best for the O.B. Fuller Park and our citizens.”
The board voted on Van Ginhoven’s motion to pause the project, with the other four commissioners voting against the pause. The project will move forward as planned, although Parks Manager Stephen Wery said there is “no way” it will be completed in 2024.
