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County finalizing park lease
Florida man plans to sublease Pt. A Park campground
Published Monday, August 31, 2009
A deal to sublease Pt. A Park to a private contractor should be “finished this week,” commissioners were informed Monday by county attorney Julie Moody.
The agreement between the county and Thom Watson and Sweet Home Alabama Campground LLC would allow Watson to sublease the campground from the county and would require him to assume the operation and maintenance and the necessary costs of the campground.
Watson said during the commission meeting he had “many good ideas” for the campground and wanted to execute the agreement as soon as possible.
“I think this is going to be a good point for the county,” Watson said of the agreement. “First off, I’d have to pay lodging tax, which is additional revenue the county isn’t collecting now. I’ve got many good ideas, interesting ideas, for things out at the campground.”
Although a Florida resident, Watson said his late grandparents lived on Brooklyn Road, on property that still belongs to the family, and that he and his wife own property on Gantt Lake.
Neither commissioners nor Watson discussed any specifics of the contract; instead, commissioners gave Chairman Lynn Sasser the authorization to enter into the agreement. Moody said she is working with Watson’s attorney to complete that agreement.
In light of decreasing revenues, commissioners were given three options to cut expenditures at the end of 2008 — selling or leasing the U.S.D.A. building, the Covington Center Arena and Pt. A Park.
To date, one of those three options — leasing the Covington Center Arena — has helped save the county an estimated $200,000 in expenses associated with its operation and maintenance.
Subleasing the Pt. A Park, which is owned by PowerSouth but under the control of the county, could save the county $83,000 annually, according to budgeted figures.
In other business, the commission:
• Adopted compensatory time policy that requires all employees expend “comp time” before using vacation time, beginning Jan. 1, 2010.
• Approved a retail liquor license for The Store on Hamner Road.
• Set a public hearing for Nov. 9 to discuss vacating a portion of Cook Loop Road in District 4.
• Renewed the county’s agreement with RDS (formerly Alatax) to collect sales and use tax.
• Approved a resolution to participate in the Tiger Grant program, which could provide funding for bridge repair.
• Gave final approval for the River’s Edge subdivision.
Comments
Posted by bluecollarguy (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The current Point A Recreational Park was built nearly 30 years ago by County leaders, then Chairman William P. (Bill) Smith of the Covington County Commission. The land lease was donated for use to the Covington County Commission for local residents to enjoy low cost area 'recreation', fishing, boat launching, swimming, picnics, reunions, homecomings and such. Local county inmates (trustees) cleared the land with hand tools for the site, one was snake bitten during the work but recovered shortly within the week. County employees built the boat lauch and bathrooms and graded the landscape with county tractors and rakes. County employees and trustees built all the covered picnic shelters as well as the entire facility over the next few years and maintained it as well for the next several years and it was a very nice 'local' place to visit, swim or fish. The local Riverfalls Policeman M.D. Ganntt, and Shelby Anderson 'Wecolmed All who entered", and kept it safe for all to enjoy and to have a good time. County Park manager and overseerer Shelton Andrews kept the 'park' clean and manicured as any park in the state with the use of selected inmate labor and held a 'low cost' to the county in order for the Recreation Facility to succeed, and it did for many years. I just wanted to use this public space to 'applaud' those guys that made it possible for a generation to have had that facility so nice, for so long.
Posted by jturner7477 (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 10:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Are you talking about the campground or the rec area?
Posted by bluecollarguy (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you for your interest, I suppose the county is maybe leasing the 'entire' parcel, I do not know. But I do know that back then before the new bridge was built, the road was dirt and the 'old wooden bridge' was still in place and traveled frequently, the county aquired the parcel to the right of the 'old road' which was woods back then, cleared it with the 'low cost' I mentioned earlier and turned the wooded parcel into favorable 'waterfront lake property' and built the Recreational Property with many hundreds of feet of 'lakefront' property' that before then was unused. Meanwhile, a new paved road was put in and a new bridge, and later the 'campgounds' were added with the same type strategies and was successful for a long time. This gave the residents of the area 'lakefront' property and campgounds at minimal expense, even in today's times as waterfront property is at its premium even for lease. But remember, it all started back when the route was different than it is today, old road vs. new road. Thank you for your interest, I used to go there a lot when I was younger and loved to fish!
Posted by littleballer2009 (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
bluecollarguy....it was Shelton Andrews not Shelby Anderson
Posted by hdsd (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The idea to have county employees to use their comp time, ,prior to vacation is another step of failure of leadership with this group. With the shortage of employees now, and to add another burden to the Sheriff's Office and Jail is absurd. They are as it is having to cover when others are off when an emergency comes up and then to MADATE they take off, or loose the time is so sad. They make life harder for thier employees. Hopefully the wage and earnings board will make another stop. However sadly as well most need their jobs, and not until a complaint is made to them ,they probably will not be here. But again I guess let the Queen run the show.
Posted by ToldYouSo (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 7:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did I read that NO specifics of the contract has been discussed??? But yet, this enept group gave Sasser the authorization to enter into the agreement???? What is missing from this picture? I believe it's called "sanity".
Posted by andalusiainquirer (anonymous) on September 2, 2009 at 5:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A search under the name "Sweet Home Alabama Campground LLC" on the website for the Alabama Secretary of State did not show this group being in existence Nor was any thing found for Thom Watson.
I wonder if the countied leasew with AEC, now Powersouth, allows them to sublease to park to a profit making group
Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on September 3, 2009 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lol some people see a big conspiracy in everything.
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