By Katrina Elsken
Lake Okeechobee News
PAHOKEE – Pahokee Marina and Campground rates will increase on Jan. 1.
The city of Pahokee commission voted 4-1 to increase rates at the campground and marina at their Dec. 14 meeting.
City Manager Greg Thompson explained the campground and marina are not bringing in enough money to cover operating expenses. This year the city budgeted $139,000 to supplement the cost of operating the marina and campground, not counting the cost of mowing and maintenance.
The marina and campground are costing the taxpayers about $200,000 a year, he said.
“It should be an asset not a liability,” he added.
The Pahokee campground was charging just $250 a month, when other area campgrounds charge $600 or more, he said. He added those campgrounds do not have the lakeside view the Pahokee campground offers.
“Clewiston charges $500 a month and your view is another camper, and they’re full,” he said.
Under the rates approved Dec. 14, campground fees will change from $250 a month to $400 a month.
Thompson said he knows there will be complaints. “When you get something for practically nothing, change is hard. Our decision has to be what is best for the city, not for some people living at the campground,” he added.
The marina will also increase the fees for the boat slips. Under the new rate schedule, boats will be charged $12 a foot.
“Currently we charge the same for a 14 foot john boat or a 40 foot yacht. That is insane,” said Thompson.
“A rate increase is needed –– it’s still not enough, but you can’t do it all at one time,” said Thompson.
He said they have to evict some of the live aboard boats from the marina. Under the state rules, they cannot live on the boats for longer than six months in a year. He said they can leave the boats at the marina – and could move them to the area without utilities – but they cannot continue to live on the boats.
“If they are willing to park their boats where there are not utilities, we will give them a discount,” said Thompson. Those docks don’t have power because someone stole the wires, he added.
The new rules will require boats hooked up to utilities to have their waste tanks pumped out once a month. The pump out fee will be included in their monthly contract.
In the past, boat were pumped out only when the boaters called for the mobile pump out service. This led to concerns that some boats might be illegally releasing wastewater into the lake. Some fishermen alleged waste from the live aboard boats may have contributed to the nutrient load that fed the algae bloom at the marina.
Thompson said the marina and campground should be profitable for the city.
“We want to make it a draw for people to come here,” he said. “ I am going to do some marketing and build this business, if you will let me.”
Vice Mayor Regina Bohlen asked if, with the new rates, they could resolve issues with the services such as Wifi, garbage pickup and gates.
Thompson said they had gates at one time. “The gates disappeared,” he continued. “There’s a lot of stuff that disappeared out there.”
He said even with the new rates, the city budget will be short of funding. “The prior city manager gave out $300,000 in raises with no increase in revenue so we’re going to have to catch up with that too,” he explained.
The mayor asked why the campground is not full at the current rate. The problem has been lack of marketing, said Thompson. “So many people drive through Pahokee and never know that exists.”
Thompson added 12 camp sites had been closed since 2014 “because it was thought they didn’t have utilities.” He said in fact, those utilities had been covered up, and with a little investigation and digging they were able to reopen 12 sites.
The mayor said it is doubtful that even with the rate increase they will make up the $139,000 shortfall this year.
“I doubt we’ll be able to cover that ($139,000) this year, but we’ll be able to grow,” agreed Thompson.
“The gravy train is off the rails if you vote on this tonight,” he said. While people who have been paying the lower rates are going to be upset, there are plenty of new people who will come in, he said.
“Trust me this is not an extreme move,” said Thompson. “Nobody offers what Pahokee does at our campground and marina. We should capitalize on it, manage it and give back to the citizens of Pahokee.”
Some of the older RVs at the campground need to go, Thompson said. “We have an RV out there that was towed into our campground, and it’s an unsightly mess. Can you imagine paying to stay next to that person?”
Bohlen asked if discounts would continue for the military. Thompson said they would.
The motion passed 4-1 with Mayor Babb voting against the increase.
