Slight increases in the cost of stays at a family vacation cabin are planned for three of four Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District lake parks in 2006, but visitors seeking a getaway in the offseason may be pleased with the various special rates that also will be available.
Members of the MWCD Board of Directors approved the 2006 rates during their meeting today (Oct. 21) held in JIM’s Place at New Philadelphia. The rates include a 3 percent increase in the daily and weekly cost of stays at Pleasant Hill, Seneca and Tappan lake parks, with rates frozen at their 2005 levels at Atwood Lake Park.
“We are making every effort to keep costs down for our guests in our vacation cabins,” said Mark Jukich, MWCD manager of operations. “But we are fully aware that the cost of operating those cabins will increase in 2006, with the primary concerns coming from planned increases in electric, natural gas and garbage collection services.”
Jukich also said the parks plan to offer plenty of special rate opportunities during the traditional offseason months – in the spring and fall at Pleasant Hill and Seneca parks and in the spring, fall and winter and Atwood and Tappan parks. Reservations for the cabins are made by contacting the parks directly, but special rates also will be posted frequently on the MWCD website at www.mwcdlakes.com.
“We realize that we need to capitalize on those periods of lower occupancy during the weeks of the offseason,” Jukich said. “We hope to stimulate some additional occupancy during those periods by providing some latitude in the basic rate structure.”
Family vacation cabins sleep up to six people and offer bathrooms, two bedrooms, some kitchen facilities and a living area. They are located near the lake and serve as a destination for families and groups seeking a getaway at the lake.
Rates for 2006 are as follows:
Atwood Lake Park – Rates frozen at 2005 levels of $124 per night and $750 per week.
Pleasant Hill Lake Park – Rates increased from $82 to $85 per night, and from $490 to $505 per week.
Seneca Lake Park – Rates increased from $82 to $85 per night, and from $490 to $505 per week.
Tappan Lake Park – Rates increased from $124 to $128 per night, and from $800 to $825 per week.
Vacation cabins at Atwood and Tappan parks were completely rebuilt less than five years ago and include heating and cooling systems for year-round availability. Cabins at Pleasant Hill and Seneca parks do not have heating and cooling systems, and are closed during the winter months.
In other business, the Board:
- Held a required public hearing for the preliminary MWCD budget for 2006 that shows project expenses of more than $10.7 million and projected revenue of more than $10.5 million. James B. Cugliari, MWCD treasurer and chief financial officer, said the final budget that will be presented to the Board for consideration later this year will be balanced or have projected revenues greater than projected expenses.
- Approved audits conducted this summer at the five MWCD park locations (Atwood, Charles Mill, Pleasant Hill, Seneca and Tappan parks) by the Conservancy District’s financial staff. Cugliari said that no major problems were identified and he praised the parks’ management and staff for their procedures and diligence.
- Approved a fee agreement with the New Philadelphia legal firm of Miller & Kyler, chief counsel to the Conservancy District, for the period from Dec. 1, 2005, through Nov. 30, 2006.
- Agreed to reappoint Scott O’Donnell, Denny Roudebush and Bonnie Wissler to full three-year terms on the MWCD Development Advisory Committee. The Board also agreed to recognize the service of James Bates, Chris Copeland and John Hildreth, who will complete the maximum two consecutive full terms on the DAC at the end of this year. Two openings will be available on the DAC, as the Board earlier this year agreed to appoint Kevin Keffer of Dover to the next available opening.
- Agreed to purchase a 10-slip dock unit for Charles Mill Lake Park from American Tower Co. on its low bid price of $18,169. The unit will replace one that was damaged in flooding in January and is being paid for by funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
- Held an executive session to discuss personnel. No action was taken.
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