Mayor Mick Wisslead told aldermen Monday that, based on his reading of a 1948 city ordinance, he thinks the city may have given ownership of the majority of its parks to the Macomb Park District. The mayor brought up the issue as city council members once again debated negotiating a contract with the district for park operations.

Wisslead said the ordinance was unearthed after a letter from former parks director Buck Knowles was published in the Monday edition of The Macomb Journal.

Knowles wrote that the park district was created by referendum in 1947 and that the city subsequently turned over most parks to the district, keeping Spring Lake Park in order to maintain control over the city water supply.

"It looks like the city, by ordinance, gave up the rights to those parks," the mayor said. 

Council members unanimously approved a motion by Alderman Chris Senn that attorneys for both the city and the park district be asked to review all relevant ordinances and agreements.

"I need to operate from the premise that the city owns its parks unless I'm told otherwise," said Alderman Tim Lobdell.

Wisslead later commented that the 2004 agreement authorizing the city to pay the park district to operate Spring Lake Park and Campground may have nullified the original intent of the 1948 ordinance.

"The 2004 agreement raises the possibility that the park district could also be paid by the city for operating Glenwood and Compton parks and the North Dudley Street skate park," said the mayor.

Alderman Ed Lavin accused the Macomb Park District of prematurely forcing contract negotiations into an open forum. "This bypasses our committee structure and I will no longer participate," he said.

"People are paying taxes for park operations," said Lavin, "and the park district had $250,000 left in its budget at the end of last year. They want taxpayers to pay twice and have the city pay them $130,000?  How does this serve the taxpayer?"

Alderman Dennis Moon followed up on that question. "If the citizens of Macomb feel the park district has the money and the responsibility to take care of these parks, I wish they'd step forward," he said.

City Administrator Dean Torreson briefed aldermen on a proposed intergovernmental agreement with McDonough County to share the services of a computer network administrator. He said the person would have an office in Macomb City Hall, but would be considered a county employee.

"The city will pay the county the equivalent of 50 percent of the salary each year,"

Torreson said. He estimated the salary at slightly less than $40,000.

The network administrator would be responsible for the operation of city and county computer systems and manage all computer servers. He or she would be responsible for the security, backup, and repair of all networked systems.

Alderman Dave Dorsett was specific in his hopes for the new position. "I want to see internal upgrades, as well as public interface capabilities," he said.

Torreson also discussed the planned purchase of a $25,000 closed-circuit security camera system for the Macomb Police Department. He said it would be a five-camera system.

Lobdell asked about costs for locating system monitors in the 911 dispatching center and for running cables to hook the security system into the center. Torreson said he would seek clarification as to that aspect of the plan.