KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo County Commissioners have begun discussions on whether or not to execute a purchase agreement for Bronson Park to the City of Kalamazoo, but the conversation has been tabled until another time.
Although the County technically owns the park, the City is responsible for maintenance and other services.
During a virtual meeting Tuesday night, Commissioners discussed the matter at length, weighing the pros and cons of doing so.
According to County documents, the City of Kalamazoo is interested in obtaining formal ownership of Bronson Park to “assist with additional development opportunities to improve the property and continuity for current grant agreements.”
If the deal were approved, the County would transfer ownership to the City of Kalamazoo via covenant deed and “as-is,” provided Bronson Park remains a recreational area open to the public.
During the first public comment period of the meeting, one caller suggested a local Native American tribe, rather than the city. The caller said Commissioners should consider giving the land to the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi tribe instead, explaining that the land was originally under their ownership.
The caller said further discussion with local tribe leaders should be considered before moving forward.
In discussing the sale, some Commissioners, such as Jen Strebs, wanted to know more about the implications of selling to the City, rather than a local tribe.
County Administrator Tracie Moored said there was an ongoing discussion between city and tribal council, and that those who had been contacted were aware of the transfer, and made no indication that they would like to purchase the park.
However, Strebs pointed out that she had received communications from senior leadership within the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band tribe, saying that there were concerns about the transfer. She said that she wasn’t sure whether or not these were the same people contacted by the city, and suggested revisiting the discussion later until more representatives could be contacted.
Board Vice Chair Tami Rey agreed with Strebs and said that more communications between the county and tribes should be held before the deal is approved.
Administrator Moored also noted that the deal for this park has been about three years in the making, suggesting that the city could get more relevant information regarding that matter. However, she warned that tabling the motion could result in a long time before it gets discussed again.
As the discussion progressed, some Commissioners, such as Dale Shugars, said that selling to the city may be a bad idea at this point, due to the potential for negative feedback.
“You’re gonna hear a lot more of this, and I think our time is better suited doing other things than dealing with this issue,” Shugars said. “If we do transfer it, we’re going to continue to hear about this down the road.”
Some Commissioners even changed their minds on how they would be voting. Commissioner Roger Tunier, who had initially been in favor of the deal he called a “win-win,” said that he was more in favor of leaving things the way they currently are.
Commissioner John Gisler said that the deal should continue as-is, and that too much time had been spent on the matter already.
Board Chair Tracy Hall said that any questions and communications that need to be fielded to the city can be done, as the current deal concerns both parties.
Ultimately, the board voted in favor of tabling the motion until a later time.
Discussions between all relevant parties is expected to continue, although a date to revisit the matter was not immediately made.
