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Last Updated: Feb 1st, 2010 - 14:41:41 |
When Scott Doescher, Wayne County Conservation, arrived at the supervisors’ meeting Jan. 25, he did a double take when he saw seven visitors there. They are all campers and they wanted to know what the status of the county parks is and whether there will be camping in the parks this year.
Dusti Relph attended the meeting and she said it would be sad if the parks were to close and they had to leave town to go camping.
“The communities benefit from the campers shopping for supplies,” she said.
Doescher said camping fees at the parks with shower houses are $15 per night. The others are $10. “Camping should be affordable for everyone,” he said.
Doescher told them he plans to visit all the city councils to talk management agreements. The earliest management agreement was between Corydon and Wayne County Conservation. It expires in 2011. He said he knows the cities don’t want the management of the parks.
Doescher said the reality of camping receipts is there weren’t any good records kept before last spring when he came. “It’s just a reality. We don’t have any money,” he said. “It is what it is.”
However, if it is a good spring and early summer camping season, camp fees could be $30,000-$40,000 for the fiscal year.
With the $102,000 the county allotted Conservation, Doescher says he can only pay salaries, insurance and IPERS. Doescher is paid $29,000, Kenny Banks $25,000 and Jodi Ahrenkiel $20,000.
In the new budget, he says he protected Banks and Ahrenkiel. It was suggested maybe his employees could go part time. “That’s people’s lives you’re messing with,” he said as he vetoed that idea.
If they quit the mowing they do routinely, Doescher says vandalism will go up. It was asked if a camper can bring a mower and trim their own area and the answer is no because of liability.
He said, “Humeston Lakeside Park has the fastest growing grass I’ve ever seen.” He isn’t sure if it is the quality of the dirt beneath the grass or if it is full of fertilizer.
Auditor Sue Ruble left the room and brought back the current budget to see what money Conservation has left. Doescher has $18,000 in administration and $19,000 in maintenance and operations.
Ruble explained to the group the county supervisors decide the amount of the allocation to each department. “There’s been a misunderstanding,” she said. “Conservation camping fees that come to the general fund ultimately go back in support for conservation.”
A visitor remarked there was “a lot of free camping going on before Scott came” and Supervisor Charlie Horton replied, “We can’t change what’s already happened.”
Ruble said one way to cut costs is for employees to drive their own vehicles and buy their own clothes. She said the supervisors never charge mileage to the county for the meetings they attend.
She also told them Bob White was a “stand alone” park originally and was supposed to support itself without county help.
Costs contributing to Wayne County’s budget shortfall include election costs of $50,000 and special election costs of $20,000.
Budget cuts hit secondary roads between $60,000 and $70,000 and Homemaker Home Health Aides took a $30,000 cut. In addition, the homestead credits are shrinking.
Doescher said he took a $6,000 pay cut himself to come to Wayne County.
One possible untapped income is to rent out the farm ground at Medicine Creek Wetlands. He says that land would be productive. The only drawback is getting permission to cross private land to get to Medicine Creek’s cropland.
Yeager resigns
Bill Yeager, Wayne County Emergency Management Coordinator and Environment Health Representative, has resigned from his position effective at the end of the fiscal year.
Ruble said a couple of people have inquired about the job.
Other business
Board members:
• discussed insurance renewal at the county farm. In Jerry O’Dell’s absence, Horton and Don Greenlee agreed they should tour the farm and look the buildings over before renewing.
Horton brought up the subject of selling the farm and getting the land back on the tax roles. No decision was made.
• costs for cell phones and uniforms were discussed.
© Copyright 2005 Corydon Times
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