OTSEGO COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — The Otsego County Parks and Recreation Commission met Monday, September 8, for the first time since sending a letter indefinitely suspending the Otsego Lake Splash-In.
Dozens of Otsego County community members packed the small meeting room speaking out about their frustrations, but not just in support of the Splash-In.
Several people spoke up about a lack of transparency with changes to an adult basketball league.
New rules for the league were written by the commission. However, the league’s coordinator Steve Brown said after a meeting he had with some parks and rec members, different rules were written than what was agreed to.
“Being back stabbed, going around me and then making forcing me to do rules that we didn’t discuss is a little kindergarten for me,” Brown told the commission during the meeting.
The different version and document designating the duties of the league coordinator was adopted at Monday night’s meeting.
“It says it twice, ‘assisting the director on upgrading the rules as needed.’ So, is that official?” basketball league member Jack Korte asked Parks and Rec Director Jacob Brown. “Now, can Steve go change the rules with you now, Jacob?”
“I’m not sure,” Brown said.
“Well, we just voted it. You just passed it. So, now he should be able to sit down with you and change them, right?” Korte asked.
Many commissioners admitted they didn’t speak up about the basketball league issue because they said they didn’t know enough about it.
One commissioner said he believed the league’s supporters should have gotten involved earlier, even though the league wasn’t made aware of the re-written rules.
“This is why we have these meetings. We shouldn’t have 30 people bombarding one guy or a board. If there’s issues, we bring them to the attention at the time,” Parks Rec Commissioner Troy Huff said.
When commissioners said they hadn’t heard from Otsego Lake Splash-In organizers since the letter suspending the event was sent, UpNorthLive News spoke up, public commenting on behalf of Organizer Sarah Rhodes.
“I just clarified with her, ‘you did call the Parks and Rec Department a couple weeks ago to ask why the letter was sent to [Sarah].’ She said she called multiple times. No one has called her back,” UpNorthLive Reporter Alli Baxter asked.
“Can you ask her who she called? Like, what number she called?” Brown responded,
“The main office number.”
“Oh, interesting.”
Supporters of the Splash-In also voiced their thoughts.
“I mean, you said it was safety, but we’ve had a perfect safety record,” one resident said during public comment.
When asked about the decision to indefinitely suspend the Splash-In, Commission President Bonny Miller said, “it wasn’t the fun decision.”
“We’re looking at taking care of Parks and Recs as campground, Community Center and our other locations, not events. We’re not event people,” Miller said.
Even though the parks and recreation webpage has an advertised section for “special events.”
“If you are calling yourself a public servant, I want better for our community,” one resident said during public comment. “I want better for my children. I want better for all of the people that I consider family in this league, and I expect the same from all of you.”
At the end of the meeting, commissioners said they would work with the adult basketball league participants to adjust the rules.
But when it comes to the future of the Splash-In, commissioners said they stand by their decision to suspend it.