WOLVERINE -- In Wolverine, the Lumbermen's Memorial Park is become the focus of a lot of talk around town.

"Every time they make improvements to the park it's without any public hearing and its restricting the festival a little more," said Michael Evans.

Evans is the chairperson of the annual Wolverine Lumberjack Festival and also sits as a trustee on the village council.

Evans, along with several viewers who emailed 7&4 News say they're concerned that the village council overall is trying to close the public out of the park and forcing the festival to find a new home.

"I learned a couple of weeks before the festival that we would, a large section of the park would be off limit to parking," Evans said.

Despite the parking, community members say other projects have been starting to pop up in the last year or so including new landscaping. Most recently four campsites at the park were founded.

While there was a preliminary beautification project plan approved back in 2004, several community members say some the projects aren't even on the original plan and was done without any public input.

"My main concern is that the views and opinions of the taxpayer have not been represented and the tax dollars are being spent foolishly," Evans said.

Evans also points out that many attributes of the park including the pavilion, electrical hookup, and public well were all established by funds from the festival. While the pavilion was built in 1997, Evans says at the beginning of this year the village began charging a usage fee on the pavilion.

Village President Ralph Ochs sees the situation a little differently.

"We don't have an agenda to do something that's unfavorable against the community or the lumberjack festival," Ochs told 7&4's Greg Angel during a phone interview Thursday.

Addressing the concerns brought up by Evans and other community members, Ochs says the council is not trying to shut anyone out of the park. He adds the village has no money to invest in the park even if they wanted to.

So, what about those campsites? Ochs says they are 'rough campsites" and were set up as a way to help generate some revenue for park upkeep.

As for the parking restrictions imposed on the festival, Ochs says that was done to save from having to do repairs to the ground following the event.

While some of the projects have been provided by volunteers of the local garden club, some members of the community maintain the action taken by the council is unfair. Describing the contributions made by festival funds, they, along with Evans say the council at no point offered any public comment opportunities.

Ochs on the other hand says the entire situation has been misunderstood and welcomes the conversation with citizens.

It's a conversation that is expected to continue at the council next general meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July, 13th at 7 p.m. at the village hall.

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