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Hendry County discusses East Recreation MSBU alternatives; commissioners debate Montura exception and YMCA subsidy
Summary
County staff presented four rate alternatives for the East Recreation MSBU and discussed use of a US Sugar donation to subsidize YMCA summer-camp fees; commissioners debated whether to keep Montura’s lower rate or raise it modestly and proposed not-to-exceed figures for the budget process.
County staff and commissioners debated alternatives for the East Recreation MSBU at a Hendry County budget workshop on June 10, reviewing four possible rate structures and clarifying how a longstanding US Sugar donation is applied to summer-camp subsidies.
County Administrator Jennifer Davis and recreation staff outlined four alternatives ranging from a geographically tiered per-unit approach to a single uniform rate. Davis explained the base calculation and said, “This is the only MSBU that we were recommending an increase.” She identified a $150,000 interlocal payment to the City of Clewiston and noted the MSBU includes about 5,043 units.
Why it matters: The chosen structure will determine how much property owners pay and whether communities such as Montura, Harlem and Hooker’s Point pay the same per-parcel assessment. Commissioners discussed fairness when some areas have more parks and facilities than others and questioned whether residents outside townships use those facilities frequently enough to justify equal rates.
Key details: Staff outlined four alternatives: (1) location-based rates that vary by subarea, (2) a single uniform rate for all units, (3) a near-uniform rate with Montura set at a lower base, and (4) an approach that sets a base for Montura and spreads remaining costs across others. The single uniform rate option was shown as about $151.10 per unit; alternative formulas produced variations and trade-offs.
Commissioners also clarified how East Rec uses a US Sugar donation: the donation offsets costs for families with multiple children and subsidizes some summer-camp fees; staff described the amount applied for the YMCA as modest and handled separately from the MSBU rate calculation. Staff and commissioners noted Montura currently pays $40 and has historically operated its own recreation; some commissioners argued Montura should continue to have a reduced charge, others urged modest increases so Montura “has skin in the game.”
What was not decided: The board did not adopt a final rate tonight. Commissioners discussed an interim not-to-exceed formula—several favored setting a not-to-exceed rate and then lowering it before final adoption. One compromise discussed late in the session: Harlem at $151 (not to exceed), everyone else at $120 (or $129 in some calculations), and Montura at $45.32 (or rounded to $45) as a starting point for final negotiations. That was discussion-level direction, not a formal vote.
Next steps: Staff will incorporate commissioners’ feedback and return with final language and ballots for the formal rate-setting vote during the scheduled board meeting. Commissioners also requested records of program usage and a clearer East Rec advisory structure tied to the interlocal agreement so the county can better match expenditures to users.
