The Mayor's plan, because there is not enough parks tax money for the golf course, the golf course debt, the recreation center, and the city's parks, was to start selling off the city's parks and keeping the proceeds for the city's general fund.
The first park to be sold was Genshaft Park. This is where the controversy started. Genshaft Park was a gift from the Arthur Genshaft family to the City of Massillon. It was to be used as a park. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources even gave the city a grant, so that it could be used as a park. One of the strings attached to the natural resources grants was that it must be used as a park forever.
Mayor Cicchinelli tried to sell it. This is the action that generated the lawsuit Judge Haas ruled on. The buyer pulled out, but now the Mayor for Life has the green light to legally sell this park, or any other park, without competitive bidding. Mayor Cicchinelli will try and sell Genshaft park again. He can legally sell, with his rubber stamp council's approval, any parks property he wants to that supposedly belonged to our "independent" parks and recreation board. He can keep the proceeds from the sale and use it for his general fund, which, coincidentally, has a shortfall.
What can happen?
The City's park system can be reduced to the recreation center and golf course only. No parks. No Green space. All legal. Our voter approved .3 percent parks tax has been perverted into a subsidy for a failing golf course. At least until 2032.
