From: Richard Crawford
Columbus
The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department is among the best in Indiana, serving as a major attraction for families and businesses considering relocating. It is a crucial component of the county’s appeal. If you live outside of the city limits, you might have seen some of our county’s parks or ballfields.
You might have also noticed a difference between the city and county parks. The two programs are widely divergent due to gross funding disparagements. There is a significant funding gap between the city and county park systems. I have recently become aware there are at least 12 county parks in Bartholomew County that barely survive on a budget of just over $650,000, while the city’s park budget is over $7 million. The city’s park system is award-winning, whereas the county needs more funding and is perceived as inadequate compared to the city’s offerings.
Michelle Carr, a candidate for the Bartholomew County council-at-large, advocates for increased support and funding for county parks. She and her husband, Jason, are passionate about public lands and outdoor activities. They are very concerned about the failure of the current county council’s lack of focus on our county’s recreational offerings. The county council needs new leadership to enhance recreational infrastructure and make the county more attractive to potential business investors and residents. Michelle Carr, Nancy Merbitz, and Zack Patchett are endorsed as candidates capable of driving positive change.
Quality of life, driven partly by recreational amenities, is vital for attracting businesses and workforce to the area. Improving county parks could enhance the county’s appeal to outsiders. It is time to start developing our county’s “fun” infrastructure to improve our curb appeal to outsiders.
In conclusion, the conservation centers around the need for investment in and improvements to Bartholomew County’s park system to ensure it effectively contributes to the area’s attractiveness and economic development. The current members of the Bartholomew County Council need to be replaced by fresh people with fresh ideas for our future. Michelle Carr, Nancy Merbitz, and Zack Patchett would be the choices we need for long-awaited positive change.
Editor’s note: This letter is paid political content. Political endorsement letters are published with a $25 fee. They may be submitted to [email protected].
