Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority hoping millage proposal passes

The Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority is responsible for managing the local parks and hosting events like the melon festival.

How the organization will operate in the future now depends on whether a proposed millage gets passed in November.

“We utilize a lot of our parks and recs area,” said Rosie Payne of Howell.

Rosie Payne says come November she will be voting yes to the park and rec authority’s proposed millage which represents about 21 cents per household.

Payne says she loves taking her dog to the local parks and going to the melon festival.

“People come from out of town to come visit this. It’s a huge economy booster for the downtown area, all the small businesses things like that,” said Payne.

The authority had the same millage on the ballot for Michigan’s primary election.

The millage passed in Howell, Genoa Township, Howell Township, and Oceola Township but it failed in Marion Township by 200 votes.

Due to state law, a proposed tax for park and rec authorities must be passed in all participating municipalities.

“We do have a lot of positive energy behind it, we just had some misconceptions in there that I think that kind of maybe swayed some votes,” said Tim Church, executive director of Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority.

Tim Church says one of the misconceptions is that the millage will increase taxes by a lot.

“The reality is in our area on average for the rec authority, it would really increase their taxes by $75 a year average so 21 cents a day,” said Church. “We’re not asking a ton.”

If the proposed millage passes, it would generate about $1.5 million over five years for the Parks and Rec Authority to continue providing services to programming to the community.

“Lots of activities for the community of all ages. We have a preschool, tot time.. kid yoga,” Church added.

If the millage fails, the authority could go away unless two-thirds of the participating municipalities vote to continue it.

Church says he hopes it doesn’t come to that.

“We’re hoping the community can come together… so we can keep all these amazing events and programs that we do affordable, some free,” said Church.

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