City of Plymouth residents can learn more about parks millage

The upcoming fall 2024 election offers residents of the City of Plymouth a chance to vote on a proposed millage to fund parks and recreation programs, and there are several ways for voters to educate themselves on the proposal before casting their ballot.

The proposal is for an eight-year, 1.2 mil funding source that will allow the city to perform maintenance on existing parks that has been deferred for many years, to upgrade facilities, and to have matching funds that will allow it to pursue grants from public and nonprofit sources.

The city will hold information sessions at the Cultural Center at 525 Farmer St. on:

• Thursday, Sept. 19 - 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 17 - 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The sessions will last approximately an hour and all will contain the same information.

In addition, a group of city leaders and residents promoting a yes vote on the proposal has launched a website, https://www.ourplymouthparks.org/ , that offers further information. The group has also launched a Facebook page.

A slide presentation from a May community engagement forum held by the city's Recreation Department and City Commission is available here. It includes details about the deferred maintenance projects currently facing city recreation facilities, and about the role of having matching funds available in the city budget to bring to the table when state agencies, foundations and nonprofits have grant funding available.

Currently, the city does not have such matching funds, meaning that other municipalities are able to apply for parks and recreation grant funding but Plymouth cannot.

The Plymouth Observer's Sept. 6 story about the proposal is available here. As it notes, a 2023 ballot proposal for a 12-year, 1.75 mil millage failed to pass by only 66 votes.

Anyone with questions about the information sessions may email citymanager@plymouthmi.gov.

For information on voting in the City of Plymouth, visit the City Clerk's election web page.