BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
On Jan. 27, 2025, the Union County Board of Commissioners held a special workshop to discuss the current problems and issues with the Union County Recreation Department.
About 20 county residents attended the meeting, and, while none chose to speak during the scheduled public comment portion of the meeting Board Chair Channing Dobbs commented that he and the other board members were pleased to see residents in attendance and hoped they would participate in the meeting by expressing their ideas and views about the matters being discussed.
The workshop began with a discussion about the Recreation Board. Commissioner Donna Jackson commented about the change made to the Recreation Board’s by-laws concerning member terms at the BOCC regular December meeting. According to the by-laws (as amended), the Recreation Board is to be comprised of five volunteers, all Union County residents. All five serve without compensation and are all voting members. The new by-laws about terms of service state that each member be appointed by the board of county commissioners for two-year terms with the option of being reappointed for additional terms.
Union County Coordinator Jimmy Williams commented that he felt the recreation board needed more members, specifically one volunteer from each of the organizations that use county recreation facilities – including the Babe Ruth organization, the Pop Warner organization, soccer, and Union County Middle School athletics. Recreation Board Member Malory Southwell added that East Butler Athletics had recently submitted their insurance information to be allowed to use the facilities. They would be offering various programs, including track, cheer camp, and flag football, throughout the year. That organization was added to the list of providing a representative to the rec board.
Overdue electric bill
During this discussion the matter of an overdue electric bill for the recreation department came up for discussion. The bill owed was for two months and the power was within a day of being disconnected. Southwell told the commission members that the recreation department usually paid the bill but, that for the last two months they had not had access to the departments post office box and did not have the ability to write checks due to the resignation of the treasurer Chelsea Dukes.
According to Southwell, Dukes had turned in the department’s papers, checkbook and keys to the clerk’s office. The checks required two signatures, one of which was Dukes’ and the other Southwell’s. She also noted that none of the remaining board members was interested in assuming the responsibility of Treasurer.
Asst. County Finance Director Pam Woodington said she could pay the bill the next day but needed board approval to do so as the recreation department normally paid for the electric service out of its account using funds allotted them by the county each year.
General board consent was unanimously given for the bill to be paid the next morning and the discussion moved towards who should be paying the bill regularly. Jackson said she saw no reason why the county could retain the funds usually given to the recreation board to pay for electric service and pay the bill through the finance departments as was done for expenses for the other county parks. This matter is set to be discussed further at the February meeting of the board of county commissioners.
Facilities rentals
Still discussing recreation, Commissioner Melissa McNeal asked if the O.J. Phillips Park was still allowing rentals. Jackson responded, saying that if the county was going to provide facilities that it needed to be compensated for it, noting that the condition of these facilities must be protected to preserve them for county residents.
Commissioner Mack Johns spoke out against rentals, allowing them only under special circumstances with board approval. Dobbs commented that he would like to see things happen that would generate revenue to help compensate the county for the expenses involved with the operation of the recreation department.
Johns responded with information concerning the recent tournament held at rec department ballfields – the subject of which had caused several heated discussions at a previous meeting as the board had approved for the tournament to be held, providing the county with a $2,500 few for usage of the facilities.
“The county did not make $2,500 on the tournament, it lost money due to damages to the facilities as a result of the tournament,” Johns said. He went on to list these damages – the pitcher’s mound on a softball field was damaged due to the removal of a rubber mat installed on it, damage to the septic tank due to cars parking on top of it and also the consideration of the extra work created for the volunteers.
“In my opinion, the park is full and not available for rent,” Johns said.
The board agreed to discuss the matter further at a later date, mentioning the possibility of charging an upfront deposit for possible damages to park facilities.
Commissioner Willie Croft commented at the close of the meeting that he had never seen such drama concerning recreation.
“It all used to run smoothly, and now it’s the same problem over and over again,” Croft said.
