MEADVILLE —
$800,769.69.
As of Tuesday, that’s the total amount in back real estate property taxes and interest Conneaut Lake Park owes to various municipal governments dating back 15 years, according to the Crawford County Treasurer’s Office. And Crawford County commissioners said Tuesday they will meet with park leadership in the weeks ahead for a plan to get those taxes paid.
The money is owed by Conneaut Lake Park to Crawford County, Conneaut School District and Sadsbury and Summit townships and goes back as far as 1997, according to the Treasurer’s Office.
However, back real estate taxes and interest on the amusement park’s Hotel Conneaut and Beach Club for 2009, 2010 and 2011, were been paid in full at $21,726.43 on Sept. 4 of this year by Park Restoration LLC, according to the Treasurer’s Office. That same day, Park Restoration also paid all back taxes dating back to 1997 that total $5,419.26 on three lots, according to the Treasurer’s Office.
Park Restoration operates the Hotel Conneaut and Beach Club under a lease agreement with the Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park.
The Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park did make a tax payment of $1,000 in December 2011, according to the Treasurer’s Office.
At their work session Tuesday, Crawford County’s three commissioners said they plan to meet with Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park to discuss the overdue tax situation at the end of the amusement park’s fall season. No meeting date has been set, but a meeting is expected by early November, said Chairman Francis Weiderspahn.
Commissioners were questioned about the park’s tax situation Tuesday by Wanda Ramaley, a Conneaut Lake area resident.
Ramaley told commissioners she had lost her business — the former Stable Pit n Pub restaurant and Cow Shed nightclub in the Conneaut Lake area — due to back taxes. The property went to a sheriff’s sale in September 2010 due to back taxes, she told commissioners. However, the property hasn’t sold.
The now county-owned Stable/Cow Shed property and several others are subject to sale through Crawford County Court of Common Pleas. County court is expected to act on making those parcels eligible for sale later this fall.
Ramaley said she didn’t want her remarks to be construed that she wanted the county to close down the amusement park for lack of tax payments.
“I want Conneaut Lake Park to stay open,” she said. “Conneaut Lake needs Conneaut Lake Park.”
However, Ramaley said she was just asking for fair and equal treatment.
Commissioners said they didn’t have an agreement with Trustees on paying back real estate taxes, but that the purpose of the upcoming meeting would be to map out a plan.
“We need to ask for a plan and what they think they can do,” Weiderspahn said of the tax situation.
Commissioners C. Sherman Allen and Jack Lynch agreed and said that the Trustees need to be held accountable.
Lynch noted something needs to be done about the problem, but without hurting those areas of the park that make money.
Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.
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