Mar 28, 2003 By Christine Haines 3 min read

LUZERNE TWP. – The Brownsville-Luzerne Park board is looking for a maintenance worker to help keep the park in shape. Only one of the two workers from last year is planning to return this summer and park board President Frank Ricco noted that time is running out to get the park ready for opening next month.

“We need coverage seven days a week,” Ricco said. “It’s very important that we have someone on site all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.”

Ricco said the four days are the busiest for the park crew because of pavilion rentals.

“I can’t see us being without a caretaker on the weekends, especially since we’re renting the pavilions out,” Ricco said.

Ricco said a special meeting might be needed in order to hire a worker before the middle of April.

Ricco reported that most of the logging has been completed at the park and the logging company is in the process of cleaning up. Luzerne Township officials will need to inspect the road bonded by the logger before the bond is released.

The park board voted to extend the contract with Wildlife Habitat Development, a program under the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The contract allowing the group to do planting at the park was set to expire in April.

Gary Bella reported that the youth soccer program has made some improvements in the area of the soccer field and that the water has been turned on at the baseball field for use by the ninth-grade baseball team.

A request was made for the road to the Boy Scout area to be fixed up and the area cleaned so the scouts can start holding meetings there in the next few months.

Racer Productions is scheduled to hold three motocross races at the park this year, though the first date is already past and no race was held. Races are scheduled for July and October. The races are a source of income for the park.

Andrew French said the state Department of Conservation of Natural Resources has approved an additional $10,000 for road improvements at the park.

After reviewing the park’s finances and the low interest rate on the savings account, the board voted to pay off a loan with a balance of approximately $2,000 and an interest rate of 9.5 percent. Ricco is also looking into the possibility of having the interest rate reduced on another loan.

Paul Pressy reported that the Hiller Fire Department was called out for a fire at the park recently. A bonfire had been built near a tree house on the park property and nearly started a field fire, Pressy said. The township tore down the tree house.

The board also discussed real estate matters in executive session.