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Madison parks report spring revenue bump; campground opens and pool concessions planned
Summary
At a Madison City Parks Board meeting staff reported the first January installment of the local "fab" tax and strong early-season revenue: Crystal Beach campground YTD income $88,701 and $16,000 winter pool revenue; staff announced campground opening, Dippin' Dots concessions and plans to fill the pool soon.
The Madison City Parks Board heard updates on seasonal operations and early revenue during its regular meeting, with staff reporting a first installment of the local "fab" tax and higher-than-expected program income.
Tanya Burnett, who read the operations report, said the board received the first installment of the town's so-called "fab" tax for January, noting, "That 26,000 there is for January." She added February and March payments had not yet arrived and staff were estimating a longer-term monthly contribution.
Burnett also reported Crystal Beach campground had opened for the season with a 10 percent April promotion and a year-to-date campground income of $88,701. She highlighted winter revenue for pool-related programs, saying Crystal had already brought in "$16,000 already in the first 3 months of the year through the winter. That's phenomenal for a pool to have income coming in in the winter months when the pool's not even open."
Staff said lifeguard staffing is complete and the pool will be filled in the coming weeks. Burnett announced a concession plan to offer Dippin' Dots at the pool and sign placement on Vaughn Drive to draw visitors, noting, "Nobody else in Madison has Dippin' Dots."
The board discussed operational details including vendor and food-truck registration; staff said food trucks must register for food-and-beverage tax and the department would coordinate with finance to ensure compliance.
Roger Gallatin, who reported on Sunrise Golf Course, told the board March rounds and revenue exceeded targets and that online booking was bringing new out-of-town players. He summarized the month this way: "So that brings my total March number, above target by 5,064." Gallatin added the course is managing a staffing strain from early-season warm days and is monitoring season-pass and booking trends.
Why it matters: early-season revenues and the first "fab" tax installment provide operations funding for camps, pools and athletic programs; staff said those revenues help cover seasonal staffing and maintenance as the parks prepare for summer programming.
The board asked staff to continue tracking the monthly tax receipts and event revenue and to follow up with a more detailed comparison to prior-year records (some historical records were not available after a staff transition). The board's next meeting is scheduled for May 6 at 4:00 p.m.
