COMMISSIONERS
Shots fired at a Jones County Recreation facility last month was the main topic of discussion at the first Jones County Board of Commissioners work session of 2023.
The first meeting of the year was called to order by Board Chairman Chris Weidner and called on Parks, Recreation and Golf Director Bert Rosenberger.
The work session was called for the Parks of Recreation Department with all five items on the agenda for the department’s benefit. A shots fired incident that took place at the Mattie Wells Gym on Highway 49 was first.
Rosenberger said the Mattie Wells incident made it obvious that action needed to be taken to move forward with the program at the gym. According to a Jones County Sheriff’s Office report of what took place Dec. 20, there were shots fired following an altercation among three black males after a basketball game over something missing from a backpack.
The something turned out to be a firearm, and the disagreement ended with one of the men shooting several times, reportedly into the air.
Rosenberger did not go into the details of the incident. He said, since the altercation, the gym has only been open for scheduled events. The director said he was optimistic about reopening the gym but felt like more security needed to be added. Rosenberger said he spoke to the sheriff’s office about hiring off-duty deputies, but that may be difficult.
He said he was not sure officers would be available, and it would also be expensive, costing $25 to $30 and hour per officer. Rosenberger talked about options of requiring IDs from everyone entering the gym, using check-in software and possible recreation identification cards.
“We could limit use to children only and/or daylight hours only,” he said.
The director said the gym at the Government Center is only open during structured events and practices.
“There have been smaller problems before like what happens in other recreation areas, but this was a first,” he said.
Rosenberger said with new playground equipment coming and the mountain bike course opening, the recreation complex has the potential of becoming a destination.
“That means we might need to be thinking about being open more,” he said.
The director said right now they do not have a ton of traffic during the week. He said there is more use of the gym on Sunday.
Commissioner Daylon Martin said he spoke with Leevone Harris, who works full-time at the gym. He said Harris suggested only allowing high school age and below students and requiring ID cards. He said no bags should be allowed inside the gym and that an adult should be required to accompany children under 12.
Anyone involved in fighting, using profanity or otherwise breaking the rules should not be allowed back in the gym.
Martin pointed out the gym has been open for five years with nothing happening inside.
“This alleged incident happened outside, and Leevone has manned it since it opened by himself. I don’t want to void the purpose of the gym, which is to give kids a place to play,” he said.
The commissioner said he is all for stopping the population that caused the problem.
“We need to ban the troublemakers and encourage regular visits by JCSO deputies,” he said.
Martin said having more events at the gym would make it more family friendly and bring in different populations.
Commissioner Wendy Vaughn said she likes the idea of using the gym for pickleball games.
“We already have all the equipment, and players will come for an inside game,” she said.
The commissioner said all Jones County students have ID badges, and private school students have them, too. She said it would be feasible to require IDs.
Rosenberger said he is concerned about parents dropping off minors and using the gym as daycare.
“There needs to be more supervision than us, and there needs to be some form of regulated age limit,” he said.
Vaughn said the county could follow the rules of the Department of Family and Children Services. She said no one under the age of 9 can be left alone, but a 12-year-old is allowed to be a babysitter.
County Attorney Ashley Brodie said security cases can mean big money.
“You have to show an effort to create a secure environment,” she said.
Rosenberger asked if the law was any different for outside facilities.
Brodie said it was not really about the law but about good practices. She said there needs to be policies in place, and the policies need to be posted.
Martin said he agrees with the signage.
“I just want kids to be able to play,” he said.
Commissioner John Wood said kids need a safe place to be.
“When they are at the gym, they’re not getting into trouble,” he said.
Vaughn said she would also like to see recreation programs in the gym at the Maggie Califf Complex.
Bids and fees
The remaining four agenda items were quicker discussions beginning with the bid award for the improvement of Jones County playgrounds. Rosenberger explained that Great Outdoors Play System scored the highest among the five submissions and had the lowest bid.
The director recommended awarding the bid to the Great Outdoors Play System.
Rosenberger broached the need to adjust fees at the Lake Jonesco Golf Course. He suggested raising cart fees from $5 to $10, which he pointed out would still be the lowest among comparable courses.
He also asked the annual single member cost be reduced from $800 to $500. He said the senior membership rate is $400, and it would still give seniors a discount.
“I believe this will increase our annual memberships,” the director said.
Weidner said the increase in cart fees was a “no brainer.”
Rosenberger said he would also like the green fees to be raised $1 for nine holes.
The director’s next request was to increase the field and court rental rates for county facilities. The request was not about the fees for the fields and courts rental themselves but the addition of an hourly fee to pay the staff member required to be onsite during the rentals.
He asked for the addition of $20 per hour to cover that cost.
“We are losing money when only one field is rented for several hours,” Rosenberger said.
The question was raised about the security deposit. The director said he is not opposed to raising the amount of the deposit, but he said damages to the field do not usually occur while they are rented.
“When we find damage, it usually happens when nothing is scheduled,” he said.
The final agenda item discussed at the work session was about the purchase of zero-turn mowers. Rosenberger said he had previously expressed a preference for a specific brand of mower, but they need the mowers now.
The director said Ace of Gray said they could have the mowers in 30 days, and he recommended moving forward with those purchases.
“I also understand the benefit of doing business with local companies,” he said.
At the conclusion of the agenda, the work session was adjourned.
