Implementing A County-Wide Park Fee
An alternative to cutting expenses or raising taxes
By Jamie Ludovic, Deb Sielski, and Eric Hyde
Photos: Images: Courtesy Of Washington County
From 2015 to 2018, the Washington County (Wis.) park and trail system budget, that supports roughly 1,000 acres, was reduced by more than $365,000, or 30 percent. As operating costs for the parks’ maintenance continue to rise, park fees offer an alternative to cutting expenses or raising taxes. Current annual fees per vehicle for park goers are set at $30 for a resident, $40 for a non-resident, $20 for a senior, and $5 for a daily pass. In 2018 (the first year of fees), the park and trail system netted $125,000 in new revenue. As a result of this initiative and the use of other revenues, the budget will increase in 2019, marking the first real accrual in more than five years.
For communities considering the use of fees to support their operation, here is some advice:
1. Empower your champions. It is important that you recognize the interests of your audience and are ready to address them. Stay on-point and remain confident in the beneficial purpose of the fee project.
2. Provide opportunities for public input. Park fees are unpopular, but the process matters. Engaging the public allows you to talk about why fees are necessary, demonstrate how the money will be used, and link the fee to the goals of the park system.
It’s also important to ask the public for the right input. The park began presentations and public surveys with an explanation of the circumstances and decision to implement fees. We asked questions about fee structures, fairness, considerations, and park improvements that should be supported by new park fees. We heard overwhelmingly that our audience preferred an annual sticker/entrance-fee system rather than individual payments for amenities (beaches, dog parks, disc golf, and trails). These sessions provided validity for the approach we utilized to implement fees.
3. Consider the use of technology to keep implementation costs low. We built a system around a mobile site to ensure accessibility through mobile phones, Facebook check-ins, and geo-apps, and included license plate-reader technology for enforcement at park entrances.
The first year was challenging because we couldn’t find another park system that had a model like the one we wanted. We developed a list for the desired vision: it is mobile friendly; offers flexibility for payment; requires no additional staff in parks; discourages the use of cash; offers natural marketing of locations; and provides data and figures by location. Finding the technology that best suited our needs at an affordable price was a challenge. In the end, software was built and license plate readers were installed at park entrances to scan vehicles, making this technological advancement stand apart from other fee systems. The license plate readers have been programmed to take an image and process the letters right onto a spreadsheet where the image is saved, time-stamped, and a confidence percentage produced to determine how well the license plate was captured. License plates are eventually compared to plates registered as annual patrons or daily payments. The department also works with the Department of Transportation to obtain information on those who have neglected to pay.
The result: a highly cost-effective and efficient fee system. The camera systems are very affordable with estimated costs at $7,000 per park, which includes the kiosks, a license plate-reader camera, a security camera, and a DVR system that records everything, as well as a router so we can access the information. This demanded no additional employees at kiosks to collect the charges.
4. Create a customer-centric culture. Enforcement is necessary to keep people honest. Spend time with employees to help them understand the mission and how to best handle customers. The fee champions will be the elected officials who will ardently defend the implementation of park fees.
Washington County was fortunate to have officials who encouraged this idea, as jeopardizing the provision of basic maintenance to county lands seemed imminent. Fees serve as a tool to help keep property taxes low and to fund other priorities. Inevitably, concerns will arise from constituents, as many will view park fees as a double taxation and oppose the concept. Enforce a conversation. It is imperative to establish transparency with the use of these funds and to provide evidence of intended improvements in the parks.
One of the most important elements for the staff is continuously building upon and producing outstanding customer service. We’ve generated frequently asked questions and enabled office staff members to address most issues with only one point of contact. There has been a certain level of leniency displayed as park goers were sometimes caught off guard by the new payment procedures. We initially estimated a 50 to 60 percent compliance rate. There will always be some level of accommodation because we want people to enjoy the parks, but the longer the fee is in place, there will be less flexibility in order to best maintain the parks and trails.
If people aren’t willing to pay for parks, their quality is affected and ultimately determines whether there is a park or not. Keeping track of the data on attendance and annual sales is valuable for decision making, and we look to expand utilization in the future. It is apparent that parks can be supported by users if people begin to think differently and recognize the parks’ indispensable value to the community.
Jamie Ludovic is the Central Services Director for Washington County in Wisconsin. Reach her at jamie.ludovic@co.washington.wi.us.
Deputy Deb Sielski, Washington County Deputy Planning and Parks Administrator, and Eric Hyde, Parks Property Manager also contributed to this article. For more information, visit www.co.washington.wi.us.