LARGO – Several residents July 7 urged city commissioners to prevent the John R. Bonner Park from being closed because of budget constraints.
Bonner Park and the Largo Nature Preserve may be closed so that the city’s Recreation, Parks and Arts Department can meet the requirement that it submit a budget for the next fiscal year with $1 million in reductions.
Residents who live near Bonner Park, which is located off 143rd Street between Indian Rocks Road and the Intracoastal Waterway, said they go to the park regularly to fish, exercise, enjoy nature and find solitude.
Sylvia Jordan, who said she enjoys going to the water, asked the commissioners to find the money to keep the park open.
“I go to the park every day when it’s not raining,” she said.
Residents also pointed out that the park is on the Great Florida Birding Trail and is home to roseate spoonbills and a variety of species. The park has a boardwalk to the waterway, nature trails, a covered pavilion, picnic facilities and a playground.
“It has been brought to my attention that due to budget cuts, Bonner Park is slated to close. I would like to see this park stay open since there are so many small children in the area that enjoys it and other people as well due to its great trail,” wrote Jan Bill in an e-mail to city commissioners. “Please consider keeping it open.”
Trisha Patterson wrote in an e-mail that “it doesn’t make sense to close a thriving park. The park is used by many and costs ‘chump change’ in taxpayer dollars to maintain,” she wrote.
Mayor Pat Gerard said that no decision has been made by commissioners to close the parks; the proposal is a budget recommendation.
“We have no intention of selling the land ever,” she said
Discussion of the recommendations will be at the Finance Advisory Board on July 13 and July 20 and the City Commission work sessions in August, and at two public hearings on the budget in September.
“In order to achieve that reduction, a number of personnel and operations had to be proposed for elimination,” a city memo said, regarding the two parks.
The Largo Nature Preserve is at 150 Highland Ave. It has a two-story observation tower, canoe and kayak trail, nature trails and boardwalks and picnic shelter.
In other matters, Gerard said the commission has received many phone calls and e-mails on the three-day suspension City Manager Mac Craig gave Police Chief Lester Aradi last month, but it will not get involved in the matter.
“This commission does not have the power to second-guess a personnel decision,” Gerard said. “That’s not part of our purview. We value Chief Aradi’s service to the city for the years he’s been here. We hope he’s here for many, many more years ... This matter is over as far as we’re concerned.”
Craig said in a June 8 report that Aradi violated the city’s code of conduct by not firing Officer Anthony Citrano, who had voided a traffic ticket for a woman who had ran a stop sign. Aradi suspended Citrano for 10 days and removed him from the promotion’s list for one year. He believed that was appropriate discipline for an officer who had an unblemished record and served the agency with distinction.
Craig said at the July 7 commission meeting that “nobody respects the chief more than I do.”
“He did what he thought was right,” Craig said, “and I did what I thought was city policy, what I know to be city policy ... We would hope that it would end here tonight.”
