July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
May gives land to Salamonia (12/17/04)
4 acres is located adjacent to town park
By By Barbara Wilkinson-
SALAMONIA — The residents of Salamonia feel like Santa Claus came early this year.
Salamonia native Ralph May recently deeded approximately 4.25 acres adjacent to the Salamonia School and town park to be used for “governmental or recreational purposes.” Ownership of the land was conveyed on Nov. 22, and the deed was filed in the Jay County Recorder’s Office the following day.
The Salamonia Town Board recognized May’s donation with a resolution of thanks at its Dec. 7 meeting, town clerk-treasurer Connie Southworth said this week.
“It’s an early Christmas present for the town of Salamonia,” she said, adding, “Of course, the town is extremely grateful for this generous donation.”
May’s family has owned the property since 1915, and he acquired it from his mother’s estate in 1972. He recently decided to turn the land over to the town, and “the rest of the family (including his brother Paul May and sister Ruby May Geeting) was in agreement that it should be done,” he said.
“I just thought it was something that the community needed,” May, now a rural Portland resident, added.
May attended Salamonia’s one-room schoolhouse until 1934 and remembers playing baseball in that field, which was also used at times to pasture calves. When there was ball game going on, “the kids just played around the livestock,” he said.
A more permanent ball diamond was developed there in the late 1970s in conjunction with the Salamonia Firemen’s Fun Festival, which hosted an annual softball tournament for several years, Southworth said.
The town’s existing park is one acre, “and the fire department sits on that so that takes up some space,” she said. The four plus acres is “a way for us to spread out. That one acre is full.”
The town will assume all maintenance of the additional land, which is primarily keeping the area mowed. At present, town resident Lattie Huntsman is paid $450 to mow the park from April to October. Funding for mowing the enlarged park was not included in the town’s 2005 budget, and will likely be covered through an additional appropriation next year, Southworth said.
As for how the property will be used, she added, “We just got this land, and the board hasn’t had time to form any plans. But it’s fun to think about.”[[In-content Ad]]
Salamonia native Ralph May recently deeded approximately 4.25 acres adjacent to the Salamonia School and town park to be used for “governmental or recreational purposes.” Ownership of the land was conveyed on Nov. 22, and the deed was filed in the Jay County Recorder’s Office the following day.
The Salamonia Town Board recognized May’s donation with a resolution of thanks at its Dec. 7 meeting, town clerk-treasurer Connie Southworth said this week.
“It’s an early Christmas present for the town of Salamonia,” she said, adding, “Of course, the town is extremely grateful for this generous donation.”
May’s family has owned the property since 1915, and he acquired it from his mother’s estate in 1972. He recently decided to turn the land over to the town, and “the rest of the family (including his brother Paul May and sister Ruby May Geeting) was in agreement that it should be done,” he said.
“I just thought it was something that the community needed,” May, now a rural Portland resident, added.
May attended Salamonia’s one-room schoolhouse until 1934 and remembers playing baseball in that field, which was also used at times to pasture calves. When there was ball game going on, “the kids just played around the livestock,” he said.
A more permanent ball diamond was developed there in the late 1970s in conjunction with the Salamonia Firemen’s Fun Festival, which hosted an annual softball tournament for several years, Southworth said.
The town’s existing park is one acre, “and the fire department sits on that so that takes up some space,” she said. The four plus acres is “a way for us to spread out. That one acre is full.”
The town will assume all maintenance of the additional land, which is primarily keeping the area mowed. At present, town resident Lattie Huntsman is paid $450 to mow the park from April to October. Funding for mowing the enlarged park was not included in the town’s 2005 budget, and will likely be covered through an additional appropriation next year, Southworth said.
As for how the property will be used, she added, “We just got this land, and the board hasn’t had time to form any plans. But it’s fun to think about.”[[In-content Ad]]
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