4/25/2009 1:50:00 PM Orrock says 'no' to hockey grant request
By Gary W. Meyer Editor
The Orrock Twp. Board Wednesday denied a request by the Becker-Big Lake Hockey Association to use township grant funds for the construction of a new arena.
Voting against the proposal were Supervisors Mike Wocken and Jerry Petersen; Voting for the request was Supervisor Julie Berg, who has since January served as township representative to the hockey association.
The hockey group was soliciting up to the entire $327,900 in Orrock Twp.'s share of Landfill Legacy Grant proceeds for the arena. They had met with the board in March, but the issue was tabled until this week.
Brad Butalla led most of the association's 45-minute presentation to the board. But there were vocal local residents against the issue.
It was determined that the entire grant program couldn't be split among various ventures.
Ultimately, Petersen questioned if the township should designate its entire grant program to an entity which would be sited in Marketplace, out of its township, when other local ventures could be worthy of support.
And Wocken questioned the arena group's base of support, if Becker entities wouldn't support an arena if it were to be built in Big Lake.
