Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County youth-bureau inventory finds gaps in recreation access; recommends coordinated funding and centralized calendar
Summary
Lewis County Youth Bureau reported that many municipalities and schools run summer programs, but respondents identified gaps in transportation, program variety and stable funding; the bureau recommended county funding support, business sponsorships and a county recreation committee and community calendar.
Caitlin Lawler, director of the Lewis County Youth Bureau, presented a countywide inventory of youth recreation and summer programming and summarized survey responses from schools, libraries and municipalities.
Lawler said county demographics show 6,114 youth under 18 in 2024, with 2,793 aged 5–12 — about 46% of youth in the age range typically served by summer recreation programs. She said the team sent 45 surveys to schools, libraries, towns and villages and received 32 responses, finding that all school districts provide some summer programming (academic or recreation) and many libraries offer summer reading and activities.
Lawler described recurring gaps noted by respondents: transportation to programs, program cost and stable recurring funding, limited non-sport program options (arts, cooking, e-sports), limited independent play spaces in some communities, and accommodation for youth with special needs. She said the village of Carthage partners with a private vendor (Double Play) to run a six-week program and budgeted for 257 attendees in 2024; the 2025 program instituted a cap of 175 with out-of-area attendees charged a higher fee.
Lawler presented potential administrative and funding approaches: county funds to supplement school programs and a youth-bureau-managed scholarship fund; better coordination of summer-youth-employment participants into local recreation programs; sponsorship and in-kind support from local businesses and nonprofits (for example, donated lunches/snacks); and a countywide recreation committee to coordinate offerings. She said 79% of survey respondents indicated willingness to serve on a county recreation committee.
Lawler and an assistant noted immediate opportunities: partnering with Public Health to surface maps of county parks and playgrounds and creating a centralized events/calendar hub to make program information easier to find. The Youth Bureau recommended prioritizing program accessibility, transportation solutions, and efforts to sustain stable, repeatable funding sources.
Ending: Lawler asked the committee to consider whether the board wants to support recreation through funding, coordination, or other county-level measures; staff suggested drafting options for further consideration.
