Chelsea tax increase to accommodate growing demand for recreation

In May, the City of Chelsea approved to increase its sales tax by 1 percent in order to grow its annual capital improvement capability. And it intends to start right away by progressing area recreation.

According to Mayor Earl Niven, the City’s primary motivation for increasing the tax rate is to fund the construction of a new sports complex behind Chelsea High School. Niven said the highlight of the proposed facility would be new baseball and softball fields, which are currently needed to handle the increasing number of Chelsea youth who sign up to play each year.

“Right now, we’re just limited on fields,” Niven said. “This year we have 425 baseball players and four fields to play on. I think for softball we have 170 playing and only three fields.”

Niven said the rising number of youth participants in area sports is a sign the city is growing, and it’s up to the government to accommodate them. He said the average age in town is young – only 34.5 – and more than 500 children are currently enrolled in fifth grade in Chelsea schools.

At the end of May, the Chelsea City Council approved the purchase of up to 423 acres behind Chelsea High School to facilitate the new athletic complex, which Niven said would also include soccer fields, tennis courts, and possibly walking and bike trails. The Council agreed to pay $200,000 immediately toward the purchase of the property.

Niven said the City is pursuing a $6 million bond to finance construction on the recreation facility as well as a new community center. He said the location of the center hadn’t been identified, but indicated it would be “closer to the heart of the city.”

Overall, Niven said the community has responded favorably to the decision.

“I’d say 99 percent approve of it,” Niven said. “We’ve had a couple who opposed, but they felt the City should not borrow. It should just pay as it goes.”

Niven said the Chelsea City Council hopes to see the facility completed before the 2015 baseball and softball seasons, and in order to do so, it can’t afford to wait while it saves the money. He said the bond could currently be taken out at an interest rate under 3 percent. The City would be able to pay it back over 15 years using money from the tax increase, which Niven said is expected to generate approximately $100,000 a month.

“If we waited it could be a year and a half to save the money,” Niven said. “I’d hate to be the one who has to look at a 9-year-old child and tell him we’ll have a place for him to play ball by the time he gets to high school.”

Niven said Chelsea residents could see construction on the fields and a new road into the complex beginning within the month.