Parks director presents $1.23 million lake budget, seeks modest mountain cuts and staffing help

Michael, the county parks director, outlined the parks department's proposed lake and mountain budgets at a Natrona County Board of Trustees meeting and reviewed revenue, capital requests and staffing needs.

The lake fund's revenues are estimated at about $1.23 million for the coming fiscal year, Michael said, reflecting fee increases the board approved previously and the large share of revenue that comes from lot rent, which is due May 19 and commonly produces carryover between fiscal years. "I'm estimating total revenue for this upcoming fiscal year is $1,223,000," he said, later summarizing the figure as roughly $1.23 million. He noted that camping revenue mostly arrives between June and Labor Day.

The budget proposal includes a 20% administrative allocation for county management, which Michael quantified as $244,677. He described that allocation as usable for peripheral lake expenses and possible matches for road projects worked on with Road and Bridge and federal grants. "I'm estimating that at 20% this year, $244,677," Michael said.

Michael presented proposed expense and capital items for the lake fund: increased staffing and training, electrical work at wells and lift stations to allow leased backup generators, an increased grounds/trash line to $77,000, a proposed $150,000 for Title 28 matching funds for Alcona Fields access work, and about $200,000 in capital equipment purchases including generator leasing. On generator costs he said staff were still gathering numbers and offered a rough estimate: "I believe it's 3 generator. I I wanna say 25,000, but my staff has those numbers." He said some purchases and leases remain under review and that he will request formal estimates before finalizing the budget.

Michael reported current fund balances based on March 31 figures he received from county staff: a water and sewer account balance of $112,280.64 and a lake restricted reserve fund balance of $750,250.13. He said those balances will grow after May 19, estimating approximately $868,000 added to the lake restricted fund and roughly $29,000 added to the sewer fund after lot rents and concession revenue are collected.

For the mountain budget, which comes from the general fund, Michael said he had already trimmed about 5% in response to the commissioners' request for cuts, largely by leaving an open supervisor position unfilled after a retirement. He listed proposed mountain capital items carried from prior years, including a previously authorized but unspent $350,000 allocation for a water-line replacement and a $100,000 allocation in the county's 1% projects line for a 40-by-60 cold storage building. He also flagged ongoing needs for a cabin water and septic study and the RFP process that must still be run for several projects.

Other mountain items discussed included smaller investments to complete the new lodge's kitchen (Michael said a commercial range would cost on the order of $1,500), timer controls to cut lighting costs in the lodge lobby, and surfacing and aggregate for a muddy lodge parking lot. Michael proposed a $35,000 line item to remove or trim trees and repair sidewalks in roughly a dozen locations in the trailer park area; he said work would be contracted because parks staff are not licensed arborists. On timing, he said work could only begin after formal budget approval in July and that heavy sidewalk/road work likely would start in the fall to avoid peak season disruption: "I need to wait until that budget's approved in July before I can spend those funds. So probably next fall..."

On staffing, Michael said current parks staffing totals seven full-time employees plus a caretaker position and a small number of seasonal staff (two seasonals on the mountain, one at the lake). He described pressure from retirements and said he would like an assistant manager or supervisor to provide on-site oversight and help with project management and RFPs. "I could double my staff at both locations, that'd be great," he said, but added he could prepare a staffing request and cost estimates for the board.

Trustees voiced broad support for keeping core services at a maintenance level while building flexibility for future changes. Trustee Laird and other trustees pressed for documentation of staffing needs so commissioners can consider positions and possible budget amendments later in the year. One trustee suggested the board might need to consider amending the budget in six months if priorities or professional input change.

Public comment focused on operational details tied to the lake fund. An unnamed resident walked the board through how water metering and billing work at the lake, describing a system in which individual meters serve the marina, ski club and boat club and the trailer park's master meter is billed after subtracting those sub-meters. The commenter explained how the trailer park divides the remaining master-meter usage across lots to compute per-lot water costs. The public also raised questions about trailer-sale timelines; Michael and trustees described a recent policy change: owners must sell or remove trailers by May 19 rather than automatically reverting lots to the first name on the lottery list. "Now, if the trailer doesn't sell the trailer owner has to remove the trailer from the lot after May 19, but the lot reverts to the county to determine best use," Michael said, noting that change was approved by the director and the county commissioners.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the minutes of the April 2 meeting by voice vote after a trustee moved and another seconded the motion; the clerk recorded the motion as carried unanimously.

What happens next: Michael said he will refine estimates, solicit RFPs for the cabin water/septic study and other projects, and return revised figures before the formal budget submission in July. Trustees asked Michael to provide written staffing requests and cost estimates so the commissioners can evaluate potential hires or budget amendments.

The presentation and public comments made clear the lake fund largely self-supports lake operations through lot rents and concessions while the mountain budget depends on the general fund; both funds face capital and staffing pressures that trustees said they will weigh before final approval.