The Asbury's donation of land to the County for a park will never happen if the county commissioners have their way. Commissioner Hyde summed it up pretty well a couple weeks ago at a commissioners meeting when he said the county owns the property and will decide what happens to Asbury Park, and now it is fair property.

The Asbury's donated property for the kids of the community, the Asbury's had strawberry fields and many of the local kids spent many of a summer day picking strawberries to earn money. The Asbury's wanted to give back to the community and especially the kids. They wanted to sit on their porch and overlook the donated land where they could watch the kid's play ball in their later years. Unfortunately this dream will never happen Mr. Asbury passed away some time ago and Mrs. Asbury passed away this year in her 90's. She was still waiting for the park.

About 18 years ago there was money to build the park but the county commissioners held up the development and the grant money went away. A few years ago the baseball clubs, soccer clubs along with contractor's would donate time and machinery to develop the park, plus the athletic organizations had agreed to maintain the park and fields. Meaning there would be NO cost to the taxpayers.

What happened? The county commissioners once again put a stop to the development.

The donation from the Asbury's legal document stated that the property was to be for a park. And the fair could use a portion of the land during fair time. The county wanted the ground for the fair period. The commissioners had the county's lawyer try and pick apart the document to go the county's way and they found the Achilles heel in the document. One tiny word used that the county could use to circumvent the document. Even though the intent and interpretation of the document made it clear what the Asbury's wanted in the results to donate the land to the county.

How odd it is that the county commissioners use the word "intent" to suit their purposes whichever way it benefits them, but do not recognize the word "intent" when it is used by others.

Instead of honoring the Asbury's wishes and wonderful donation to the local children and doing everything possible to make a park and fields for the kids the greedy bastards have decided to do what they want and give the property to the fair.

I would not donate zilch to the county they do not appreciate what people give or donate and could care less about the citizens that live in the county. Rumor has been heard that the county will be putting in a year round motor home park on Asbury acres. I hope this is not true.

The park needs to be developed as playing fields as it was intended. I suggest that the people of the community, the parents, and grandparents of kids on local teams start attending the commissioners meetings every Wed. at 10 am and express their desire to have Asbury Acres developed as the wishes of the Asbury's. Not until the people make this issue a hot seat for the commissioners will Asbury Acres be built.

I believe the county accepted this donation under false pretenses and were deliberately deceitful to the Asbury family. I believe the county never had any intention of allowing playing fields to be built for the kids at Asbury Acres.
The county commissioners have no shame, all I can say is SHAME ON YOU COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.