Nicky Boyette – At the April 19 Parks Commission meeting, Director Justin Huss presented a list of items he said needed immediate attention at Lake Leatherwood City Park. He convinced commissioners the need for new rental boats was urgent, and they voted to allow him to spend up to $13,075 to replace equipment at the marina. However, commissioners wanted a clearer projection of expected revenues and more specific cost analysis of the other projects.
At the June 21 meeting, Huss delivered his five-year Capital Improvement Plan along with a 17-page addendum with details for 49 projects he identified for LLCP. Huss divided the projects into three tiers of priority with 13 items in the Main Priority list. He mentioned he used previous plans for LLCP as well as public input to develop the list.
Chair Bill Featherstone said Parks might still receive as much as $400,000 from the 1/8-cent sales-and-use tax dedicated to LLCP, which ends September 2017. He called items on the list a “good mix of necessities and electives.”
Huss budgeted $30,000 for a contingency fund and $20,000 for a maintenance fund. His Main Priority list includes new septic system, Wi-Fi and a reservation system, a kiosk in the day-use area, main road signage, repair of the cooking pavilion, improvements to concessions, toilets and trail rest areas, and cabin renovations, additional camping sites, additional enhanced camping sites, bike repair/air stations, bike huts and yurts. Huss estimated these items would cost $255,700.
He also envisions the improvements will attract more visitors, which will generate more income. He said the new fleet has already been a big hit with visitors. Revenue from rental of new boats recently out-paced cabin rentals.
Commissioner Barry Reed moved to approve the CIP and to approve the first 13 projects listed under Main Priorities, and give Huss authority to implement those items in the order he sees fit given needs and cash flow. Vote to approve his motion was unanimous.
Commissioner Steven Foster suggested the CIP be posted on the Parks website, and Reed added it should also be available at city hall and the library.
Other items
- Commissioners voted to authorize Huss to negotiate a deal with Fat Tire Festival organizers so there can be a beer tent at the event and Parks would get a cut of the proceeds. The event will be July 15-17.
- Huss announced revenue at LLCP is ahead of last year’s numbers, and he has yet to implement many of the projects at LLCP designed to move the park toward being self-sustaining. “We are seeing what kind of revenue a little fine-tuning can provide, and I am confident we will see major returns on these expenditures,” he said.
Next workshop will be Tuesday, July 12, at 6 p.m., at Harmon Park. This is one week later than the usual workshop date. The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, July19, at 6 p.m.
Fat Tire beer at a Fat Tire race? Makes sense until you remember the death of a rider in 2014. Adding alcohol to the mix is a recipie for disaster. If the city gets part of the profits, you also get part of the liability. Stupidity on so many levels…