Proposed improvements to Lakeside Park in Mayville would be a beautiful addition to our county seat.

Planners propose Chautauqua Belle gateway improvements, a new kayak launch, waterfront pedestrian and bicycle trail, a new combination splash pad and ice rink, enhancements to the Mayville Depot Museum, a new pier and a Complete Streets project. The total cost for the seven projects is about $4.6 million.

Unlike previous changes to the Lakeside Park area that tended to be divisive projects, there is general agreement on the value of the seven projects recommended by the master plan developed by the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation and the village of Mayville.

The elephant in the room, of course, is the $4.6 million cost. Village board members followed a recommendation from county planning officials to start with three low-cost items, but even those items would cost the village $266,101 in matching money if the village is able to receive a state Local Waterfront Revitalization Program grant that pays 75% of the costs. Mayor Ken Shearer also said a planned $163,000 in federal stimulus money from the federal government can help pay for the local match.

A local match for LWRP grants can be paid over two years and can also include other grants from local foundations or private sources. But there’s no guarantee that money will be received, no matter how strong the project appears on paper.

Village officials were being pushed by county planners to quickly prepare an LWRP grant application before the grant application closed in early August, though treasurer Jennifer Obert said if the village had to pay for the full 25% local share of the LWRP grant, it would likely drive up taxes more than the state’s 2% tax cap and could result in double-digit percent tax increases.

No wonder Rick Syper, a village trustee who is also running for mayor, wanted to take his time making a decision. Shearer and trustees Jim Warner and Ben Webb felt more comfortable making a quick decision, though Warner too expressed concerns about the potential costs.

There may not be a repercussion to village taxpayers from this decision. The village may be able to find the funding it needs to keep taxpayers from paying the entire local match. But local boards should remember the ball is always in their court. They control the power of the purse, not outside planners or consultants who are pushing for a certain time frame for projects. Park improvements are nice, but certainly not a necessity and, in our opinion, not worth exposing taxpayers to the risk of big tax increases unnecessarily.