Cass County rejects funding requests, likely nixing Lawless Park improvement project

Cass County Board of Commissioners voted 4-4 last Thursday, March 19, on two funding requests tied to a planned improvement project at Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park, effectively ending the project after roughly $100,000 had already been spent.

Because both votes ended in a 4-4 tie, neither motion passed.

Commissioners R.J. Lee, Roseann Marchetti, Samuel Barrera, and Chair Jeremiah Jones voted in favor of the funding requests. Commissioners Tom Langley, Alan Northrop, Michael Grice, and Vice Chair James Lawrence voted against them.

The votes concerned two requests from the Parks Board: one to use $249,192 from the Bombardie bequest and another to allocate $127,327 from the county’s capital improvement fund. Both were needed to close a funding gap for the project. 

The Bombardie bequest originated more than 20 years ago when Charles Bombardie left 10% of his estate to Cass County Parks. About $249,000 remains in the fund, which is restricted for park-related uses and has not been fully spent.

Commissioner Samuel Barrera, who also serves on the Parks Board, expressed frustration following the vote.

“I just want the members of this board to understand what just happened,” he said. “We have $110K invested into this project — now what are we going to do? We’ve successfully killed this project, so that money is on our hands. I don’t know how we’re going to recover those funds. … I’m really not proud of us right now.”

Barrera also questioned what would happen to the Bombardie funds if they are not used.

“Those funds have been sitting in that account for 20 years. What are we going to do — put them back in that account, kill this project, and take a $110K loss? Why?”

Project background

Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park, located on Monkey Run Street, is an approximately 820-acre park offering year-round activities including hiking, cross-country skiing, fishing and disc golf.

In 2023, Cass County Parks was awarded a $428,600 grant through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Fund, which requires a dollar-for-dollar local match, bringing the total project cost to about $857,200. 

The project included plans for a paved parking lot and driveway, a new gatehouse, improvements to the Schug Pavilion and installation of a splash pad.

After $119,270 in design and engineering costs, the remaining construction budget totaled $737,930. 

Initial bids exceeded that amount, totaling $1,061,380, creating a funding gap of $323,450. 

In response, the Parks Board worked with OCBA to revise plans and reduce costs, approving an additional $5,000 for a bid addendum. 

The revisions reduced costs by about $90,000, but officials determined the reduced scope would significantly diminish the project. The board opted to proceed with the original plan.

That left a total funding shortfall of about $376,519, including contingency costs. 

To close the gap, the Parks Board requested $249,192 from the Bombardie bequest along with $127,327 from the capital improvement fund. 

County documents show approximately $100,000 has already been spent on design and preparation. Construction has not begun.

Meeting discussion

Cass County Parks Director Scott Wyman urged commissioners to continue funding the project during Thursday’s meeting, citing ongoing budget challenges.

“You’re looking at 50 percent of the parks department here,” Wyman said. “We have to beg, borrow and plead to get a budget to survive — and I wouldn’t even call it surviving, if you want me to be honest.”

Wyman said the Bombardie fund was the most viable path forward.

“The fact is that we either need to save this project or we’re going to kill it,” he said. “Those funds have been sitting in that account for a very long time. I think it would be appropriate to use them.”

District 8 Commissioner R.J. Lee said he supported the request but would not back additional funding.

“This is a large sum of money, and tonight I’m going to vote in favor because that’s what a good portion of the community I represent would like,” Lee said. “But I won’t support any more money after this, so please use it wisely.”

Commissioner Michael Grice opposed the request, citing budget concerns.

“They requested that the Bombardie money be used … leaving a balance of $127K that the Parks is requesting from the county,” Grice said. “It’s not budgeted. We will have an issue with our capital improvement fund for the year.”

“Here we are again — need to rush, need to have additional money … so I oppose this request,” he added.

Commissioners who opposed the funding raised concerns about budget impacts and repeated cost increases tied to the project.

Process context

Wyman also pointed to delays tied to the county’s former Committee of the Whole process as part of a larger issue with coordinating deadlines with meeting dates and times leading to road blocks along the way.

“You used to have a Committee of the Whole, and you had to go there first before you could go to the regular board meeting,” he said. “Missing a meeting because of timing … it all added up to about three months.”

In December, Watershed Voice reported that commissioners voted to eliminate Committee of the Whole meetings, which had previously allowed for more detailed discussion of agenda items before formal votes.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.