Conservation outlines future projects

Now that the Central Park Lake Restoration project is complete, Jones County Conservation has plenty left on its plate. 

Conservation Director Brad Mormann and Conservation Board members Dave Tabor and Dean Zimmerman met with the Jones County Supervisors during their Jan. 21 meeting, presenting their Fiscal Year ’21 budget. 

Mormann informed the supervisors that the JCCB is considering increasing the camping fees at Central Park in an effort to increase revenues. The increased revenues would be used to start saving for improvements to the campground in the near future. 

Right now, primitive camping is $10; 30 amp with electricity is $14; 50 amp with electric, water and wi-fi is $16; and 30 amp with electric, water, wi-fi, and sewer is $18. JCCB is proposing $12, $18, $20, and $18, with the hopes of saving $17,163 annually. 

“It can be expensive,” Mormann warned of campground improvements, with a $2 million estimate. “It’s time to save up.” 

Mormann said the proposed new rates were based on other campgrounds in the area and throughout the state. 

“Our rates were on the lower side,” he said. “We can raise them and still be comfortable.” 

“We don’t change our rates very often,” added Tabor. 

Mormann said there are grants available for such projects. The funds could be used for planning and engineering. 

Mormann said some of the biggest complaints they get about the campground are the lack of electricity able to handle campers with two air conditioning units. 

“Unfortunately, that’s the infrastructure we have at this point,” he said. 

In addition to electric improvements, Mormann said they’d also like to increase capacity for more campers. 

“It’s definitely in high use at the park. We have people coming and going all the time.” 

Conservation also has some purchase needs for the near future, including: new furniture of the cabins, new office furniture, and new concrete flooring in their small shop at the park. 

Mormann said they also want to increase seasonal staff hours so they don’t have one person working on a project alone. 

Conservation is also asking the county to contribute $20,000 toward their capital projects fund, with $40,000 in the fund right now. Mormann asked that the supervisors consider allowing them to rollover the funds from year to year rather than spend it all before the next fiscal year. 

“We can use it toward a bigger project in the next fiscal year,” he said of the efficient use. “We can use it if we don’t get grant money. There are plenty of things we can use it for.” 

The JCCB is requesting to increase the salaries for all full-time office staff. Mormann presented salary comparisons with the board of supervisors reflective of the current conservation staff. 

“We’re requesting a 5 percent increase in our operating budget and salaries,” added Mormann. 

Tabor thanked the supervisors for their support of the new cold-storage shop at the park, as well as the hiring of the Natural Resource Manager, and with the lake restoration project. 

“People really enjoy it,” he said of the park’s improvements. 

Mormann said the county’s collaboration with conservation is a great example of how both can work together for the betterment of Jones County as a whole. “We really worked together as a team on a really great project,” he said.