Grassroots, a local organization, had lined up three people to participate in a June 28 discussion. Members of the group said Grassroots is not taking sides on the issue. It just wanted to inspire public debate.

Slated to participate were Doug Kilgore, York County vice president commissioner; Jackie Kramer, executive director of the Farm and Natural Lands Trust; and Steve Snell, executive officer of the Realtors Association of York & Adams Counties.

"We're not going to be able to do it," Kramer said.

The county's legal counsel advised park supporters Kilgore and Kramer not to participate in the discussion for two reasons, Kramer said.

One is the ongoing court case over the condemnation of a 79-acre parcel known as Highpoint. The other is the ongoing negotiations with the Kohr family over Lauxmont Farms.

If talks fail with the Kohr family, the county would consider using eminent domain to acquire the land, President Commissioner Lori Mitrick has said.

Ron Kohr said he wanted to be on the panel, too, after reading about the discussion in the newspaper. He asked a Grassroots member if he could participate and was waiting for confirmation.

If there is going to be a discussion on the proposed park, "it should include our family," Kohr said.

Snell said he wasn't surprised by the supporters' decision to back out. The county had canceled a meeting in the spring with the Realtors association because it involved discussion about the use of eminent domain to take land for a proposed park.

There just hasn't been good dialogue on the use of eminent domain, Snell said.

"It seems to me the discussion should have been beforehand," he said.

Park supporters will continue to present a slide show on the park proposal. They have one presentation Wednesday for the York County Chamber of Commerce Economics Club Breakfast and another July 20 for the Rotary Club of York.

It would be inappropriate, though, for park supporters to engage in a public discussion or debate on eminent domain, Mitrick said.

Elizabeth Marshall, a member of Grassroots' advisory committee, said she will contact fellow members of her group about the supporters' backing out. It's not clear if the discussion will still take place.

"We'll have a response to it as soon as we all get together," she said.

Grassroots advisory committee member Linda Seligson was disappointed the park supporters withdrew from the debate.

"It's our tax dollars. We should know all sides of the issue," she said.

Reach Teresa Ann Boeckel at 771-2031 or teresa@ydr.com.