Officials devise plan to lure campers to Cook Park

GREENE – Although Cook Park in Greene may be far from turning a profit, some Chenango County officials are taking steps they say could help stop the financial bleeding.

Park administrators are working closely with members of the county’s committee on agriculture, building and grounds to map out a preliminary five-year fiscal plan for Cook Park that will ease the burden on county taxpayers. The idea is to make small changes in the first year that will provide funds for bigger changes further down the road.

According to Smithville Supervisor Fred Heisler, the proposal is loosely based on “fuzzy math” but could ultimately lead to a more viable park.

“This is a moving parts budget,” Heisler told committee members during May’s monthly meeting. “What we are proposing is to find new ways of revenue and that you let us prove revenue each year before giving us any additional funding.”

Heisler said instead of investing in park improvements off the bat, it’s better that small steps be taken each year that earn a little more revenue. If changes can shorten the gap between expenses and revenue, then he said the park could become eligible for a larger budget the following year.

“We feel like we would have to earn additional funding,” he added. “Somewhere along the way, this committee will have to have some more input, and it will always be able to say ‘no.”

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The new proposal starts small, calling for a $1 increase in the daily use and camping fees in the first year, and a $2 increase in electric use. Park employees could also sell pre-packaged ice cream using a freezer donated to the park. Projections indicate this could generate $2,560 in additional revenue.

Pending financial gains from the first year, the second year would incorporate new water hookups for camp sites and the seasonal use fee would increase from $800 to $850. The third year would bring improvements to the park’s playground and roadways, another $100 increase in seasonal rates, and the addition of pull-thru sites. By the fourth year, hopes are to construct four rental cabins with a $20 per night charge and also conduct an engineering project that would allow swimming at the lake. Year five would see additional improvements to the playground, the well, and the campground bathhouse.