KALAMAZOO, MI -- An advisory commission is considering whether an energy company should survey for oil in a public park.

During a Thursday, Feb. 1 meeting, the Kalamazoo County Parks and Recreation Commission voted 7-2 to continue discussing a request from Wolverine Oil and Gas Corp. to look for subterranean oil reserves in Scotts Mill Park. The idea has since drawn harsh criticism from environmentalists and county officials.

Parks Director David Rachowicz said these concerns have been intensified by misinformation spread through social media. Any recommendation from the parks commission would require an agreement to be drafted, then approved by the Board of Commissioners.

"We listened to a company that came to a parks commission meeting and basically shared what their request is; that's where we're at right now," Rachowicz said. "There has been absolutely no decision made."

In January, the parks commission decided it wouldn't consider allowing Wolverine to drill for any oil discovered. Minutes from the meeting show commissioners voted 4-4 on consideration of an oil and gas lease.

The Grand Rapids-based company came back in February to ask if it could perform seismic surveys on park property to complete data being collected on a six-mile line in Pavilion Township.

Wolverine Gas & Oil has been granted no permission to use or be on county park property.

The role of the commission is to fully vet Wolverine's request to survey, Rachowicz said. That hasn't happened yet.

"It's not as simple as saying 'yes we want to do it' or 'no we don't want to do it,'" Rachowicz said. "Our role is to understand state law, environmental issues and due what is in the best interest of Kalamazoo County and the parks department."

The process could also include public hearings, notification of neighbors and discussions with local jurisdictions.

"Wolverine has no permission to be on our property; they have no permission to do any testing on our property," he said. "There's lots of pieces that have to fall into place before there is an agreement to consider."

County Commissioner Kevin Wordelman plans to raise the issue at a Tuesday, Feb. 6 board meeting at 7 p.m.

Wordelman is also a liaison to the parks commission. In a post to his campaign committee's Facebook page after the Feb. 1 vote, Wordelman said he opposes any drilling, surveying or other activities that promote the extraction of fossil fuels from county property.

"Global climate change is not a myth, nor is it a far off distant concern," the post read. "Reducing both the supply and demand for fossil fuels is the only way to slow the damage we are causing to our planet."

On social media, Chairwoman Stephanie Moore and Commissioner Julie Rogers, both Democrats, voiced their opposition to an agreement with Wolverine.

Meanwhile, activists are preparing to attend the Feb. 6 county board meeting to encourage public participation and prevent the possibility of drilling. Organize West Michigan and ProKzoo invited more than 175 people to attend through Facebook.

In an email to MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette, Drain Commissioner Pat Crowley said she can't understand why anyone would be alarmed by the decision to consider seismic surveys.

She also said there are financial benefits to drilling. In January, she argued that the money could be put toward parks improvements.

If the surveys are approved, two methods would be used to generate waves that are bounced off underground rock formations and recorded with sensors. The data is analyzed to glean information about rock types and possible gases or fluids in rock formations.

Small explosive charges would be detonated in several 6-foot-deep holes. At other locations, a truck with a specialized plate would vibrate to create seismic waves.

Rachowicz said there is no data on how much oil could be present in Scotts Mill Park, though Wolverine has been conducting seismic tests in the area for years.

"I would tell the public to have faith in their county parks department and county commission," Rachowicz. "We're going to do the best for the parks system and the people who live in Kalamazoo County."

During a January parks commission meeting, Wolverine expressed interest in signing a 3-year agreement to extract oil from the 110-acre park, located near Scotts.

Under a proposal presented by a Wolverine representative, if oil is found the county would be given $150 per acre, $16,500 total, and 1/6th of royalties.

Commissioners agreed not to pursue an oil lease with Wolverine.

Private property owners have active oil wells in parts of Kalamazoo County.

This is the first time a company has approached the county with proposals to survey or drill, to Rachowicz's knowledge.

Scotts Mill County Park was acquired by the county and opened to the public in 1976.

It features a historic 1870s water-powered mill, trails, fishing, a picnic space, and boasts one of the best outdoor wedding spots in the area, according to its Kalamazoo County webpage.