Condition of Park Pavilions Irks Commissioners

Consider this situation: You've paid a deposit to utilize the pavilion at Laubach Park for a special function. 

When you arrive, the pavilion is trashed with litter and the bathrooms are locked. Not a fun way to start your party.

It's not a hypothetical situation, according to Salisbury Township Commissioner James Seagreaves, who is hearing complaints from residents about the conditions at Laubach Park.

Seagreaves told fellow commissioners recently that a resident had rented the pavilion and reported that the park was littered with trash and the bathrooms were locked, and remained locked, even after repeated phone calls to the police department's non-emergency police number. 

Township Manager Randy Soriano told commissioners that the township has no way of knowing when the park is left in that condition because it is open to the public. He said that the only way to know for sure what the condition the park pavilions are in is to have somebody to go out and look at the parks.

That, Soriano said, would require paying a township Public Works employee overtime.

Commissioner Debra Brinton asked Soriano what the point is of having a township resident place a security deposit down with the township if it can't guarantee the cleanliness of the pavilion.

Salisbury Police Chief Allen Stiles said he has told police officers that they must open and close the bathrooms at all of the township parks each day and file a report if anything is amiss.