County Considers New Authority for Chestnut Grove Recreation Area
By LaKeshia Knarr
LOCK HAVEN – A new recreation authority appears to be on the horizon for Clinton County.
The county commissioners discussed the need for and progress relating to a new recreation authority to govern Chestnut Grove Recreation Area, located in Castanea Township adjacent to Bald Eagle Creek, off Creek Road and Paul Mack Boulevard, at their work session Monday.
The park, currently the site of a Little League baseball field, is being looked at as a future recreation area that will comprise not only a youth baseball field, but potentially also a youth football field, girls softball field and a soccer field, according to Commissioner Pete Smeltz. Signs currently at the location reference the park as Castanea Township Upper Creek Park and Lower Creek Road Park.
Commissioner Paul Conklin briefly outlined the past few years of discussions aimed at developing the location.
The recreation area would be used by children from all over the county – and the Castanea Township Recreation Board is looking at other options for long-term maintenance and funding to support the broad goals of the park.
Creating an authority would designate that legal entity as responsible for providing its own insurances, board, budget, etc. in order to move forward with the mission relating to Chestnut Grove Recreation Area, according to Conklin. If that authority were formed by Castanea Township, the board would need to be comprised of only township residents, he continued; whereas, if the county establishes the authority, the board can be pulled from the broader region.
Forming that authority will make it easier to collect park improvement contributions, he noted, adding that Clinton County native and NFL standout Robbie Gould, who played for the Chicago Bears for 10 years and now plays for the San Francisco 49ers, has expressed interest in supporting the sports complex through The Goulden Touch foundation.
Commissioner Jeff Snyder said there are a few key things to consider in the formation of this authority, including the fact that property is involved and the overall development of the authority board, the members of which would be appointed by the commissioners.
The county will need to determine how the land will be leased to the authority, he said. In addition to the park space that is owned by Castanea Township, First Quality owns a parcel in the vicinity of the park and has expressed interest in donating it to the cause.
Specific guidelines pertaining to authority membership would need to be established, Snyder said, perhaps prohibiting members who have relations with anyone playing sports at the complex and establishing term limits. Snyder added that ideal members would be neutral individuals who would promote all youth sports at the complex.
The county is on a time crunch to establish the authority, the commissioners indicated. They hope to feature drawings of the proposed plan at The Goulden Touch’s Windy City Kicker Golf Classic at the Clinton Country Club. Last year taking place in early May, they believe it is scheduled for early June this year.
Smeltz said the board was advised to take formal action to establish the Chestnut Grove Recreation Authority by the county solicitor, and it may take place at the regular meeting this Thursday at 10 a.m., or next week. Once action has been taken, the solicitor can draw up the legal paperwork.
The commissioners said they will not use taxpayer dollars on this project; rather, they intend to use Act 13 Legacy Funds, received for recreational purposes, on legal fees to create the authority. They said the goal is for the authority to be self-sufficient financially going forward.
The board hopes to meet with Castanea Township supervisors to continue to solidify plans, Snyder said.
Currently, the county has two other recreation authorities in place, the Clinton County Recreation Authority manages the golf course and the Western Clinton County Recreation Authority oversees the Renovo community center, in addition to other operational authorities (Sewer, Solid Waste, Housing).
The commissioners discussed the possibility of later also creating a Clinton County Recreation Advisory Board to serve as an umbrella authority over the other recreation boards.
