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by Fritz Wenzel, Blade Political Writer
The Blade (Toledo, OH)
3-11-00
Toledo city councilman Ron Ludeman yesterday called for the Lucas County commissioners to become involved in the effort to transfer the Fallen Timbers battlefield from ownership by the city of Toledo to the Toledo Area Metropark District, which would preserve and cultivate the site as a national historic treasure.
He said the commissioners should be a part of the negotiations because development of the battlefield property as a tourist site will attract people who "are really going to spend a lot of money, and the county is going to benefit."
He said during a Government Center news conference that the county should help pay for the land. He contends the commissioners have ignored the issue, standing idly by while an opportunity to develop the land for tourism may pass.
"If they can't do more than two projects at one time, maybe they should step aside," he said of the commissioners, who are overseeing construction of a juvenile detention center and are immersed in plans to build a baseball stadium downtown.
Mr. Ludeman, a Republican, is challenging incumbent Democrat Bill Copeland for his seat on the county commission. The election is Nov. 7.
"I'm pleased that somebody is willing to step up to the plate locally," Marianne Britt Duvendack, president of the Fallen Timbers Battlefield Preservation Commission, said of Mr. Ludeman.
She said she fears the project is losing out in the competition for county money to a proposal to build a minor league baseball stadium downtown.
"This project is more important historically than a new baseball park. Economically, this is also important," Mrs. Duvendack said. "We have always been wondering why the county dollars aren't here."
The battlefield commission had requested money from the county, but the request was denied. "I can't believe that they are not willing to support this with their dollars. It's the right thing to do," Mrs. Duvendack said.
"I don't see how anyone can have any kind of negative talk about these county commissioners," Mr. Copeland said.
"We have done so many good things. All my concern is, I just want to work harder."
"This is just one request," Mr. Copeland said. "Look at the number of [financial] requests that we have participated in," he said, noting efforts to improve the county recreation center, to help pay for the new Jeep plant in North Toledo, and to help with the proposed Mud Hens stadium downtown.
At issue is a dispute over the value of the 185-acre battlefield site near the junction of I-475 and U.S. 24. A city appraisal has valued the land at $7.3 million, while two state appraisals have determined the value to be much lower, at between $3.6 million and $3.8 million.
Federal legislation passed late last year made the Fallen Timbers Battlefield a national historic site.
In the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, forces led by Gen. Anthony Wayne defeated an alliance of American Indian tribes. General Wayne's victory led to the treaty of Greenville and opened Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois for settlement.
The state of Ohio has pledged $2 million and the city of Maumee $500,000 toward the purchase of the land. The federal government could provide as much as $3.1 million for the project.
Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner reiterated yesterday that he will not part with the land "for anything less than the market value, the fair market value" of the property.
"For me to do anything less would be to betray the people of the city of Toledo," he said.
"Somebody right now is offering us $45,000 an acre for 10 acres" of Toledo-owned property near the battlefield site, the mayor added.
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