County staff told the Stark County Park Board that canceling part of an order for playground equipment and a picnic shelter could trigger a 25% restocking fee and delay, and asked the board whether to cancel or find alternate recipients for the equipment.

Amanda, county staff supporting parks projects, told the board the manufacturer had advised the county that cancellation would result in a roughly 25% restocking fee and that lead times run into November. Amanda said the county currently has spent about $91,000 of a $125,000 allocation for the Lakeview Park project and that additional site preparation and materials will add costs. "They're basically gonna attack on a 25% restock fee under these things," Amanda said.

Board discussion and options: Members asked whether nearby communities or the fairgrounds could accept the equipment if the county chooses to cancel the order. Several commissioners suggested reaching out to nearby towns (Belfield, South Heart, Richardton, Gladstone) or the fairgrounds; one commissioner said Dickinson Parks and Recreation would help install a playground that a local homeowners association was willing to accept. The board also heard that a small picnic shelter (about 12-by-20) may require a building permit and engineered drawings, which could further increase costs and scheduling complexity.

Why it matters: cancelling would avoid the additional purchase cost but incur a restocking fee (Amanda estimated roughly $5,000); taking delivery would require addressing installation, sub-base, possible permitting and additional budget needs.

Next steps: Staff will continue to pursue bids for a small picnic shelter, verify whether a building permit and engineered drawings are truly required, and report back on options for relocating or installing the playground equipment. No binding vote was recorded on cancellation; commissioners indicated willingness to find alternate locations for the equipment rather than absorb the restocking penalty.

Ending: The board did not authorize cancellation at the meeting; staff will continue to investigate permitting requirements and possible recipients for the equipment and report back to the board.