MANSFIELD — The fees at Clearfork Campgrounds may increase, but probably not as much as originally proposed.
The Mansfield Parks Committee met last week and discussed a new proposal that sets the seasonal camping rate at $1,900. The proposed fees for winter storage and dock rental are $150 and $340, respectively.
This is less than the original proposal that council tabled at its last meeting, which had the seasonal camping rate at $2,200, winter storage at $160, and floating dock charge at $380.
Since 2006, campers have been charged $1,000 per season. Charges for winter storage and boating dock rental have been $75 and $175, respectively.
City council is considering increasing the fees to allow the city to break even on the cost of operating the campgrounds and to pay for electrical and well upgrades totaling $210,085.
Fourth Ward Councilman Butch Jefferson, who chairs the parks committee, believes the new numbers are fair.
In speaking with the finance department, Jefferson said the new rate would give the city a surplus of approximately $43,000, with about $88,000 in projected revenue and $44,000 in expenses. In 2016, revenue was about $53,000 and expenses were 44,000, leaving just a little over $8,000 in the black.
“That’s a big jump,” he said.
The new rate is based on a 15-year payback at a four percent interest rate, whereas figures in the original proposal were based on a 10-year payback period.
The Clearfork Campgrounds season runs from April to Nov. 1. If the new proposal were to pass, campers would be notified of the rate increase and asked to submit their deposits by April 1, Mayor Tim Theaker said. Traditionally payment is taken in the fall preceding the next season.
Theaker said it’s likely the well and electrical upgrades will be completed in 2018 or 2019, with the well being a higher priority.
“I think we’d probably do the well definitely this year, and that’s more of a higher priority than electricity because if the well goes out, then, we are up a creek,” he said.
Councilman-at-large Cliff Mears again shared his opinion that the campgrounds should be privatized.
“For every year that the city has managed it, we’ve lost money,” he said. “For every year we had a professional contractor manage it, we’ve made money.”
If the city ups the rates, he said, “We’re borrowing money and we have to pay it back at taxpayer expense.”
He thinks it would be wise to talk with potential contractors, noting privatization doesn’t have to be permanent.
Public works interim director and water treatment plant manager Angelo Klousiadis said the docks make money.
“Anyone who will want to privatize it will want the docks,” he said. “It’s a cash cow. I mean, that’s what makes the money, and they won’t want the campground…. To privatize, I don’t see how the city gains money that way.”
The Clearfork Campgrounds were privatized prior to 1997.
“When the individual that had the campgrounds and the docks left, we had to do a lot of renovation and a lot of work to get the campgrounds and the docks back to a condition that the city was able to operate it,” Theaker said at a previous meeting.
If privatized again, the city would still own the land.
“There’s no way that we could sell the land to anybody because it’s part of the Clear Fork Reservoir,” Theaker said.
One concern is protecting the reservoir, which consists of 3.5 billions of water, from any contaminates.
“It’s our water reservoir,” Klousiadis said. “That’s the important thing to remember.”
Jefferson said he’s not in favor of privatizing, but he said the idea of privatization isn’t off the table.
“If we don’t do well this year, we’ll bring it back next year and look at it because we’re not in the business of losing money,” he said.
Jefferson also shared that he would like to see some amendments to the campground policy, specifically as it relates to campers making permanent structures at the campgrounds.
“Some of these people seem to be making it a permanent place, so to speak, like permanent summer home, like putting wood structures up over their campers,” he said.
He believes any coverage needs to be temporary. “Something you can put up when you come in at the beginning of the year and take down at the end of the year,” he said.
Campers want a voice in future of Clearfork Campgrounds – Sept. 5, 2017
Mayor presents options regarding fate of Clearfork Campgrounds – Oct. 16, 2017
Mansfield Council to deliberate possible fee increases at Clearfork Campgrounds – Nov. 6, 2017
Mansfield parks committee may raise fees at Clearfork Campground – Nov. 24, 2017
Clearfork Campgrounds legislation tabled – Dec. 20, 2017
