Prairie Creek users press Muncie parks board on docks, electricity and security; financing proposal pending

Campers and residents urged the Muncie Park and Recreation Board on Jan. 21 to move faster on replacing wooden piers with floating docks, to pursue metered electricity at Prairie Creek and to strengthen security after a season of thefts.

The concerns came during an extended Prairie Creek discussion led by Superintendent Carl Malott and park staff. Board members and speakers described a financing proposal for floating docks prepared by Jeff Huff of the bank who has been working with city staff, but they said the board had not yet approved any financing plan.

Why it matters: Prairie Creek generates substantial revenue from campsite and slip fees and is the portion of the park system that users said most needs capital investment and improved safety. Campers told the board that unequal electrical service across sites and limited security are driving dissatisfaction and could affect future demand.

Campground users described uneven power at individual sites and said they would prefer to pay for their own electricity if infrastructure allowed separate metering. Christie, a permanent camper and slip holder, said many campsites lack reliable amperage and that only three sites had 50-amp service: "If you want to raise the rates, I think that this is going to become an issue. You're not going to have a lottery when people can't even put a new camper out there and run two air conditioners."

Local bank representative Jeff Huff has prepared draft financing documents to fund the floating docks and is expected to present details to the board; Superintendent Malott said he will arrange for the finance representative to brief members and for materials to be shared in advance so board members can review them before a formal vote. Malott said he had been told the number of docks under consideration was in the range of "150 to 200," and that earlier cost estimates to individually meter every campsite had been roughly "a million to a million and a half" dollars.

Security was a second major theme. Multiple speakers and board members discussed options ranging from hiring a private firm to paying City of Muncie officers to provide regular patrols at Prairie Creek during high-risk hours. Board member comments and staff reports noted past expenditures set aside for security: an amount of money was earmarked in prior budgets for security and patrols, and staff reported spending significantly less than the original allocation last year while also exceeding part-time labor lines to provide additional on-site presence.

Mike Foster, a resident and volunteer with construction experience, urged the board to form a steering committee to pursue grants, utility company partnerships, and other outside funding, and volunteered to serve: "We could be looking at other than saying what you guys are challenged with all the time. It is a huge cost," he said, and added, "I'm willing to volunteer to sit on boards like this so we can address that."

Board members and staff said they plan to gather more input from campers and slip holders through the board's five-year plan survey or a separate Prairie Creek survey to quantify interest in amenities such as metered electricity and security. Staff also noted that some residents and user groups have said they would pay for extra services, including security and upgraded utility service.

No formal action was taken at the meeting to obligate city funds or to approve financing. Staff described next steps including (1) circulating the bank's materials to board members in advance of a future meeting, (2) following up with the mayor's office and city finance staff, and (3) preparing a Prairie Creek-specific survey and a scope of work for any upgrades that would be brought back to the board for review.

The board and campground stakeholders agreed to continue discussions at upcoming meetings and to assemble more detailed cost estimates and grant-search results before the board considers any binding financing or budget appropriation.