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City proposes weekly payments, higher fees for Camp Hornet to reduce subsidy
Summary
Officials proposed moving Camp Hornet to weekly registration with a new weekly fee structure (city residents $150/week; nonresidents $180/week) and weekly prepayment, saying last summer’s registrations brought in ~$52,923 while expenses totaled about $60,002.26, producing a shortfall staff aims to eliminate.
City staff proposed restructuring Camp Hornet’s registration and payment process to reduce the program’s reliance on city subsidy and better align revenue with expenses.
Kathy, who oversees the summer program, told the council the camp collected $52,923 in June–July 2024 registrations but incurred total expenses of about $60,002.26. She recommended switching to weekly registration and prepayment, allowing online credit‑card payments, and setting weekly rates at $150 for City of Hiram residents and $180 for nonresidents; a sibling rate is recorded in the transcript as "$1.25 per week." Kathy said weekly payments would let staff match weekly revenue to weekly expenses and reduce uncollected balances.
Council members asked how many campers are needed to break even; Kathy said there were 78 campers last year and that, accounting for uncollected registrations, the program came within a few thousand dollars of expenses. She said the camp has historically prioritized safety and staff‑to‑child ratios and that field‑trip costs (typically $7–$15 per child) may still be shared with parents depending on the trip.
Why it matters: The proposal aims to make the camp financially self‑sustaining by changing payment cadence and rates; if enrollment drops, the city could still subsidize operations but staff expect the new approach to improve revenue timing and reduce uncollected balances.
What happens next: The rate change and operational adjustments were listed on the consent calendar and will be considered at the regular meeting next week.
