The Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority is responsible for managing the local parks and hosting events like the melon festival.
How the organization will operate in the future now depends on whether a proposed millage gets passed in November.
“We utilize a lot of our parks and recs area,” said Rosie Payne of Howell.
Rosie Payne says come November she will be voting yes to the park and rec authority’s proposed millage which represents about 21 cents per household.
Payne says she loves taking her dog to the local parks and going to the melon festival.
“People come from out of town to come visit this. It’s a huge economy booster for the downtown area, all the small businesses things like that,” said Payne.
The authority had the same millage on the ballot for Michigan’s primary election.
The millage passed in Howell, Genoa Township, Howell Township, and Oceola Township but it failed in Marion Township by 200 votes.
Due to state law, a proposed tax for park and rec authorities must be passed in all participating municipalities.