It was the culmination of months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, public forums and countless debates between councilors and citizens.
But at the end of the night, with a 4-3 count, the city of Athens voted to not assume control of Strouds Run State Park as Athens Mayor Ric Abel had been pushing.
The at-large councilors ' Amy Flowers, Carol Patterson and Jim Sands ' tried to push the measure through, but the ward representatives voted it down.
Financially, the transfer would have cost almost $100,000 in the first year for operating costs alone, which councilors said would be alleviated by a one-time assistance fund of $49,500 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
But that same department is running the park at a net loss of $93,000 per year.Ohio University promised an additional $150,000 to help the city purchase the park, but serious questions arise as to how, in a multi-million dollar deficit, the administration decides it has the funds for a frivolous park purchase that would only serve a specific minority at the university.
Taking over Strouds Run, as wonderful as it sounds to increase Athens-
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