Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tinicum residents and parks committee debate reliability of 320‑response survey, board asks for plan and cost estimates
Summary
Residents and the parks committee debated a recent 320‑response survey’s validity and recommended near‑term, low‑maintenance improvements at Fort Brooks Park; the board asked for a written plan, cost estimates and preliminary grant research before funding action.
Kim Rosamilla, a Tinicum Township resident, told the Board of Supervisors she was concerned the Parks & Recreation survey results may not represent township taxpayers: “the 320 survey responses … are small and not necessarily representative of tax paying citizens of Tinicum,” Rosamilla said, noting the SurveyMonkey instrument and paper questionnaires did not ask respondents’ residency, age or household information and could allow multiple responses.
Robin Lochner, a member of the parks and recreation committee, reviewed a PowerPoint summary of the combined returns (201 SurveyMonkey; 119 paper) and the committee’s recommendations. “81% of the survey respondents indicated they use some park facilities,” Lochner said, adding that 91% had attended or valued park events. Low‑impact preferences included a community meadow (32%) and additional benches or tables (25%). The committee recommended focusing near‑term efforts on Fort Brooks Park and returning next year with comprehensive recommendations for Tinicum Community Park.
Lochner asked the board to authorize research into grant opportunities for Fort Brooks and to allow the committee to return in August with possible grant strategies. The committee proposed two specific near‑term actions: mowing a 15‑square‑yard area around the tree used for the annual tree lighting (to make a plaque and bench area visible) and converting an underused section of Fort Brooks Park to meadow to lower mowing costs.
Township Manager Judith Danko and board members emphasized the procedural steps the committee should follow before spending or seeking grant matches. “A plan is really what you need to do before you even go out” to apply for grants, the manager said, and the board asked the committee to submit a written plan and budget request with cost estimates and, where appropriate, three quotes by the end of September so items can be considered during 2027 budget sessions.
Board members also discussed procurement options, including using CoStars vendors for purchases and when formal bidding rules apply. The manager noted donations can be accepted and held in a restricted account for park improvements. The board signaled support for the committee’s near‑term, low‑cost suggestions but declined to commit township funds until the committee provides the requested plan and estimates. The committee will research grants and return with a report in August.
