RISON - Pending a review by County Attorney Tiffany Nutt, Cleveland County Judge Jimmy Cummings said Tuesday he expects the Woodlawn Community Park to remain open under local leadership after a lease agreement was submitted to the county.
During the Cleveland County Quorum Court meeting on Jan.3, Cummings threatened to close the park unless the county signed a lease agreement to turn over the park to a group that would have jurisdiction over the park.
Cummings said he received the lease agreement on Tuesday from Larry Reynolds, who was one of the original members of a county-appointed group that oversaw development of the park in 1977. In addition, Cummings said he received a phone call from an insurance company verifying that the group has also secured insurance on the property.
Ownership and jurisdiction over the park became an issue last year when a request was made by the park for money to replace an air conditioning unit at the Woodlawn Community. After the group submitting the bid asked why the county should be responsible for the cost, it was revealed - to the surprise of county officials - that the county owned the property.
Cummings said the quorum court meeting earlier this month that the county does not have a parks commission nor the money to maintain the park.
In October, a group representing the Woodlawn Community Park addressed the quorum court, and the county offered to lease the park to the group for 99 years at a cost of $1 per year. The group requested more time to give an answer.
After the county never heard back from anyone representing the park, Cummings issued his statement regarding closure of rthe park.
"I felt like that was the way it was going to go," Cummings said about getting a lease agreement between the county and the park.
One of the reasons the park property was originally turned over to the county in 1977 was to put it in a better position to pursue ...
To access content, please login or purchase a subscription.