NEW ALBANY — The strained relationship between the city and county continued to be displayed this week, as Floyd County Commissioners President Steve Bush said he would not “pacify” New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan during a conversation about parks funding.

Bush spoke about his disagreement with Gahan over how the funding issue has been handled during a Tuesday informational meeting regarding a proposed new tax that would create a county cumulative capital fund for parks.  

The debate over equitable funding of the New Albany-Floyd County Parks Department has sparked many reactions over the past year, especially after Gahan in April vetoed a new agreement that had been passed by the county and the New Albany City Council. According to city figures, New Albany has paid about $4 million more toward the parks department than the county since 2004. The city didn’t make up the county’s difference, and thus the parks budget was cut regularly for consecutive years.

Though the new deal called for both entities to have equal funding mechanisms in place by Oct. 1, Gahan said the county needed to make restitution for the past financial shortfalls.

County officials have widely seen the situation differently, as some have claimed the county didn’t intentionally underfund the joint parks department. Additionally, many county officials including Bush have called for both sides to move forward instead of looking back.



LACK OF FUNDING

A portion of the funding differences stems from the lack of a county cumulative capital fund. The city established such a fund, and paid $685,625 into the account — which funds expenses such as construction and maintenance of the parks — from 2007 to 2011.

Parks officials approached the county this week about establishing the new tax. Parks board Vice Chairman Steve LaDuke said that while final numbers are being determined, early estimates are that the new levy would cost taxpayers between $5 to $8 a year.

The city’s cumulative fund generates about $125,000 annually, and parks officials said that if established, the county’s account should mirror that total.

But during the work session Tuesday that included county commissioners, the county council and parks board members, Bush said he wasn’t inclined to support a proposal simply to appease the mayor.

“How can we move forward with a cumulative capital fund when we can’t get along with the city?,” he said. “They won’t sit down and meet with us.”

Commissioner Mark Seabrook said the city has pursued its own plans without county approval, including the installation of a pedway and sidewalks along the front lot of Sam Peden Community Park off Grant Line Road.

The park is owned by the county, and Seabrook said they weren’t notified of the move until it had already been approved by the city.

“There’s no defense for the city to step on the county’s feet,” he said, as Seabrook added the city had been “bullying” the county.



CITY VS. COUNTY?

City Councilman Kevin Zurschmiede attended the meeting as a spectator, but addressed some of the remarks made at the end of work session. He told the county officials he felt the issue before them was being merged incorrectly into a debate about city and county relations.

“My point is, it should be about funding — whether or not you think the parks board deserves more funding,” said Zurschmiede, who voted in favor of the new parks deal and said again Tuesday he didn’t agree with Gahan’s decision to veto the measure.

However, he said the parks board has to find ways to operate despite the differences between the city and county.

LaDuke attended the meeting and said Wednesday the onus is on the county to show they are committed to equally funding the parks department.

“The county can stand up there and say ‘we’re the friends of the parks, we’re the supporters of the parks,’ but had the county honored the agreement they had originally, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” he said.

LaDuke added that ultimately “we’re going to have to sit down together, in a room, everybody face to face, and say ‘look, there’s no name calling, no talking about the past, we know where we need to be.’”

Some city, county and parks leaders did hold a series of meetings late in 2011 and early in 2012 to discuss the funding issue.

Bush has criticized Gahan for not attending those meetings.

“As a leader of this community, he should want to sit down and talk to us,” Bush said of Gahan.



MAYOR STAYS QUIET

Though parks officials said during the meeting that Gahan viewed the establishment of a cumulative capital fund by the county as a large step forward, the mayor didn’t state his opinion when contacted by the News and Tribune on Wednesday.

“I’m going to withhold my comments now; there’ll be a time and a place for me to weigh-in on this discussion, and I look forward to doing that soon, but now it’s time for the county commissioners to make a decision,” he said.

Bush said the commissioners will hold a public hearing, though he did not announce the date, so people can provide input on the new tax proposal. The cumulative capital fund must be approved by the commissioners, not the county council.

If approved, there would be a somewhat lengthy process that followed, including time for public comment. If more than 50 people state opposition to the new levy after it’s approved, the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance would hold a hearing on the matter.

Though the county appropriated additional funds to nearly match the city’s commitment this year, LaDuke said there are no guarantees for the parks department moving forward when it comes to finances.

Though the idea wasn’t popular, LaDuke confirmed closing Community Park has been discussed by the parks board as a way to cut expenses. It wouldn’t make sense to close a city park since it has been the county that hasn’t paid its full share over the years, he continued.

With no real conclusion to the funding situation, LaDuke said closing Community Park a few months ago would likely have stirred up public sentiment and forced a resolution to the problem.

“I think it would have gotten something done,” he said.