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November 6, 2004Purchase plans under wayBoard readies paperwork to finance dealByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Voters approved the public purchase of three pieces of recreational property, and the authority that will control them plans to buy the sites by the end of December. The Traverse City-Garfield Township Recreational Authority also set a public hearing for Nov. 23 to review its first budget. Voters resoundingly approved the board's plan to buy the Oleson Field near Hickory Hills Ski Area, the historic barns at the Grand Traverse Commons and the former Smith Barney building on the bayfront. The recreation board Thursday readied the necessary paperwork to finance the purchase. Voters passed a .27 mill bond issue that will raise up to $6.65 million to pay for the three properties and a 20-year, .10 mill operational millage. The millage will raise $125,000 a year to maintain the land and run the authority. "Our hope is to exercise the purchase options at the time the bonds are sold and to close on the purchase of the properties later in December," said city attorney W. Peter Doren. The city will provide management and administrative services to the recreation board, but the board will make all decisions about the use of the properties. "It is our responsibility, the city will do whatever degree of management we want," said Ross Biederman, board chairman. The city assisted the recreation board in putting together a rough draft of its budget for the first eight months of operation. The budget first goes to the township board and city commission for approval and then returns to the recreation board for a public hearing and adoption. The draft version of the budget calls for the recreation board to spend $26,650 on professional services, $20,000 on insurance and bonds, $11,650 on utilities and property maintenance and $43,000 on capital projects, among other miscellaneous expenses. Biederman credited the "hard work" of the campaign group Friends of Recreational Land in Garfield Township and Traverse City for the open space proposal victory. The group raised more than $47,000 in cash and services. "You guys did a terrific job," he said. "A 4-1 (voter) margin says a lot."
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