MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - On August 5th, residents will have the chance to vote on whether or not approve a millage renewal increase that would help improve the 30 parks in Meridian Township.

Meridian Township officials say the Township takes pride on the up keeping of the 900 plus acres of parks, but due to limited funds, various projects are at a stand still for further development.

“It's really just a quality of life request here in the Township. Which really helps improve the overall livability of our community. It makes more folks interested in living here,” said LuAnn Maisner, Meridian Township's Director of Parks and Recreation.

The increased millage renewal would help with park improvements, renovations special projects, maintenance and operations.

Residents like James Beuthien said he uses the parks on a daily basis.

"We love the parks in Meridian Township, we use them all the time, they're wonderful and I couldn't imagine not having them. It's a big part of the community,” Beuthien said.

But as most people know, things worthwhile usually don’t’ come free. If the increased Meridian park millage renewal is approved on August 5th, residents can expect to be paying an increasing toll.

And even though the funds will go into improving the community, some residents like Bruce Little do not agree with the increasing taxes.

"Township's are just supposed to provide basic services to their residents and Meridian Township has grown way beyond that,” Little said. “If they can't maintain what they have, they certainly shouldn't get more.”

But others disagree.

“Keeping and maintaining them is far less expensive and a lot less taxing on the community than trying to create a new one,” Beuthien said.

"They keep expanding beyond their ability," Little said.

"I think people often times decide they don't want to pay for things and they miss them when they're gone and they can't get them back. It's easy to give up something like a park, it's very hard to acquire one and to get it even into the condition that they are now,” Beuthien said.