Regular Meeting (Frank Clements Letters 01282025)

The author expresses concerns regarding a petition circulating among Village residents seeking to remove specific Action Items (6 and 7) from the 2025-2029 Recreation Plan. The author argues that removing specific items at this stage undermines the public participation process required by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), as all Action Items are initially proposed and subject to further review. The author highlights the historical context of these items, emphasizing that they arose from previous public visioning sessions and were prioritized in earlier plans.

The author questions the decision to potentially ignore survey results that indicate strong resident support for the Action Items targeted for removal. Furthermore, they advocate for a study (Action Item 7) to inform the public about the proposals’ pros, cons, and potential impacts before making judgments. The author also raises concerns about specific Action Items in Shalda Park, citing survey comments that suggest a preference for investments in other parks and questioning the need for additional facilities at Shalda Park.

The author emphasizes the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve the Recreation Master Plan as is, to ensure fairness, allow for further discussion, and meet DNR deadlines. The author wrote a separate communication pointing out the missing minutes from the January 7th Planning Commission meeting, the failure to include important documents, and how comments were considered. They highlight that this lack of information prevents informed public input and could affect the validity of the upcoming vote on the plan. They suggest postponing the vote until these issues are resolved to ensure compliance with DNR guidelines.