Ellis Park trustees, town pen new agreement in 2017

YORK — In 2016, a group called the Committee for Ellis Park Transparency formed, with the goal of requiring park trustees to become more transparent and create an easy system for people to access them with questions or complaints. By the end of 2017, most of what they asked for had been addressed.

At the heart of the issue was a management agreement between the town and the trustees that had not been updated since 1979. The town actually owns the park but it’s managed by the trustees. Given the issues raised by the committee, along with several additional issues that the town discovered while amassing information the group requested, selectmen said it was time for a new agreement.

By April, selectmen were expressing frustration at the pace of negotiations with the trustees, but soon thereafter talks began in earnest between the trustees and their attorney and former human resources manager Liam Gallagher. Following a June site walk with interested residents and committee members, selectmen and trustees found they agreed on most points in the proposed new agreement.

In the agreement ultimately approved in July, the trustees agree: to meet with selectmen once a year; hold two public meetings annually; make minutes of their meeting public; submit an annual operating budget to the town; develop a 5-year capital plan; and provide an accountant-prepared financial statement annually.

Said Board of Selectmen Chairman Todd Frederick at the time of the “historic” moment: “This has set a foundation now that the two entities are coming together to be stronger.”

The trustees are working to secure nonprofit status. They also hired York resident Corey Hathorne as park superintendent, who trustee Andy Furlong has praised for his diplomacy and work ethic. The town Parks and Recreation Department has agreed to front calls and emails from people with concerns or questions and turn them over to Hathorne for further action.

In October, the trustees held their first of what will be twice annual public meetings, and in December, they met with selectmen for the first of annual meetings.